We opened the boys' packages from Norway a little early because Alek left on Monday to spend time with his father. The boys' initial reaction to socks was "eh, socks" but since putting them on, they love them! We may have to peel them off of Henry's feet this morning to wash them as he's worn them two days straight - and even wore them to bed last night. Giggle. They all wish to send you their thanks and blessings for a fabulous holiday with your family & friends!!
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.
I find myself wandering around and making up haiku's during the day now. I love poetry and used to make up poems all the time when I was younger. I just might have to go dig out those notebooks stashed away somewhere in the basement. 
Well, it took a while to view baby's tummy... it can take anywhere between 20-30 minutes to fill. They insisted that they wait the time to see this as part of what they visually check. Weren't sure what to do if it didn't happen (hadn't had it happen before)... so I asked if this meant baby girl would be a picky eater? :) Everything checked out eventually and your little girl is growing just fine and healthy! 
I heard that the box of goodies from Minnesota has arrived in Norway... I am thankful for our postal service today! Yippeee!! Henry and I had a fun time putting things together to send off to Trondheim.
Oh, I cannot even begin to list how many things I've misplaced, forgotten or lost in the last few weeks. I'm sure JP could, however, as he's found it quite amusing lately. Well, not so much as annoying, maybe. This weekend he took a 90 minute trip out of his way to get my camera that I left behind at a friend's on Saturday. Yea, although he's used to my pregnancy-induced forgetfulness, I'm sure he'd much rather I kept better track of things lately!Babymoons, as some refer to these mid-pregnancy getaways, are so popular that nearly two out of three BabyCenter readers who took our poll said they intend to take one. The top dream destination: anywhere you can kick back and relax.
The kind of trip you decide to take — and whether you go away for a week or a weekend, to the beach or a favorite city — will depend on how much time and money you have. If you don't have the resources for a trip far away, you might want to make a reservation at a nearby hotel or bed and breakfast. Request the honeymoon suite and treat yourselves to a nice dinner out. Order room service and have breakfast in bed. Just being together, out of your regular routine, will make it special.
What a beautiful, new little nephew you have to love on & spoil! I can only imagine how holding him in your arms makes you long for Spring 2009 to come a little sooner. Congratulations again to your sister and her family on this blessing.
How your baby's growing:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.
Peekaboo!
I found this on a blog and thought it was interesting as it relates to so many going through infertility. Some are funny, others poignant, and others still painfully honest.
How many times have you clicked PLAY to listen to baby's heartbeat? Isn't it just the sweetest sound?! How your baby's growing:
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")
The morning sickness (or for me, any time it feels like hitting me sickness) is slowly subsiding and it's no longer daily! Whoohoo!! However, I still have many aversions and my sense of smell is incredible. I just had to move a tray of leftover donuts from my desk because the smell of the sugar wasn't boding well with my sinuses. It is very strange to change from routine and not really even care. I used to go to Starbuck's frequently (and reveled in my mocha fix!), but now I've gone only once in the past month. I haven't eaten chocolate since... oh, the weekend before transfer maybe? I know this too shall pass and hopefully it will help me maintain the appropriate weight gain that comes with pregnancy. Note to self, no chocolate shakes from McDonald's before the gestational diabetes test this time around!
This week, baby is using his/her reflexes to wave goodbye to the first trimester and hello to the second!
The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.
I sent an email yesterday to coworkers to spill the beans and the #1 question I am asked today... "Does this mean you get to go to Norway?" Funny. Who would have thought that folks think that, first and foremost. I suppose it goes to reason, but it has caught me off-guard. Yes, I suppose we will eventually visit Trondheim now, more than we would have a year ago, but it has always been in my plans to go back to Norway in the summer. After spending three weeks there in the winter, I would love to see a change in season.Dear Friends & Colleagues,
Yes, I'm doing it again! It is with much excitement that I wish to share what a miracle I will be giving back to the world next Spring. Some of you may have wondered if the weight I gained over the summer would ever go away, but in your kindness have opted not to say anything. Others may have already seen the glow in my face and suspected I was up to something.
So to make a long story, short: I am now 11 weeks pregnant. And this life force I am carrying will only be raised by me for the first 9 months of its lifetime. I am a gestational surrogate for a wonderful couple from Norway, Hanne & Tommy. We have spent time over the last year getting to know one another and I cannot express in words how thrilled I am to help them realize their dream of becoming a family!
It is my hope that you will share in this joy with me and support me throughout this journey. As it is a personal decision and there are aspects of this which are not mine to share, please also know that I will respect the privacy of the intended parents by not answering some questions. This was such a fabulous experience the first time, I couldn't help but want to do it again!
With warm regards,
Julie
Your Baby
All of your baby's vital organs are now formed and functioning, so the risk of defects decreases this week as your baby becomes less susceptible to outside influences. Phew! Other exciting developments include:
Baby's ears are assuming their proper place this week and the fingernail and toenail beds are beginning to form. Your little "pumpkin head" really lives up to his nickname as his head is nearly as big as the rest of his body.
While testes or ovaries are completely formed now, don't start decorating the nursery. You won't be able to see your baby's gender for a few more weeks yet.
Your baby is really on the move now. In an ultrasound you might be able to see your little acrobat flailing his or her arms and legs and doing somersaults worthy of Cirque du Soleil. You still won't be able to feel any movement, so if you feel something "kick" in there, it's probably gas.
In the next nine weeks, your baby will increase 30 times in weight and almost triple in length. You might feel like you're increasing 30 times in weight at this point, too, but we can assure you're not—because, honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet!
Your baby now weighs a third of an ounce, about the same as two small, Starbucks-sized packets of sugar; is about 2 inches long, the length of one of those sugar packets. Isn't that sweet?
We heard a heartbeat, which I tried to tape, but it didn't come out very well. It was a good, yet uneventful appointment, all the way around. I made my next few appointments and our 20 week ultrasound falls around Thanksgiving. This will be a gender reveal, but you all only get to know if Hanne & Tommy are sharing! Otherwise, my lips are sealed.
I arrived home after work yesterday to find this lovely gift basket had arrived. What a special treat and the flowering plant is absolutely goregous! Many thanks to you, Hanne & Tommy, for thinking of me yet again. Your thoughtfulness is ever so gracious and heart-warming.
Together, we will go through quite a few seasons, and we are blessed by your presence in our lives!
Lots of waiting going on for the next 213 days and maybe some long weeks in between with nothing to post! So I found this cute countdown clock this morning and posted it on the sidebar. If it helps us pass the time ~ great, but if it drives you crazy Hanne & Tommy, let me know and I'll take it down. 
By the end of this month...
