23 Weeks (well, almost!)

  We'll be 23 weeks tomorrow - hard to believe we're that far along, yet all we can do is hope time continues to fly and these babies stay safe and sound in my belly for a couple more months at least! We had our first appointment with our specialist since returning from Cincinnati on Friday... the three little nuggets are all hanging in there... updates on each of the girls is below!
   Baby A was her typical stubborn and independent little self - she just loves being all curled up. It makes us laugh that some things never change... she frustrates the sonographers to no end as they try to take measurements! However, she's doing well and was estimated at 1 pound 2 ounces! Grow baby grow!
   Baby C was the most cooperative as usual, and she is doing really well since the surgery from what the doctor could tell. She's trying to catch up growth wise - as the 'donor' her growth was restricted as they developed the TTTS. However, she was up to 13 ounces if I remember right - gaining about 3 ounces since the week before! More importantly, the blood flow to her brain looked much better and was within normal parameters!
   As for Baby B - she's definitely hanging in there! We could tell her heart is still sick, but until we meet with the cardiologist on the 12th we are just going to pray that it's improving. She's growing as well and was estimated at 1 pound 2 ounces same as her sister down below! The best news was that there was fluid around both B and C and we could see the membrane separating the two... However, NONE of the girls felt like a photo shoot and they were all face down and wouldn't look at us during the entire ultrasound - they definitely take after their father whose family used to pay him to take family pictures!
   We go back to our doctor this Friday as they want to keep a pretty close eye on the girls - and me for that matter! We were happy that our doctor decided to wait a couple weeks before sending us to the cardiologist for another look at the babies hearts. Since we just had an echo last Monday while we were in Cincinnati, we're hoping to see some more improvements with the two and a half week time frame - fingers crossed! That appointment is on November 12th for those of you keeping track!
   Travis' parents were in town this weekend - they watched Tehya and Bena for us while we were up in Cincinnati - it was great to have them here, and of course it was wonderful to see my two pretty girls! The house is a lot less lonely with them here! My parents are going to take them back up to Iowa at the end of the month since by then I have a feeling I'll be even less mobile - my belly is growing faster than the babies I think! Gary and Travis got a bunch of yard work done, while Phyllis tackled the girls' room and organized the clothes and whatnot that we have gotten thus far. Thanks to them I feel a lot more organized and calm about how prepared we are! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! My mom and dad are coming down later this month and bringing gifts we received from our baby shower - our house is going to be full in no time! We're so lucky to have such a wonderful family support system - not to mention our friends...
   Here's the 23-week update from Baby Center on the growth of the babies... How your baby's growing: 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. See what your baby looks like this week.
   Baby Gaga is another fun website that gives fun updates! Below are a few photos from the last couple sonograms and a picture of me at 22 weeks... the girls certainly haven't been very cooperative in their "photo shoots" as of late! Maybe because they're too busy exploring my insides while there's still some space... space that's shrinking rapidly mind you as they continue to grow!
   Thanks to you all for the continued thoughts and prayers sent our way - we can't wait tell and show our girls all the notes and letters!

22 1/2 weeks!

Pictures from our 20-week appointment up in Rochester...

Above: A actually waving to us!

Below: Baby B's profile - look how big she is! 



 Above: Baby B is showing off some leg action - look at that extension...

Below: Baby C was yawning... or maybe it was the hiccups? I can't recall...

 Above: Baby C always likes to wave a hello!

Below: Baby C's profile

 Below: Already practicing karate - check out that foot!

The photos below aren't very clear - the girls were definitely not in the mood for a photo shoot! But you can still see how they've grown - sort of... 22 1/2 weeks!

 Above: Baby A loves to be curled up as always!
Below: Her profile - sort of... the sonographer tried to enhance it, but what can you do?!

Above: Baby B shows offer her spine... face down just like her sisters today!
Below: Two heads and a stomach! C is on the far left, be is in the middle and A is on the far right... they're stacked and are either going to love or hate each other whenever they do arrive!