Third Trimester Here We Come!!

On Sunday, we turned 27 weeks!! Yea!! We are now starting our third trimester and everything is going wonderfully! We had our doctor's appointment today and both babies are growing well. Cooper is now 2 lbs 3 oz and Isabella is 2 lbs. I can't believe how fast they are growing! Trisha is measuring 33 weeks and besides being a little tired (hmm.. I wonder why :), is feeling great. We will have appointments every 2 weeks now for the rest of the pregnancy just to check up on the little cuties. We also had our 4D ultrasound on Friday and finally got to see their sweet faces (well, mostly Cooper's). Isabella wasn't cooperating (as usual) and was turned away from us most of the time so the quality of her photos weren't nearly as good as Cooper's. The pictures are really cute though and clearly it is starting to get a little squished in there. Isabella's butt was in front of Cooper's face half of the time and they kept kicking each other. Technology is so amazing, I can't believe how clear some of the photos are, but some of them look like there is just a head and no body, which is kind of creepy!! The last picture of the slide show is from today's visit. The U/S tech got a 4D shot of her yawning and spreading out her little fingers, it is so cute. I can't wait to meet them in person (okay, I can wait at least 9 more weeks ... 36 weeks (that's our goal), here we come!!

IGNORANT PEOPLE SUCK!!

WARNING: I AM ABOUT TO START RANTING, DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS POST IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ME BLOWING OFF SOME STEAM!

I am find that the concept of infertility and surrogacy are very foreign to many people. Sometimes even people who I think should know better say such ignorant and hurtful things. I wish I didn't have to constantly explain (and/or defend) our situation.  Take for example today, I had to go to Nate's office for a health screening and I met some of his co-workers and their wives.  So the conversation went something like this: 

Co-workers wife (let's call her Sara): So, I hear you guys are expecting twins. Congratulations!

Me: Yes, we are very excited.

Sara: When are they due?     

Me: November 22nd.  

Sara: Oh, really? (She looks confused - okay, she doesn't know the situation as Nate hasn't shared this part with many people at his work and clearly I don't look 6 months pregnant with twins.)

Me:  We have a surrogate.

Sara: Oh, that's great! You are so lucky! You get to skip all the bad stuff! You don't have to get stretch marks, or gain weight or worry about being so exhausted after giving birth that you can't even take care of your baby.  That's how I was after I had my kids.

Me: Well, I don't know about that, it's not by choice. (Okay, now I'm trying not to act outwardly annoyed as I have heard this crap so many times in the past few months when I tell other women about our situation.)

Sara: Well, I just had such terrible pregnancies.  I was nauseous all the time, your lucky you don't have to go through all that.  

Me: I guess that's one way to look at it. (I quickly change the subject, because I no longer want to have this discussion).

I guess it is hard for someone who has never gone through infertility to understand how bad it sucks not to be able to carry your own child!! Other women say how lucky I am, how this is the "best case scenario", but I don't feel very lucky.  I don't feel lucky that it took us almost 4 years, 9 IVF cycles, 3 surgeries, hundreds of shots and another woman's uterus to get where we are today. I don't feel lucky that I will never be able to know what it feels like to have my babies grow inside me. I don't feel lucky to know that another woman gets to feel them kick or that when they are born, it is her voice that they will know.  I don't feel lucky to know that most likely these are the only babies that we will ever have and that I can never again surprise my husband with "we're pregnant".  I would throw up a hundred times a day, gain 100 lbs, and be sleep deprived for the next 10 years if I could be pregnant.  I would give anything to be able to carry my own child.  So, no, I don't feel lucky and other women should know better than to say something so ignorant and hurtful.