Third Trimester!

We have made it to the third trimester....  yippeee!

When we were at our Christmas eve service, the children were asked to write their names on hearts and leave them with Baby Jesus.  We wrote Baby K's name down too and had Henry lay it at the Christ Child's feet...  what a special moment of blessing for the remainder of this pregnancy!

Sneak Peek!

A preview of BABY BOY, brought to you today by Bella Angel Imaging!

Happy 27 weeks!

Educating others...

Part of why I enjoy being a surrogate is taking the time to educate others.  I met a girlfriend at lunch yesterday who is interested in becoming a surrogate.  I'm certainly no expert, but after three journeys, feel I have a good breadth of knowledge in the subject.  At least from personal experience, I am able to answer a multitude of questions and give some guidance or direction.  One of her questions was about telling her children and how they might take it.  I told her to be honest, and depending on age, they would take away from the experience a little more as the time went along and they "saw Mom pregnant". 

This morning, as I took Henry on our eight minute drive to school, he says, "Mom, what does it mean when your water breaks?  what is the water?"   Well, son....   {discussion ensued}.  Wow, the questions that came from his mouth and the "ah-ha" moments were actually quite impressive.  At one point he also said, "Weren't you bleeding quite a bit at the end with Sanna?  I thought you were done being pregnant.  Well, how did you con your doctor into letting you do this one more time?"  I chuckled.  For those that know the story, I was officially "done having babies" after Sanna.  We all had that statement resonating in our ears, loud and clear.  I had to correct him, however, and say that we didn't con anyone...  and that we all went into this last journey with Dr. E's blessing {after further discussion about the why and the possible risks} and the belief that it will be a great pregnancy with a healthy baby at the end. 

I knew that by my being a surrogate I would help to instill compassion and understanding in my sons' minds.  It's become much more evident on this third and final journey that it has indeed sunk in for him...  and someday he will pay it forward in his own way.

I am blessed.

A message from your baby boy...

Impeccable Timing

This boy has impeccable timing!  JP and I were out for a short jaunt last night - one story and picking up Chinese takeout.  Halfway through I started feeling a little cramping.  I thought to myself, Braxton-Hicks?  already?  and then this morning, the 26 week email comes through from BabyCenter:

you're 26 weeks pregnant!

Don't panic if your uterus suddenly starts tightening and relaxing -- Braxton Hicks contractions often begin around this time. They're simply your body's way of practicing and preparing for labor. (If the contractions are regular or particularly painful, call your doc just to be sure it's not the real thing.)

Yep, this kid's good!

So I took a self-imposed timeout and went to bed early last night. 
Nothing else new to report...  status quo, the usual symptoms and boring OB appointments.

25 Weeks

Grow Baby Grow!

Oxymoron?

Baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.

Wait, what?  Didn't you just say "you're not growing more hair"....  but that the extra hair will fall out after birth?  Hilarious!  Okay, not really.  But these weekly updates never seem to get old.  After all, it's not really about me, right?   It's about growing to full term a healthy, bouncing, baby BOY!!  My body will readjust once and for all sometime in 2011.

The best news...  baby's healthy, kicking & growing...  25 weeks with less than 100 days to go!!

Maternity Math

My countdown clock says 109 days... and I went 10 days early last time... so by all accounts, and with Dr. E's ability to schedule this c-section birthday early, we are officially under 100 days until Baby K arrives!!

Thanks-giving

A beautiful arrangement arrived last Friday "from" Norway...  we lit the candle last night at dinner in honor of Baby BOY Kleiven!

Team Minnesota is most definitely thankful for a wonderful relationship with our IP's and their families, four years strong!

24 Weeks

We are 24 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 22 weeks)

• Little BOY child is now gaining around 3 ounces (90 grams) a week (which means... so is Julie!).
• Baby weighs about 1.3 pounds and is 12 inches long.
• Baby weighs about 600 grams and is 30cm (crown to heel) long.
• The eyelids can be seen very clearly.
• If born at this stage is officially considered viable, they may well be able to survive.

The weight gain for baby is in muscle, bone mass and organs. The body begins to fill out with its appearance increasingly becoming more like that of a newborn. Taste buds begin to form. If Julie drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.

Shopping for March?!

Oh.my.gosh! 
I just saw the cutest little things to get for Sanna... so I bought them. 

Since the holiday box is already completed and just waiting for me to bring it to the post office, this will have to wait for her visit to Minnesota in March.

Please don't let me forget that I am "stashing them away" and need to pull them back out!!    Ooooh, to be a kid again.  I can't wait to see her reaction.

23 weeks (6 months) or 117 days to go!

22 Weeks

Movin' and a groovin'...  Baby K is bouncing along to the movement, music and noises of the outside world.  He is growing quite comfy in his environment and somersaults can be felt on occasion.  So far I cannot see the movement from the outside to share with you on video, but when that time comes, I'll make sure to capture it!

I don't go back in for another OB appointment until early December, but I'm confident this little guy is growing by leaps and bounds!

Life is good over here for Team Minnesota +1.

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Wide Awake Baby @ 3:30 am!!  

Tap tap tapping away and somehow I believe he's already transitioned to Norwegian time!   Shhhh, little one.  Go back to sleep.

21

21 means, roughly 19 to go...

or 17 until the Kleivens are back in Minnesota!

I'm also checking off the list of symptoms that came via email today:

"Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long"

       YEP, ultrasound has him measuring at an even pound already!

"You may also discover a pattern to his activity" 

       YEP, After I eat or the minute I sit down at night!  

"You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days."

       YES, really enjoyed my restoration yoga last night!

"That's not to say you won't have some minor glitches to deal with now. For example, increased oil production may contribute to the development (or worsening) of acne."

       Oh yes, dealing with the "pregnancy mask" of redness (not so happy with other folks' comments about my red face) and not bothering to use cover-up makeup.  Why bother?

"You're also prone to varicose veins now."

      Trying to remember NOT to cross my legs!

"Gasp... is that a stretch mark?!!  take deep breaths and remember - they'll fade after delivery."

      Ha!

Happy, Healthy & Thankful are we...

21 also means : 132 days = Spring 2011 will be upon us with the arrival of Baby Kleiven!

It's a....

Healthy, bouncing, baby!!

Wait, what?!

20 weeks....  already?!  Where does the time go? 

I was sitting in church yesterday with the little "passenger on board" and s/he was kicking away to the music...  and I thought to myself, this is the last time I will be able to enjoy such a wild experience.  A human form - inside of me - growing, kicking and full of life.  To top it off, my mind wandered to what a miracle this really is...  the child is not mine, but that of two wonderful people who get the pleasure of raising such a joyful spirit.  I am incredibly blessed to have been able to help Hanne & Tommy fulfill their dreams, not once...  but twice!  I don't even know that I can put into words what a treasureable experience this is for ME.

When I pulled myself back from these wandering thoughts, I gave thanks to the Lord for such a gift as this.

Friendship.  Life.  Love.

~ Julie

Pregnancy Side Effect?!

Memory loss.  Oh my gosh, how awful I feel today about pregnancy-induced memory loss.  It's as if everything on my calendar was written in invisible ink.  There's a reason to keep a calendar with reminders on your phone, the dang thing "beeps" at you with reminders of upcoming events.  Now, if only that phone had been turned on first thing this morning, my day wouldn't have started out with such a theme!

At 7:15 am I looked at the clock and realized I was 15 minutes late for a meeting at the high school.  I could blame the teacher who moved the meeting from yesterday to today, but no, it was not her fault.  I did remember yesterday not to show up at 7 am (when the weather was horrible) and reset the reminder to today.  Sigh.  Instead, I was at the kitchen table helping Henry with math homework when I felt this sinking feeling.  A very coordinated effort by Miss Linda and I blew it.  The first apology email of the day sent, immediately.

Next up...  I made Oliver a cold lunch.  Clearly reminded last night before I closed my eyes that he was having hot lunch today because it was pizza day.  Yeah, well, I guess it's a good thing it was still in the fridge when I called to apologize to Oliver and told him to just leave it there until tomorrow and enjoy his pizza.

And then there's plans with girlfriends...  lunch and dinner!  Both forgotten, but luckily not before I blew it and left them each stranded at the respective restaurants.  At least I will eat well today. 

So for today, I apologize for the invisible ink (yeah, that's it, not memory loss) on my calendar.  The phone is turned on and the reminders are back to "beeping" at me.  If only I can make it through to the end of the appointments today and turn this luck around.

Mea culpa.  I'll make it up to you when the brain cells return. I promise.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And from my loving husband just now, when I emailed to apologize for my memory loss today:

No problem
We all love you

Sent from my iPhone

19 Weeks

Preparations... and...

so curious about the gender reveal next week. We tried to clean up some of the boxes with old baby clothes today. We have a lot of pink stuff and we have inherited some blue from Sivert and August. Sanna was eager to help out with this task and its amazing to picture her being a big sister. PINK or BLUE - soon we will all know.


HAPPY 19 weeks!

OB Update - 18 week

Met with Dr. E today over my lunch hour. She called us "frequent flyers" as we walked past her at the desk. JP joined me (such a nice thing to do together for our anniversary, yes?).

We said HELLO from Norway... talked a little about scheduling (and her not taking vacation between weeks 38-40), and JP asked the questions he wanted to about my personal health & safety. My BP was good at 116/70 and baby's heartbeat was sweet and strong at 153!

Baby's now the size of a sweet potato!
Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel her movements.

We picked up some white sweet potatoes at the Farmers Market this past Sunday - possibly the funniest looking vegetable I've ever seen.  It was interesting to reference this week's baby growth against them, however.  Don't worry...   I'm sure that Baby K will be much better looking!!

I am feeling a little movement now and again, mostly in the evenings or when I sit still...  won't be long before that movement is constant and visible from the outside!

Next stop...  ultrasound and gender reveal!!

Feeling better... showing some... halfway mark, here we come!

Pink or blue?

Julie predicts a boy. Still we need to have two name options, since you never now, right?

If Baby K II is a boy, his name will be Emil.


If Baby K II is a girl, her name will be Julie.

In 22 days we will have the answers. Super-exciting!

Happy 17!

For the record...

I predict this one's a boy.

Tune in November 3rd for the big reveal (if the parents are sharing).

~ Julie

Aaaa-chooo! Thud.

I'm pretty sure that Baby K is responding with a "kick" back to my sneezes today.  Slight as it may be, I've sneezed a few times and a flutter reply came back immediately.  Could be all in my imagination too...   giggle.

It won't be long now and I'll feel Baby K move more consistently and with fervor.  Let's just hope that this little passenger isn't into gymnastics like Big Sister was...  time will tell.

16 weeks!

Amnesia

Six pregnancies later, one would think I would remember all of the symptoms and stages as they come.  Nope.  Not even close.  And almost every pregnancy has been slightly different, with the one exception of nausea.  All of them have blessed me with that symptom.  Ha!

Not complaining, nope, not gonna do it.  Merely informing that with growing baby in week 15, so, too, are other things growing and sore.  It's as if everything old is new again.  Embracing this last pregnancy and relating it to the proud parents.  Tick tock.
 
Just sayin'...   I've been struck by amnesia!

the telling ...and exhale!

Growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs about about 2 1/2 ounces. ...busy moving amniotic fluid through the nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in the lungs begin to develop. ...legs are growing longer than arms now, and baby can move all of its joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, baby can sense light. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds.

Told the boss that I was pregnant again today.  It went well... I think... better, too, because I mentioned that I had a replacement lined up for my leave next Spring (one that I know he has faith in). I reassured him that this time really is the last pregnancy.  Funny that in the almost 10 years I've worked here, I'll have had three maternity leaves, none of which were for my babies!

There's still plenty more individuals to tell (or let them figure it out on their own)...  but the hard part is behind me now.  15 weeks and all is well.

Happy Birthday Julie!

14 Week Update

Plowing through the nausea and into the second trimester, I had a check-up yesterday with the OB's office.  Because I had to change my appointment due to the day's busy schedule, I ended up seeing the nurse again for this visit.  Love her too, so not concerned about not being able to see Dr. E yet.

She joked again about how thick my file is...  apparently it's the "door stop" used in the office.  Okay, well, not really, but they are going electronic and it's a toss up (true discussion) on who gets the pleasure of retyping my file.  LOL!  I actually think it's scanned in, but what did they expect it to look like after 20 years of going to the same office and six pregnancies later?  The photo doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea.

After a little "catch up" discussion, we took to the table and tried to use the fetal monitor to find Baby K's heartbeat.  No such luck.  Baby is still tucked away under the pelvic area at this stage.  We walked quickly across the hall (bonus: got to see baby's head) and asked the u/s tech do the work for us...  there s/he was ~ wiggling about ~ making it difficult to pin down, but in no time at all, we heard the strong 156 HB!   Another active baby ahead?  I think so!

The next appointment is another routine check-up.  I am scheduled to see Dr. E at that time, so if neither of our schedules change, it will be the first time I've seen her since I said "see you in the fall".  It will be good to catch up and maybe even get a picture of the two of us for this final journey's scrapbook.

So after this quick appointment in the morning, I was on my way to the other activities of the day.  I managed to spend most of the day outside in the beautiful autumn weather of Minnesota.  The morning was spent at a local park for a team-building activity and picnic for work.  The evening ended with a tour of Target Field and a baseball game for the Foremans +1.  Oh, and I think if I continue to wear more fitting clothing (as evidenced below), I will have to fess up at work next week!  That, or let them think that my gluttony for food and a good beer has gotten the better of me.   [evil grin]

Happy Week 14!!

A lemon!

Wow; read this: "Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, and toe wiggling, (not so cute but equally amazing)..." from the pregnancy calender. Already? Its absolutely amazing. And we have reached the size of a LEMON. Compared to week 5, a sesame seed is not very big, but a lemon is quite something. This is really the start of a new life, Sanna`s sibling. Unbelievable. Happy week 14!!!

Happy 2. trimester!

189 days (or so) to go...

Hello Second Trimester - nice to see you!!  Not much worthy to report these days on the pregnancy front.  The usual symptoms have settled in and made themselves at home this past month.  Sure, you'd think I was able to tolerate them a little easier since this is my sixth pregnancy, but they knock me down with each one.  It's alright. Really. Remember, I got myself into this predicament again - for all the right reasons.  Anything unpleasant that comes as a side effect is purely part of the ride, and yes, I partake in lots of self-talk so that I remind myself to look at the end result of these symptoms on the hardest days.

What I hope for this trimester is to get over the all-day-nausea and start to "show" the baby bump that is evidence of the beautiful life growing within!!

In the next three months, we will travel through autumn together, I'll share a few pictures of the growing baby belly and before you know it...  snow will fall and we'll be celebrating Christmas and the start of our third trimester.

~ Julie

Entering September

These past couple of weeks, sans needles, have been good ones!  I am feeling nauseous on and off and already stretching through [and out of] my regular pants.  Because I thought I was done being pregnant, I sold all of my maternity clothes.  Although I'm not technically showing, I have been shopping sale racks in the past week to find a few different pairs of pants to get me started again.  I think I am finally over needing 12 hours of sleep at night too.  The boys have had to 'do without Mom' for a couple of weeks in the evening.  They are such troopers!

I look forward to cooler weather and another "winter pregnancy".  One of these days I'll also update the managers I work for and let them know I'll be on my last sabbatical come March.

We are already headed into the second trimester on September 13th!  It's going to be a great month!

Gold medal to all surrogates

Everyone I have talked to about surrogacy do express a huge admiration for those very special women out there that offer to carry a child for someone else, to be pregnant and give birth with all that involves.

Well, as if that was not enough, these angels on earth are also undergoing IVF-treatment. It means pumping lots of hormones into your body with pills and syringes for months. Its not a small thing, I know you get the picture. And I even know couples that goes directly to adoption when they discover their infertility, because they dont wont to go through that rough IVF-treatment. So, I really want to honor all surrogates and especially our wonderful Julie, by giving them this gold medal and I say; you really impress us all!

Lots of love and absolute admiration from Hanne

Assume the Position

My last shot.  Ever.  For making babies & dreams come true.

I figure that I've taken approximately 210 shots of PIO (progesterone in oil) over three journeys.  A few bumps and bruises, but all for a good cause.

Along the way, JP has become a pro [dare I say looked forward to on occasion] sticking me in the arse.  But even he is happy to be done.

The boys have even gotten into the act and knew when to plug in the heating pad for a few minutes respite after the shot, so the oil could work its way around.  It's truly become a family affair.

And from this side of the ocean ~ we're happy to report, all meds have been injected and/or taken.  Baby K is on his/her own from here on out.  31 weeks to go!

Love & sibling hugs,
Team Minnesota!

Does it get any more magical than this?!

Left work "for lunch" and hit every red light on my way through Minneapolis to CRM!  Well, let's just say, I'm happy to report that was my last trip ever to see the lovely Dr. C.  There's a beautiful little heartbeat snuggled inside, measuring right on for growth.  We are officially released to Dr. E's office and I can cease all medication two weeks from today!

Dr. C sends his "best wishes" to Team Norway, and as I rode down the elevator with him, he says, "I don't know what magic she has in her eggs, but it's simply amazing."  Indeed.

Ultrasound Moved Up!

I just received a call from Dr. C's office and my ultrasound is moved up to tomorrow: Tuesday, August 3rd at 12:00 pm.  Will report more tomorrow afternoon.

Right on track!

We are at Week 7 and right on track, the morning sickness has kicked in!  This being my sixth pregnancy, one would think the symptoms would get a little easier to tolerate, but this one seems to catch me by surprise every time!  Let me be very clear, I am not complaining, merely keeping our readers in the know as the pregnancy progresses.  I am continuing with the meds and simply adding a new symptom to the mix.

Prior to this week, there have been no new symptoms. Keeping my fingers crossed we can get in this week for our ultrasound, but if not, we are on the calendar @ CRM for August 11th.

Keeping on track with comparing baby's size to food, Baby K is now the size of a blueberry!

If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

While Mom, Dad & Sanna make their way to the new home in Norway, Baby K is growing by leaps & bounds and is nestled in for the long haul!

Blessings,

rarejule

A sesame seed

Wow, isnt amazing? Sibling baby is now as big as a sesame seed. By the way; I love sesame seeds :) I read this at the pregnancy site week by week, that Julie sent us when we expected Sanna. And suddenly we have Baby K there on the site too! Still a bit unbelievable I must admit. Overwhelmed by gratefulness of being here in week 5 with Sanna`s sibling. Thank you Julie!

Hanne

Out from Under

Lots to share with everyone in our lives...  so our blog is no longer underground!

SaHanna & Tommy have a busy summer of ahead of them, but would love to have you share along with us in this miraculous journey!

Comment,  

encourage  

& enjoy!

We did it. Again!

Confirmed by Dawn @ CRM!
Today's beta was 110.
We are officially pregnant!!

Congratulations, Kleiven Family... the early wait is over, and the longer one begins today!

According to IVF calculators, Baby Kleiven's due date is March 21, 2011.

Won't Dr. E be surprised?!

Beta Day

Sitting in the waiting room of the RE's office is such an out-of-body experience for me, each and every time. Just watched a husband get called back and overheard, "we got 11". Simply amazing, this work they do to help others achieve parenthood.

Here for my first beta. Thinking, staying positive and praying for a good number today!!

A movie while we wait for beta.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Supersitious much?

Do you believe in superstition?   Generally, I don't.  However, out of the blue yesterday, the woman from Bella Angel Imaging emailed me to say:

Thinking about you the other day hope all is going well.  Have a great week, Brenda

Brenda is the owner/woman who did the "for fun" 3D/4D imaging for us when I was pregnant with Sanna.  She was adorable to work with and full of energy!  We hit it off right away and I will definitely visit her again this time.

Then, today on my way back to work from lunch, I saw a ladybug on the window.  This was not a Japanese Beetle, but a real, live ladybug.  I haven't seen one in ages.  Lady bugs bring good luck, yes?

I'm going with it.  All good signs of things to come.  Good signs indeed.

The dreaded 2 week wait.

It's upon us...  the anxious waiting for a BFP (big fat positive) to show on the stick.  Thankfully our two week wait isn't quite a full two weeks.  Our beta is scheduled for Monday, July 12th at 8:20 am.  The phone call should come that afternoon.  A repeat beta is scheduled for the morning of the 14th.  Team Norway is headed north to wait in a beautiful, far away land where the Island Sanna reaches to the heavens.  Tommy shared a picture with me this morning and it's a gorgeous place to find peace and calm anxious nerves.

I did some digging and found our photo of the pregnancy test from the last go 'round and Sanna's BFP arrived on 6dp5dt.  For timing sake, that would be this Friday at 8dp3dt.   Time will tell.

I will do my best to not go crazy in the next few days and join them in my dreaming of this far away land...  Sanna is the tallest island/peak on the right.  Simply breath-taking.