Since home is far away, and I've been hollered at more than once for not having shared ultrasound pictures, I've decided to put this blog together to start documenting things. Hopefully, this will keep all of you in touch with what's going on and what's happened in the past few months of our busy lives. We're also looking forward to having this as a journal of the path we've taken and all the joys that have come from it.

January 31st

We headed up to Grand Rapids to start the entire in-vitro (IVF) process. This was the day they retrieved eggs from Crystal. After the retrieval, we were allowed to go home and they fertilized the eggs in the lab.

February 2nd

Back up to Grand Rapids again. We got a call on the 1st telling us that all 8 eggs retrieved fertilized. Now, we had to head to Grand Rapids to transfer no more than 2 of the eggs back. This was a painless and quick procedure. Before the transfer, we were given this picture of the 2 embryos that would be transferred. Basically, these are embryos at 2 days gestation and our first baby picture.

Then, the waiting game started. Because of the medicines Crystal had to inject for the retrieval, a pregnancy test couldn't be taken until 16 days after that shot was given.

February 13th

Crystal headed to the lab first thing in the morning for a blood draw to determine whether or not the embryo(s) had "taken." The results were back around noon, but we had agreed to be together when we heard the news. Needless to say we were both pretty worthless at work that day because the suspense was killing us. The doctor's office left a message at home, so we both had to get home. Who knows how Kenny did it, but he waiting an hour for Crystal to get home so they could listen together. Good news when we did finally listen, we had a positive test!!!! One more test had to be done on the 17th to confirm everything and to make sure that the pregnancy was progressing as expected (hormone level going up like they should). Most of our friends and family got calls or e-mails after we got the news.

February 17th

Crystal went to the lab again for the second test and everything was great. No suspense on this day. We agreed that Crystal could get the information from the doctor's office while she was at work.

February 24th

Now it was time for a follow-up ultrasound at the Fertility Center. Good news - everything looked great, but only one baby was found. At this time we thought that only one made it through the procedure. Dr. Dodds was pretty sure that there wouldn't be a second baby hiding out in there either. Here are two ultrasound pictures from that visit.

March 10th

We had a follow-up ultrasound to go to now. This time, we were told we'd get to hear the baby's heartbeat and they would take some measurements. Assuming everything looked great, we'd be "graduated" to a regulary OB/GYN. We got to see the baby and hear the heartbeat. Here are those pictures.

Dr. Dodds went to "check-out" everything else with the pregnancy. What a surprise when he said, "Hmm, Let's look at this dark spot over here. Oh, another pregnancy!" We were shocked, stunned, surprised, happy, frightened, and basically every other emotion at that time. We did get to hear "Baby B's" heartbeat, but this baby was measuring about half the size of "Baby A." Dr. Dodds said this could be because of a genetic problem causing the baby to grow more slowly, in which case, it wouldn't make it, or it could just be that it implanted a few days later. Because of this discovery, though, we got "held back" from going to a standard OB/GYN for another two weeks. Here are the pictures of Baby B from that visit.


March 24th

One more ultrasound. We had been praying that Baby B would catch up with Baby A and be healthy. Good news, once again. Baby looked great and had caught up to Baby A. We got these pictures and the green light to go see a regular OB/GYN.

These are Baby A:

These are Baby B:

Here are the twins together!!!

March 26th

Since Crystal had already started to show at this point (only in my 10th week), Crystal couldn't hold back telling people at work. This was the day.

April 13th

This was our first real appointment at the doctor's office. The baby that is the lowest is typically called Baby A. Even though our Baby B was lower, Dr. Dodd's office called them by order of discovery. This was changed when we went to the regular OB. From here on out, pictures are flipped with their labels. The original Baby B is now Baby A and vice versa. Here are pictures from that visit.

Baby A

Baby B

April 20th

Another ultrasound today. Both babies are healthy and growing well.
Baby A

Baby B


May 4th

A doctor's appointment today. No ultrasound, but still 2 strong heartbeats.

May 18th

Another ultrasound. This one we were supposed to do the anatomy if the ultrasound technician could, but Crystal is only 17 weeks, so the best we could do was check size and sex. Apparently, the kids are pretty modest because the tech really had to work to find out what we will be having. Baby A was definitely a boy!!! Baby B had the umbilical cord between it's legs, but the tech was pretty sure that Baby B is also a boy. We'll confirm this in a few weeks. At this appointment, she did a video and pictures. Once I figure out how to view and get the video loaded, I'll get them posted.

Baby A

Baby B