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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Beautiful music and "baby bumps"


Today, I heard the most beautiful sound...................our babies heart beating! We had our first prenatal appointment today and it went great! Jill is just over 9 weeks so we are not sure if we heard both babies hearts but we were with out doubt hearing one of them. The doctor said it can be tricky to tell them apart this early. None the less...........music to our ears! And like I knew it would, my husbands face lit up like he was hearing magic! What an unbelievable place in my life this is!


When I saw Jill this morning, I could not believe my eyes!! Her "baby bump" is VERY visible!! And very, very sweet!! We are going to post belly pictures on the days we have our prenatal visits so..............enjoy the 1st "bump"!!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Inducing Lactation....and so much more!

I had a consultation yesterday with my OBGYN who also practices out of the same clinic as Jill's doctor. It was fantastic! First we addressed my want to breastfeed the babies and we talked about the protocol I will follow to do so. She prescribed me the two meds I need to begin taking and was very supportive and believes I will be very successful and bringing in my milk. How cool right!?! We also talked about what Jeff and I can expect on delivery day. Its crazy how many more things you need to think about when its twins vs. one baby. All in all it was a great appointment and I was very pleased with all that we talked about. I ordered my meds and will start them as soon as they arrive! (the longer you are on them the better) I have a question for anyone who would like to answer........what was your experience like with having had a
c section? Jill and I have only delivered vaginally and being there are two babies her chance of having a c section increases. Share with us your experience and recovery........it would be helpful!

As far as Jill goes.............she has the cutest little "baby bump" you have ever seen in your life!!! I know its early but it VERY clearly there!!! We have our first prenatal appointment on Tuesday. Hoping to hear some strong little heart beats!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

What it feels like....

Many of my friends have asked me if this has been hard. Not being able to carry my babies, watching my husband be attentive to someone other than myself. I guess my answer comes in question form. What could possibly be hard about knowing my husband loves me enough to give up his dream of ever having children? What could be hard about knowing that my best friend loves me enough to offer herself to my husband and I in the most selfless way possible? And also knowing that our friendship will move to a level it never would have. What could be hard about knowing that in about 7 months I'm going to hold two beautiful babies in my arms that my husband and I created? What could be hard about knowing that this was all in Gods plan? I am one of the most fortunate women I know. Its as simple as that.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

So...how ya feelin'?

This "ain't my first rodeo", ya know what I mean? I've done this pregnancy thing five times before...FIVE times! I would anticipate having a pretty good grip on what's in store for me this time around. Now, granted...I have never been a gestational surrogate before. So, I've never had the privilege of daily drugs for weeks on end...truly, you never know how your body will react to that until your in the middle of it. Which, these drugs by the way...namely the nightly progesterone in oil shot that Kurt gives me in my rear-end...they just aren't that bad. Will I be happy to be done? Of course! But, honestly, Denise & I really had ourselves worked up over these shots & the awful size of the needle...reading other peoples horror stories with them really freaked Denise out. She would always say "if there is one part of this I could take away and do for you Jill it would be these shots". Is it convenient? Well,no, is giving yourself a shot ever convenient?. Does it hurt? Yeah, kinda. Is it TERRIBLE? No, it just isn't. So, anyways~ I just wanted to share that.
I have always been a victim of morning sickness. With each pregnancy I would feel waves of nauseousness in the early morning hours, I would often throw up & then be done. BUT, what I am experiencing this time is so different! I have different names of the different levels of sickness I feel so that I can easily & quickly relay to Jeff & Denise how I am feeling. I will have full out puking (puking)...I will have gagging without puking (nauseous)...and I will have an uneasy feeling of queasiness that lingers for hours (queasy). THAT is different for me. The last few weeks I have been battling symptoms that hit me in the early afternoon...I would feel foggy headed, achy, headache...almost like I was starting to get "the flu". I would feel like my body was needing more hydration, but no matter how much water I drank...I just wouldn't feel improvement. WELL THEN it hit me~Gatorade! Bingo! So dear Jeff hit Sam's Club and stocked my garage with Gatorade and I have never felt better! I'm so excited about this I can hardly stand myself!!! Whatever those little electrolytes do, I likey! I know it upsets Denise & Jeff when I am so sick but honest to goodness~ I just don't care. I have, along with 5 healthy pregnancies had 2 pregnancies that ended in miscarriage. During those 2, I didn't feel sick. I knew something wasn't right. So sickness is just Gods little way of reassuring me that everything is OK. I'll take it, happily.
Speaking of "happily taking it". Something else I will happily take, at any given time? FOOD. Yep, food...lots and lots of it. I am having a real hard time quenching my hunger. I feel like I am constantly putting something in my mouth. Kurt thinks I need to call the doctor cuz he is certain that something is wrong with me!!! I will eat a meal, a full meal and within 2hrs I will be ready to eat again...like, another meal. Weird, huh? We went out for dinner with Denise & Jeff last night. Ate at a Mongolian restaurant and after that we went to the mall, maybe for an hour & a half or so. As we were walking out it hit me. Im hungry. Not "Im sorta munchy"...no, Im hungry~ I have hunger pains. Denise & Jeff insisted that we take care of that hunger immediately. I thought I could've waited till we got home but they insisted, so we headed to Champps and I downed a burger, fries & a malt~ that helped the hunger pains. When we got in the car Kurt was like~Um. Jill, you ate two dinners within 3 hrs of each other. I said~ It was just a burger and fries. To which he responded~ Yes Jill, a burger & fries IS a meal!!! Oh. OK. Well, I dont know what to say...
All I know is that food is my friend right now, Im sure this will pass...right?!
So all in all? I am feeling exactly how I thought I would feel...just amplified a bit! Happy to be pregnant. Period.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm VERY excited to tell our big news!
!!!!!!!!!!!ITS TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And everything looked great! Baby A measured 7wks 4 days and baby B measured 7wks 2 days. Two little heart beats!!! We will go back three wks from today for another ultrasound. Thank you all for your prayers, and please keep them coming.

Today is also Jill's birthday! Happy Birthday to the most generous, kind, and sweetest woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing........let alone calling my very best friend! I love you Jill!!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

24 hours..............

Yep, that's right. 24 hours from this very minute Jeff and I will "see our baby". I'm not even sure that I fully understand this!!! I'm so excited and nervous at the same time! I'm very excited, but I have to confess.........I'm thrilled to be seeing the baby, but I think I'm the most excited to see Jeff seeing his child's heart beating for the first time. My 6'5'' gentle giant, watching that tiny little flicker. It makes my heart swell just thinking of it.
Stay tuned.............we will post tomorrow afternoon and share the news of one little bean or two!!! Please keep us all in your prayers!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Strange position to be in...

As I sit with my thoughts, one of the thoughts that often crosses my mind is this...How strange to be in this position (for all of us involved). I feel like I know Denise as well as anyone can possibly know her so I feel like I can pretty accurately put myself in her "shoes". Let me say, even though this isnt anyones plan (including Denise)...to have someone else carry your baby, I know with 100% certainty that she is able to just be thankful for what she has been given and look at all the positives of the situation...the biggest being, that next summer her and Jeff get to bring their baby home. Do some aspects of this "pang" her heart with sadness...yes, of course, but she always falls back on "what is our goal"...a baby. What's strange for me is, when Im experiencing pregnancy symptoms...ones that Denise would give her left arm to experience, I think to myself..."I need to tell her, I need to tell her & Jeff". Because I feel as though by me not sharing with them~whatever it is that is happening~I am cheating them out of part of this experience. This is their baby & if he/she is making me queasy, I feel like they should know. I put myself in Denises shoes all the time and think...how strange that I feel certain things, be it nausea or stretching pains...(yes, stretching pains~what the?!?!?!) before she even knows they exist. I dont want my friend to miss out on ANY aspect of this pregnancy, I want HER to carry their baby but since that isnt the "hand they were dealt", I am trying to be as respectful of her and Jeff as possible during this and making sure there is nothing in regards to this pregnancy that they are not aware of & a part of. Denise and I have never and will never be awkward with each other...what a blessing in this situation, huh? The other day Jeff and Denise were over and Denise was analyzing my changing tummy. She had me standing and she had me laying on the floor during our "exam". She was very "into it" & obviously looked like it as my 4yr old daughter asked her, very sincerly, "Denise, are you a doctor?". Pretty funny, she sure looked like one! God Bless my friend Denise, she is handling this whole thing with such grace, she could be on a "pity pot" & thinking of all the things she doesnt get but she doesnt do that. She is a strong woman who believes God has guided this entire situation and she chooses to see & focus on only the blessings that come along, I really admire her!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Tick...... Tock.................

I'm NOT one to worry!!! But can we please get to the ultrasound next week?????? Jill is feeling good and that makes me happy but this complete loss of control is getting the best of me!!!!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!...Dont worry~Its Sparkling Cider, I dont even drink coffee when Im pregnant~~much less champagne!



So we rang in the New Year last night with some great friends! 20 adults, 26 kids & no major catastrophies! A ton of super great food...a ton! Sharon, Im enjoying some of your brownies you left behind~yummo! We played Guesstures...after some serious arm twisting, guys against chicks. We tied at one win each & opted not for a tie breaker round...we've got some "mad talent" amongst our friends~who knew?!?! Kurt & I said good-bye to our last guests a little after 2am. I cannot believe I made it that late, but so glad I did, what a fun time! Before we called it a night, Denise & I got our 1st "her bun, my oven" picture of the year taken & I will try to post that later. No need to worry...as some opted to ring in the year with some "bubbly", I was gifted my very own bottle of DELICIOUS Sparkling Cider (thanks Pints!!)
2009 was fabulous, blessed in so many ways...even in our trials the Lord brought about blessings. Anxious to see what He has up his sleeve for 2010!