Sweet Relief.

24 Weeks 1 Day

It was great to be able to see M and the babies today and I was very impressed with the staff openenss to Surrogacy.

I got to go into the room and watch the ENTIRE ultra sound, the admin assistant asked who I was (we explained) and she chatted about how great it was – so did the nurse practitioner AND the doctor! Totally surrogacy positive.

The babies were measured, the placentas were viewed and heartbeats recorded.

They were all fabulous.

And the little girls Complete Placenta Previa?

Was it Marginal Placenta Previa?

No.

Was it Low Lying Placenta?

No.

Her placenta was totally 100% normal. NO issues.

The stats (as I remember them – M please correct me!).

Baby A (girl) – 1 pound 4 ounces

Baby B (boy) – 1 pound 5 ounces

Cervix – 3.8cm! Totally fine.

We met the OB for all of 3 minutes. The conversation went something like this:

Doctor: You were referred for complete placenta previa, and the placenta is absolutely fine, the babies are growing on target, the fluid is great the cervix is long, we have no concerns. Do you want to do shared care so that you can continue to be monitored by us and have an emergency to come to in case of pre-term labour (of course! We don’t want to be in the situation where M is helicoptered to the states – yes that DOES happen).

So the next appointment at the twin clinic is March 23 at 30 weeks.

Excited!

24 Weeks 0 days

I am not sure how I am going to sleep tonight as tomorrow I get to see M and our babies! So excited as it has been over a month since I have seen M (and over 6 weeks since we have seen our babies on the ultra sound!).

So be thinking good thoughts for all of us as we are meeting the high risk twin doctor tomorrow morning and we are hoping for good news about the placenta previa….

Telling Part 3b

23 weeks 6 days

I have more details from the In Laws great reveal, but, as everything is 3rd hand I may not make this post as eloquent as it should be…

The In-Laws took the news exactly how I thought they would (excellently). You see my in-laws are respectful people, who, understand that us revealing our good news is something we need to do on our own time.

They even asked “Who can we tell and what can we say“. Amazing and the exact opposite of my mother’s reaction which will be (oh my god wait till I tell everyone including strangers I meet in an elevator).

Mr. Duck told the in-laws that, all we know are two things.

Firstly, we do not want to be the subject of gossip (and what great gossip it makes -  a story of infertility, hospitalization and surrogacy!).

Secondly, we are proud of how our children are being brought into this world, we are proud that we are brave enough and strong enough not to just stop at barriers such as a useless uterus, and we are proud and protective of M (she has a life and a family and is doing this amazing thing for us – it’s hard to write all the feelings that you have towards the women who is carrying your child/children – but I will sum it up by saying we are extremely protective of her).

The in-laws agreed with both statements and agreed that they would hold onto the great news (but they will tell Mr. Duck’s brother).  In terms of Mr. Duck’s extended family – many of them I would love for them to know about this (particularly his one aunt who constantly moans that she will never have grand children because her children “don’t want to have kids” but I am positive are infertile).

Apparently my mother in law keeps saying “twins, how wonderful”, or “two – you both always have one to hold”.

They are extremely excited and it feels so very good to know that they know.

Next up will be my sister (sometime in the next few weeks maybe).

I’m still undecided about the timing of telling my parents (I would have told my father months ago if he did not live with my mother)  - of course they will know at some point, but, when?

Telling Part 3a.

23 Weeks 5 days

All I know is that Mr. Duck has “dropped the bomb” on his parents.

I talked with him briefly and he was short on details except to say that :

1. They are excited that we are expecting boy girl twins.

2. They are sorry for all that *I* had to go through (which makes me wonder WHAT details he told them).

3. That’s all I got Mr. Duck wasn’t too detail focused and our conversation lasted all of 3 minutes – as soon as I know the details – trust me – I will share.

I picked up the last of the cloth diapers today (size small – there will be more when they get bigger!) – and if you are in the GTA and are cloth diapering I found a FANTASTIC on line/home business for cloth diapers called CatapillarBaby. FANTASTIC service!

Of course, life would not be complete with out a pic of said adorable diapers:

Birthday Wishes and Planning Continued.

23 Weeks 3 days

Today is M’s Birthday! So if you have a moment, please go sing her a birthday song.

In Baby Planning News, we have registered for 2 courses.

1. Baby CPR/First Aid – First week in March.

2. Twin Care Class – Last week in March.

I am  a  little nervous about showing up to both class sans belly, but, I also want the knowledge!

We HAVE an appointment with the high risk Twin OB – next Tuesday!! So excited as I will get to go and hang out with M and see the babies . We will even get an ultra sound (and hopefully a few pics to take home with us as our last pics are from 16 weeks which is forever in baby time).

Mr. Duck flew home last night! He was scheduled to fly home today so it was nice to get an extra night with him. He flies out to see his parents tomorrow (he is going east for work so it is on the way). And he will be telling the in laws this weekend….

Wish us all luck.

Opps a title would be a good idea.

23 weeks 1 day

It’s only Tuesday and I feel like I have worked a week when it has only been 2 days so this will be a brief synopsis.

• OB appointment went well, Mr. Duck met the OB and go to hang out with M – he even got kicked by the little girl which he just thought was the coolest thing evah.
• Here is what I gathered from the OB appointment (M will post this week a much better synopsis):

1. M is measuring 27 weeks – so still tracking 4 weeks ahead – fantastic!
2. M has gained 5 pounds – also fantastic.
3. M has a requisition for a growth scan for 24 weeks
4. The next OB appointment will be in either 2 weeks or 3 weeks depending on when the high risk appointment is scheduled for.
5. The high risk OB has the referral so M should know the appointment sometime this week (I am praying that it is for the week after we get back from Cuba).

• Mr. Duck is travelling a lot right now (he flew out east last friday, back saturday, flew back east today, returns Thursday then flying back east again on Friday returning next Thursday).
• Mr. Duck is spending the upcoming weekend with his parents letting them know all the infertile and expecting baby news.
• We’re contemplating registering in a twin-care course at the high risk twin clinic (thoughts anyone? Any other expecting via surrogacy IPs go to baby care courses?).
• Lost starts tonight – I am really excited – Mr. Duck and I started watching Lost during our deep dark infertile time in Montreal and we have a real affection for the show.

Outta sorts.

23 Weeks 0 Days

I feel, well weird.

Not like myself. I feel nervous and sad, it’s a very strange kinda feeling.

I am sure these feelings are a result of yet something else I have to miss out on.

Today’s OB appointment.

I know, I should simply be grateful that there is an OB appointment,and don’t get me wrong, I am. I am grateful that we have the wonderful M who is taking fabulous care of our little ones, but, I was REALLY looking forward to this appointment.

The last OB Appointment, was, well, shocking. We all discovered the Complete Placenta Previa (which came as a shock to me and M) and it has been almost a month since that last appointment (26 days to be precise).  And I was so looking forward to going to this one.

To sitting in the waiting room chatting with M (which is the best part really of the whole appointment). To feeling our little girl kick (she’s quite the kicker) and hearing their little heartbeats.

So, obviously I am upset that I have to miss out on all this, I am upset that I have to be chained to my work, that those A-holes call these stoopid meetings that never ever can be at a decent hour.

And, no there is nothing I can do about it. There is a recession going on here and I honestly need a job, I can not afford to be unemployed, so I therefore just have to suck it up and accept that yet again I have to miss out.

At least Mr will get to see M and meet the OB (and maybe even feel a baby or two kick).

Preparations Continue

22 weeks 6 days

It was a busy weekend Chez Duck. Mr. Duck worked on Saturday so that he can have a flex day on Monday (and go to the OB appointment!) and we had breakfast with all the locals(we have a tight knit street).

He is so excited to get to see M tomorrow and to meet the OB (who is a really fabulous women – we are so happy that M found her!).

Thanks so much for all the recommendations for things you love and things you could live without! I need this advice as it is a big world of baby stuff out there.

Developments Chez Duck…

This Monkey and Giraffe Valence followed me home from babiesrus.

Above is one of the 3 panels for the giant flower tree. It is in the VERY EARLY stages and I brought it upstairs to “check the colours”.

Learning to Parent

22 weeks 4days

It may seem odd to some, but, Mr. and I well we are very much readers and learners. I know many a parent did not crack a parenting book before becoming a parent, and are fabulous parents, but for us, reading is a key to comfort.

As part of my personality I want to read everything possible on parenting and children. Because I studied psychology for 5 years at Uni I have the basics of learning and the fundamentals of reinforcement theory, but, I still feel like it is beneficial to read, and read from all kinds of experts, everything from how to change a diaper to how to ensure you raise psychologically healthy twins.

I go onto the Toronto Library website and order parenting books by the dozen. I read a lot of the same things over and over again (cook ahead, freeze food, refer to the twins by their unique names, get one on one time with the twins) and sometimes I read unique things, stuff that I think wow, I need to write that down so I don’t forget.

So I created a Word file, and every time I find something worth remembering I type it in my word file, so I have it there, the little nugget of parenting knowledge.

Recently I read this little nugget of knowledge about SIDS, apparently one of the ways to prevent SIDS is to ensure that no mold or fungus grows on the mattress by wrapping the mattress in a BebeSafe Matress Cover so that has gone onto my essential list of baby items.

So far the only thing I have on my Things Not Allowed in My House is Exercausers(as someone born with dislocated hips I look at these things and all my heart tells me they are not right).

So, what baby items can you Just Not live Without and What can Stay at Babies R Us?

Fax mishap or why Mr. Duck rocks – Updated

22 Weeks 2 days

 

So we have officially been waiting FOREVER to get this appointment with the high risk doctor.

And here is where it gets awkward being an IP. It is not my appointment, technically speaking.

Yes, they are my babies, and Yes the reason we are going to a high risk OB is because of those babies, but, the appointment is NOT for me.

It is for M.

And so, we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And oh my god this is getting ridiculous – 3 weeks to just answer the phone and give us a date!

So, Mr. Duck decided to take the matter into his own little wings, because he is used to advocating on my behalf so calling about M’s appointment isn’t that strange to him.

He called the High Risk OB, and left messages.

Not just one, and not just 2.

They magically returned his phone call within the hour.

Guess what?

The high risk OB has 2 offices, and 2 fax machines, and if for some reason the referral is faxed to his Head of OB office and not the High Risk Clinic Office the appointment is simply never made.

As in, wrong fax, our referral goes in the garbage.

So, Mr. calls M’s OB and explains the situation. The nice office worker tells Mr that she has faxed the referral and there is a triage process yada yada yada and that it can take weeks.

But, Mr. has spoken with the High Risk Office.

Mr. knows that the appointment will be made within 48 hours of receiving the fax.

The Fax that the high risk clinic never received.

So Mr. asks again (and I imagine forcefully because we have been trying to have children for FIVE FREAKING YEARS so this MATTERS to us) to please simply fax the refferal to this fax number and we will have an appointment within 48 hours.

So the countdown is on, and by Friday we should FINALLY have an appointment with the High Risk OB (of course it maybe in freaking JUNE because of the delay receiving the request).

Update

The High Risk clinic is SOOO together that after waiting an hour to recieve the Fax from M’s OB they called Mr. and asked what the hell is taking so long? So Mr. explained that he called the OB, that there is some sorta triage system (which by the way the High Risk Clinic never heard of!) and they now have M’s OB’s phone number and they are calling M’s OB and requesting the fax.

Am SO SO very relieved that the High Risk Doctor is so organized and together.