Alive and doing well...

Hey there my bloggers!

I'm so sorry for being a HUGE slacker! We all are doing well and just let the time slip away.. Since my last post I have graduated College with a Bach degree in Digital Photography and working hard on getting my own business going.. My hubby and kids are great and life is good:)

As for my surro family they are doing great as well! The beans are growing fast and are in my opinion the cutest twins EVER. In just over a week Jason and I will be on the flight to Norway for a fun visit with our surro family and of course I couldn't be more excited! I will plan on blogging and sharing photos once we get home:)

Thanks for coming back!

Happy 3 months to my beautiful baby beans

I know, I know! I can't believe it either, my surro babies are 3 months old!..

As my sweet Surro family has settled back at their home in Norway, the guys are enjoying fatherhood. I've been enjoying the updates I receive either by text and fun photos or videos and hearing about the next stage they've entered. I'm proud to say the babies are growing healthy and very happy, but how couldn't they? With all the love surrounding them I don't think it could be any other way.

Smiles from the sweet Agnes


Smiles from the handsome Tellef


I miss them like crazy but so happy they're back home and enjoying the normal family life, as we are too. I've been busy with the holidays, kids, mini vacation and now back to School. Like I said in my goodbye post to the beans, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of them and I know that will never change.

Back to Cali

This past weekend I flew to a little place I like to call "Land of Surrogates" aka California. These past few years I've been privileged to have some of the most beautiful women in my life. These ladies are past, present or future surrogates and I know for a fact I would not have been so successful in my journey as a surrogate without their amazing support and friendships.

We have this secret group on FB and no we don't have a secret handshake but we like to keep this group very small so we can all feel like we can share and be completely honest with each other and it has done nothing but made us stronger women not only with surrogacy but as wives, mothers and friends. We've been through more in the past year than most friendships see in a life time.

One of my first Surro friends is Andrea, she had commented on my blog a few times during my transfer process and it was a friendship made from then on. Without getting too cheesy and mushy, I adore her and our friendship means more to me then she'll ever really know. That being said I couldn't stand it any longer, I had to meet her in person! With timing this just seemed to be the best, I just having the twins and her just starting on her meds I flew to Cali to spend the weekend with her!

Well the bonus of having her in Cali, there just happens to be a few more ladies in the area (or a days drive away) and during my stay these other wonderful ladies, Stacey, Katie and Laura were able to spend some time with us also. BONUS!

The weekend was filled with talking, laughing, sight seeing, eating, drinking and just chillin.. As Andrea took her first shot of her journey and Stacie taking her last shot, the timing was more than perfect. It was like going to spend the weekend with girls I've known my whole life. I loved every minute of it and when the weekend came to an end it was sad to say our goodbye's but happy for this time together.

So again surrogacy is a wonderful thing.. I've gained a new family and wonder friends that I care for in so many ways. And looking forward to meeting more of my girls in the future!

Andrea and myself


Me, Stacie, Andrea and Katie

Goodbye...For now

Tellef and Agnes,

Five days ago you boarded your first Airplane, this flight was taking you home where you will grow and make memories. I'm sure you had a huge welcome home from many friends and family that have been waiting patiently to meet you both.

Five days ago I closed a chapter in life, a long chapter of many memories and emotions. I knew saying goodbye wouldn't be easy, you both have changed my world and not just mine but my family too. We will never be the same here in MN because of the both of you. Myself, Jason and our children have learned to love in a way that most don't experience. You both gave us so much just while growing in my tummy and then this past month watching you grow out of your newborn clothes has been a blessing.

As I say we closed this chapter, I am excited to say we have started a new one, this one will be filled up with updates and photos of you both growing and hitting those milestones that your daddies will be so proud of. I can't wait to see the changes you will make and hear your voices as you first start making sounds. I'm proud of you both for growing as well as you did and being so perfect, and yes I mean PERFECT.

I can promise you both that there won't be a day in my life that you don't cross my mind. If it's just something that reminds me of you or a memory that I let myself fall into, and for that I thank you. To be able to love as many people as you can will only make your heart grow stronger. And there will always be a spot in my heart for you both and your family.

Your dads have invited Jason and I to come visit your home this summer, I can not wait to meet up with you again! To be able to snuggle and kiss your cute cheeks is the sweetest gift your daddies could ever give me:) But till then you do your best to grow and be healthy, and I know you will have no problems doing so because of the love that surrounds you.

Love,

Surro-momma Amy

Photos of my Surro-bean-loves

I've been so busy loving on the cute baby beans and spending time with my Surro family and loving every minute of it! But I did promise photos, I would love to share all but that might be a little overboard hehe... Here a few of my favorites from birth and just some from other visits.

Here was most of our cheering team in the waiting room!


Not such a great photo of me, but pretty much gives you the idea of how i was feeling;)!

Here is a great shot of the guys before we met the babies :)


Meeting the babies for the first time xoxo


Our first visit with the babies after coming home, can you tell I'm a little proud here!


Hubby and I


All the Turkeys on Thanksgiving day xoxo


And last, here is one of the photos I took for their first photoshoot, aren't they the cutest things EVER!


This past 6 weeks have been amazing in many ways. I've had the joy of getting to know the babies, the dads and the grandparents of this beautiful family. This week they will go back home and start what will be the most amazing journey they will ever take and I couldn't be any more excited for them. I am lucky to have had this "extra" time and will always hold these memories close to my heart.

Beans into babies - Birth story

Well we didn't make it to 38 weeks but we did make it through Trick r Treating! Before I start with what will end up being a small novel I would love to say baby A and baby T were born on 11/1/11 in the hour of 2am, both weighing in at the same 8.1 pounds and 21 inches and are 100% PERFECTION.

G and S came into town on Sunday and we spent a great evening of craving pumpkins and eating dinner with them and our children, knowing the guys were running off of no sleep and a 6hr time difference they left to get settled into their apartment.

The next day was Halloween which with 4 kids under the age of 10 is a pretty big deal around here.The day flew by and I was excited to meet the guys for our 3pm Ultrasound and OB appointment. Babies were perfect (of course) and baby girl was still butt down, so we chatted it up with the doc about the birth plans and how we would like to see it all go down. I left the appointment feeling good and prepared for the big day (Nov 16th) but now back to my babies and getting them out the door for some big time Halloween fun.

The guys were sweet enough to come over and walk with my hubby and kids around the neighborhood while I stayed back and handed out the candy. Feeling extremely tired from the long day and all the excitement from the guys being here we said our good nights and we decided we would hook backup on Wed, giving them time to unpack and get comfy in there new place.

About 30 min after they left and me in the middle of helping my little man brush his teeth I there in my bathroom experienced for the first time ever, my water breaking on its own! lol Best thing EVER! Of course at first went and sat on the pot thinking maybe I was wrong but within minutes I knew it was for real and then the CRAZY began:)

As hubby is calling the guys I'm trying not to make a mess everywhere as I'm walking grabbing things and getting the kids ready and out the door. We made to the hospital in record timing thanks to my husband and his want to become a race car driver;) We met the guys and my parents at the hospital and were checked in within minutes.

Before I knew it we were set up in a bed and everyone was ready to go. Going in for a C-section they wanted to do a ultrasound to make sure they knew where baby A and B were hanging out.. That's when we found out baby girl had turned and was now head down! YAY for vag birth!! I was in complete shock that she had moved and I would be able to push these beans out, which made this whole thing just that much more awesome!

After waiting a few hours, which felt to me a few minutes babies were ready to come meet their daddies. We had the whole delivery level to ourselves. The nurse staff was amazing, really truly amazing. They not only did everything they could to make all of us feel welcome and comfortable but let all three of the guys be a part of the delivery. So in the OR we had myself (of course) hubby next to me and the daddies next to the baby warmers and 16 hospital staff members..lol yes 16 sets of eyes on my lady parts. That was a first....

Ready to go and ready to push cause again I'm kind of a rockstar at giving birth, baby girl made her entrance with a lovely scream and daddy S was able to cut her cord and the nurse let me take a quick peek before she was put into the warmer, she was perfect. Just like I knew she would be. But my focus needed to be back on baby boy now and getting him out into this world, my job was half way done. About 30 minutes later and giving it every little thing of what I had left to push I was able to get baby boy out with no problems. He came out with a nice scream and cry as daddy G cut his cord and I was able to see that he was also a perfect baby.

The whole time my husband stayed next to my side giving me the love, support and courage that he had done with our own. I get tears in my eyes as I write this part because I truly am blessed to have such an amazing husband and I know I couldn't have found that strength inside me to deliver two babies the way I did without him next to me.

After babies were born they were taken with the dads to be weighed and cleaned off. The next hour was spent with hospital staff coming into my room to congratulate us and tell me how amazing we all are and how they will never forget our story. I had no idea what to expect from the hospital staff with our "situation" and did worry that there might be a point that we would feel uncomfortable or something would be weird but not at all, these men and women were great, they made all three of us feel so comfortable and I know I will never forget some of their faces:)

I was able to see the babies the next morning and it was great to finally put faces to the kicks and punches I've had from them these past months. Besides my own children these babies are the most beautiful newborns I'v ever seen! And seeing the guys as dads for the first time was one of the best parts to the end of this story, just that proud daddy look on both their faces made it all come to a wonderful ending. They will never be the same again and I know they will be great dads and these babies have a wonderful life in Norway waiting for them.

So there you have it. After a long journey my part is done. I have made it possible for these two men to become dads, to have a family. I know I feel happy, loved, amazing, and all that good stuff. Am I expecting to be really sad or to break down and cry? No, I don't find this experience sad or depressing. I know my hormones are whack right now and maybe I'll need a good cry in the shower, but it will be a cry of - wow...did I just really do that?. Some of my closest family/friends have asked me how I'm doing and I think they are trying to do their best to let me know they are here for me and I love that, I love to know if I need to talk to someone I have that support. But for now I lean on my husband and my surrogate friends. For my husband I feel he really is the only one that can even come close to understanding what I just went through and for me that's working. And of course my surro friends, because if it wasn't for them I would've gone into this whole thing clueless.

For all you that have followed me on here or on Facebook, I will say it again. I thank you from my heart, the support that was given to me, my family and the guys played a huge roll in this. Surrogacy is an amazing thing and I will never forget all the ups and downs and of course my Norwegian family that I helped make xoxo

*Stayed tuned for the next blog post of photos**

Coming to the end..

This weekend the proud parents to these two babies I have spent so much time with will be arriving in Minnesota and soon after the baby beans will follow.

I have so many emotions running through my body and mind these past few weeks. I will first say that I am not worried about "giving them away" because again I'm not. They aren't mine. They never have been. I am sad to know this journey that I (we) started so long ago will be done. I will no longer be needed for their family. My "job" is done. With that being said, I feel even more strong about the fact that my other "job" my family, my kids will have me back 100%. That they won't need to share me any longer.

This past year I have grown in so many ways and I'm not just talking in the belly size. I have grown in my photography business and learning to become more professional and setting goals for myself within the industry. As a wife I've learned to show my husband how much I care for him and depend on him by just taking the time to sit and talk, to make sure we still have the "just us" time. As a mother I have learned that this is the most important job I will ever have and taking that time to read a good book with your kids before bed makes you a better parent. My friendships this past year have been a little more of a challenge. I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing women thanks to surrogacy. The fact that I've only met a few face to face is crazy to me when I think some of these women are some of my closest friends I have today.

As my husband and I were cleaning the house I came across the 5 page profile of the guys that I received while in CA. I had to sit down and read it. It brought back so many emotions. I remember reading it like a dozen times on the flight back home with my husband, first thoughts honestly were -
1)Norway! that's so far away..
2)Those are some good lookin guys!
3)They seem so happy and look like they need to be dads;)

I couldn't imagine doing this for any other couple then G and S. The friendship, the trust, the connection between us all has made this as successful as it is today. They have done such an amazing job being a part of every little thing. I'm sure I could have had a couple here in the same state and not felt as close as I have with these two men.

So knowing there is just a short month left of all of this, I have no sad tears, no regrets. I have excitement, love and just all smiles to know that this was a perfect surrogacy journey.

I went into Surrogacy wanting to help a couple have a family but also to help me become a stronger person and without a doubt I can say I have. I will never be the same person I was before I signed up for this.

Feeling pretty and pregnant xoxo

Here are some of my fav's from my photo shoot done by Walker Photography! Check her out on FB if you want to see the rest.









But I will add this one in to be fair...Pregnancy is NOT all pretty and easy...



This was after a long day of being on my feet, thankfully after 30min on the couch they seem to go down to "normal" size.

Getting ready to hit 34 weeks and still feeling very confident we will see 38! 14 days till the daddies get here:)

just a little photo album of the Bump

here are some quick cell phone shots I wanted to share with you all!
I have a scheduled photo shoot with some great friends/photographers next week! Can't wait:)

31 Weeks


30 Weeks and date night with my handsome husband.


27 Weeks


26 Weeks

Watermelon

30 WEEKS PEOPLE!

Well hello there, we haven't talked in awhile..Maybe because night classes are kicking my butt..or maybe cause my husband traveling for 3wks at a time is not giving me much of a chance to sit down and write. Or maybe it's my 4 crazy kids and the crazy amount of energy that they have 24/7.

But that's not the point...the point is I'm back and we are officially in the 3rd Trimester and we have hit the big 3-0 today! That's huge! you know what else is huge?!?!! My preggo belly...no, I don't have a updated photo to share..(remember the school, husband, kid thing) But I will give you a visual of what it looks like --->


So you get the point, right:)

We (babies and i) are doing great! Went to the OB last week and it was honestly a boring appointment. Nothing to share, nothing to worry about, nothing...We talked a little more about the birth plans and that was all. I go in soon for a U/S which I'm really excited for, haven't seen the beans in forever and would love to know what size they are at now, maybe to justify how big I'm feeling lol.

It's crazy to know these babies will be here in 7-8 weeks! I never thought this journey would go so fast, I'm extremely happy to see the end results but know I will be sad when it's all said and done.

The dad's will be here in 5 weeks and I can't wait for them to get settled in and feel somewhat at home while we wait. I would put a $100 on it that I don't go early and that they will have to induce me. All four of my own pregnancies I was induced, so I don't really know what it's like to go into labor on my own, I would love to be at a restaurant or shopping and my water break so I could tell the funny story..but I know it won't happen. And being twins, I don't mind. I want these babies to grow and stay in as long as possible.

So there you have it. Not much to update, but it's something. You know I'll have some fun U/S photos to share soon and I promise I will!

***Babycenter update***

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Block Party

This past weekend we had our annual neighborhood block party. Having mixed feelings about it this year. Knowing I would more likely end up talking about surrogacy 99% of the time..Don't get me wrong, I love educating people about surrogacy but not 20 people/20 different times in a 4 hour stretch.
So pretty much sums it up, I think Belmont St. is one of the most educated streets in America when it comes to surrogacy lol. Surprisingly it went well, I don't think I had one "stupid" question and everyone seemed very interested in the process. I'm always interested to know how it takes off from there..you know, they go home and tell someone they know and then that someone tells someone they know and so on...
Surrogacy is an amazing thing and it can get mixed messages in the media,I'm doing my part here with my little bit of connections makes me feel good at the end of the day.

Anyways, on to what we all are here for really....

BABIES!

The beans are doing great, I think I've tripled in size the past few weeks. Had an OB and U/S last week and the reports all came back great:) I would share photos but the U/S tech I had that day didn't try very hard to get good pics..that's alright tho, we already know they are adorable.

I'm feeling good, I make sure I put my feet up for a least an hour a day and if I can sneak in a nap I do so. The older kids start back to school in 2wks so my days will be a bit easier once that schedule goes into effect.

26wks now and in my heart I know we will see 36wks, so I've got a lot to do just making sure these beans are growing safe. I can't believe this is moving so fast and I really have missed the guys being here. The contact between us is great with photos/text/emails but would love nothing more than to have them at each appointment.

Planning on doing some professional belly photos soon, but till then here is a cheesy cell phone in the mirror photo;)

Who's babies ..

He's not the easiest to understand but how cute is my 3 year old :)

The visit

Where do I begin!?! I'll start off by saying the week with the guys was everything that I thought it would be, perfect:)

I'll just run down the week to make it easier for you to understand how much we packed into a short amount of time!

The guys arrived at the house on Monday morning before our U/S with some extra time to come in and meet the kiddos, hubby was out of town for work till Tuesday evening. But they came in to meet the kids and gave them some gifts (yummy chocolate and a Norwegian family movie).. The kids were a bit shy but I think they loved the attention.

The 3 of us headed off to the first U/S we had scheduled with the OB office. At the visit the babies looked great and the guys were told they were having a girl and a boy! During the 45min appointment we came to realize the baby girl isn't shy for attention as she kinda stole the show with lots of photo ops and as for the boy he was a little more laid back not willing to show off his personality yet.. We all left with smiles, knowing the babies looked perfect and the guys can now get busy doing the shopping they have been waiting for. Next up was the hospital visit, we made a quick stop and all the nurses we encountered were awesome! We had a tour of the rooms and nursery. I didn't deliver at this hospital for my own children but now kinda wish I did! Very updated and somewhat like a mini hotel:)

Tuesday morning we had the OB visit, pumped to get updates about the U/S and also for the guys to have any questions or concerns answered. The doctor was great having the 3 of us in a tiny room and more than willing to sit and chat. We talked a lot about the birth plan and how to avoid having them miss the birth. The babies are growing right along what they should be and I shouldn't need to go back in for 3 weeks. I will start more appointments and ultrasounds closer to 30wks. She seemed very happy with how everything was going. So again just another great update for the baby beans.

After that I was excited to go shopping with the guys for a bit and see them pick out some baby items they wanted to check off the list..LOVE looking at all the fun baby clothes and everything else the stores have to offer. And loved watching them talk about colors, sizes etc. Nothing better than shopping for your unborn babies:)

So day 3 was the FUN day! Hubby was home and so the guys, hubby, me and our 2 oldest kids packed up for the day and went to Valley Fair (MN's version of 6 flags) Talk about a hot day here in MN but we made the best of it! The crew went on some of the biggest roller coasters as I and one of the dads sat back and took photos in the shade. About halfway through we all busted out in our swimwear and hit up the waterpark.. Yes, I was allowed to do the lazy river and it felt amazing at that point. We had to cut the day a little short due to a planned BBQ at my parents house later that evening. But I think we all left feeling like it was a great day.



The BBQ was up next and it was a great way to end the night. My parents had us all over to sit out on the deck and eat some good food, it was probably my favorite part of the week (besides the U/S) just watching these two worlds of mine come together finally. My family has been a huge roll in this and for them to meet the guys was a perfect way to share it with them.

Thursday (last day)
Again the guys, hubby and myself headed off to the 3D/4D U/S, I didn't know what to expect with this one, we didn't do this type of U/S with our own children. It was AWESOME! The babies looked great! Of course, again baby girl stole the show...She was all over the screen looking cute:) Baby boy showed us he for sure was a boy .... and closer to the end he did give us some sneak peaks of his face. But overall the guys got some great photos and we all really enjoyed the time. After that we took the guys to their first Baseball game (hubbies idea) Being a huge baseball family we thought it would be fun to go to a night game at the new Twins Stadium. It turned out to be a perfect night for the four of us and a perfect way to end the week. ..





wow...that was a lot, but I really wanted to write it all down so a year from now I can look back at that week. Surrogacy starts off with the idea of 2 couples willing to work together for something so big and then turns into so much more than you could ever imagine. I'm truly lucky to have met these two amazing guys and lucky to carry their two amazing babies...

WHOO WHOO!! 20 WEEKS!!

That's right, I said it! 20 weeks today!

So much to be happy about:) First of all lets chat about the baby beans....obviously the most important in this. They are growing like crazy and moving like lil dancers, it was about 18wks when I could really start to feel them move and each day they make their presence known. Even though I haven't had a U/S or heard their heartbeats for awhile I know they are doing just fine.

The beans weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. They are around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)
They are swallowing more these days, which is good practice for their digestive systems.

In one week the daddies will be here! They are coming for a week to visit and I couldn't be more excited~ We have a full weeks worth of plans set. The most exciting part would be the U/S that we have scheduled for that Monday, we will finally know what these lil beans are...And then the fun will begin for the guys..SHOPPING! And we just happen to have one of the biggest shopping malls in our state...Mall of America baby....I can't wait to see all the fun goodies they will be able to get. This part, me not needed to shop for baby gear is funny. I catch myself in the baby department at every store I go..not gunna lie, its fun to window shop and not feel that overwhelming need to get everything..Now I just get to have fun shopping for maternity clothes.

I'm happy the guys will be able to see my growth in person, meet the doctor, tour the hospital and spend time with my family. Having them apart of all of this is extremely awesome, I'm a lucky girl and these babies have amazing dads.

As for my family, we are doing well. My 3 oldest have been in TX for the past 3wks with grandma and grandpa and will be coming home this week. I've been enjoying the time with my little guy but so ready to have our family back to norm.

So you can expect the next update to be filled with pictures and exciting news! Till then here is the new picture....

18 Weeks

Hey Everyone! I've been debating on posting or not. I really don't have much to share right now..
We had a great family vacation and now back to the everyday. Feeling fine and loving the warm weather that finally hit MN.
I guess I'm just not much in the mood to share right now, but I will post a couple of photos from today. And hopefully feel up to a better post soon:)

Baby Beans are 18wks3d today-

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. (better not!)

Family Vacation

Not much to report here..Feeling great, looking good and enjoying the pregnancy:) I'm starting to feel the babies, just lil baby butterfly movements-which I love:)
We are heading out to San Antonio tomorrow for a family vacation to visit my in-laws. Looking forward to some hot weather and yummy foods for a week! Had to buy my first maternity swimsuit today, always fun shopping for that:/ But I'm ready to chill out in the pool.
The guys are busy shopping and preparing for the babies, I love hearing about that..Seems so long ago that Jason and I were in the same boat of what to buy, what works best etc... All I can say is you will buy more than you will ever really need (but that's the fun part of being new parents)

***Baby Beans Update****

Your baby's nails are well formed, and some babies are even in need of having their nails trimmed at birth. The ears have also moved from the neck to the head.

Your baby is emptying his or her bladder every 40-45 minutes. The limb movements are becoming more coordinated. Your baby is about 3 ounces (85 grams) and 6.3 inches (16 cms).
____________________________________________________________

So I'm getting peed on twice every 40-45minutes....hmmm;)



16 weeks

I finally look pregnant!

So we've hit the 15th week into this pregnancy, amazing how fast this all seems to go. I'm feeling great, less sleepy and feeling more like myself again. I'm officially wearing maternity clothes, feels good to just let it all go! Holding onto that last pair of jeans and trying to zip them up was pretty much a joke.

Feels like just a week ago I was poking my butt with needles and now I'm just a regular pregnant chick..I had a OB appointment last Friday and was able to hear both babies heartbeats and everything else is just going smoothly.

So I know this is kind of a boring post, but sometimes boring is good, right? We are planning the trip for the daddies to come visit next month and I'm so stoked to be able to spend time with them and of course find out what we are growing! At first I was thinking Boy/Girl but the last couple weeks I've had a few dreams and now I'm thinking Boy/Boy. Exciting!


**Baby beans update**

At week 15, your baby-to-be stretches her limbs and bends at her elbows. She's getting big enough that you can feel many of these movements.

This week your baby is roughly the size of a small apple or orange. Her bones are continuing to grow and lengthen. While she looks more like a baby, her skin is still thin and translucent with her veins visible.



14wk belly pic:)

I heart babies and photography

Okay..Okay..Only cause you asked;) I do other types of photography but I figured since this blog is mostly about babies I would post some of my favorite baby photos I've done in the past year. You can see more of my work on my flickr account or FB account. Just look up Marmolejo Photography on FB or flickr.com/photos/amymarmolejo










And Thanks for the request! I love photography and can't wait to be full time into it when my last baby is in school:)

A year ago....

A year ago Jason and I flew out to NYC for our very first trip to the Big Apple, extremely excited to have a mini vacation away from our crazy 4 kids, 1 dog life! But also very excited for our match meeting, all I had was a 5 page "report" of this couple and I was already pretty sure I had made up my mind that we would be a great fit for each other..

The day of the match meeting I was a complete nervous wreck, I honestly can't think of another time in my life that I was so nervous lol. Thank god for my husband! I think we rode the elevator 3-4 times before we committed to going into the office..no, seriously!

Once we did it was a huge relief to see them in person and almost a calming effect to it all. As we sat through an hour of personal questions and talk about our goals in this process it just worked. Jason and I both felt like it was a match:)

So as this past year has gone with emails, Facebook, Text messages, phone calls, failed transfer and one positive transfer our friendship has grown and this past year has been such a great journey:) And it's only going to get better!

12 WeekS!

We made it! The famous 12 week mark:) Not that I was worried, but you know how everyone seems to be a little held back on showing excitement till you are here. I've been feeling fine, somedays I'm a little sleepier than others but a 20 min nap seems to be a huge help.

My next OB appointment is in a few weeks and my IF's booked the trip for July, they are planning on a week stay here to attend a Ultrasound where we will hopefully find out what these two lil beans are (Boy and Girl, my guess) and also have a chance to meet the OB and visit the hospital we'll be delivering at. Looking forward to my kids meeting the guys, I think it will help them understand a little more if they have that connection.

I'm pumped for the next 12 weeks! These are my favorite coming up:)

***Babies growth***

By 12 weeks your twins will have grown to 3 inches/ 7.5 centimetres long each and will be fully formed.

Their faces are beginning to look more human. Their eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. Their ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head. Their livers are making bile and the kidneys are producing urine which ends up in the amniotic fluid via their bladders.

Your twins will squirm if your abdomen is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Your twins will gradually acquire more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

Till next time here's a pic of my belly at 12wks, just the starting of a growing belly! yay