21 Weeks

A little belly comparison... is it too much turkey & stuffing, or did I really grow that much with baby belly in two weeks?

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.

Another listen to the sweet sound of baby's heart...
and a quick smile from Dr. E

Isn't she lovely...

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love

Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best
Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed
I can't believe what God has done
Through us he's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love

.....-Stevie Wonder




yes... that is her, spread-eagle...
but at least it shows she is not a HE.

Its a girl!

We got the most wonderful phone call tonight from our wonderful Julie; we are expecting a healthy little girl!!!!!!!!!! Love from Tommy and Hanne

Ultrasound today!!

...stay tuned...

by end of day (Minnesota time, roughly 3:30 pm CDT) we will have a gender to reveal!

19 Weeks

Peekaboo!
How your baby's growing:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Haiku, can you?

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.

I submitted mine:

Hope, dream, miracle
Pregnant pause no longer ours
Two lines equal three

Of course it seems more like it's coming from a couple who is finally pregnant, but as a surrogate, I feel this just as passionately for anyone who is wanting to have a child of their own. I was in the bathroom this morning and saw the thank you note from Hanne & Tommy after we had the "positive beta" news (it's slipped into my mirror as a constant reminder). It inspired me to create the haiku above. Give it a try!

150 days?!

How can that be? there's only 150 days remaining of this pregnancy and until the little bouncing baby comes out into its parents waiting arms? Wow! Time sure flies by, doesn't it?

Hanne asked me about a birth plan today. I'm afraid I rambled on for quite some time in a reply email (obviously I've done this before and got carried away). I will share a portion of it with you all as it was quite fun to actually type the sequence of events. Of course I am probably missing a few things, but...

The short of it (as it happened in the past):

• If in active labor... we get checked into hospital.


• Go to MAC assessment area (maternal), where they confirm I am in active labor


• Get admitted.


• Make sure all paperwork is secured and they know this is a surrogate birth.


• Everyone comes by and says HI and they're excited to see me/us again. :)


• Depending on dilation and whether or not my water has broken, we proceed.


• IV inserted (hoping maybe I can avoid it this time if we are not doing pitocin).


• Monitor, monitor, check dilation, monitor.


• Epidural (comes before we get too far along and I cannot get one).


• Ahhhh, no more pain.


• Dilation, baby works for us, moving along...


• Get ready to labor down (push) and the room gets busy.


• Pushing baby out for me generally takes about 60 minutes (on average).


• I am oftentimes put on oxygen.


• Barring any further complications, Baby is born!

17 Weeks

and for a little fun... we went bowling today for Oliver's birthday and I bowled above my average for all three games!



Click the image below to enlarge and see where baby is in his/her development this week!