Newbie with questions

Hi everyone, I am new here, and also new to cat pregnancy, although not new to cats. We were just getting around to getting our two girls to the vet for checkups, shots, and spaying. The girls both fell into their first heat, and the vet wanted to wait on the spaying. Well, we had some house guests and they let the girls out! They were both gone for two weeks ! The girls came back but I didn't really pay attention to dates. Two weeks ago, I was looking at the smaller cat, Sadie, and said, Oh my you have gotten so fat! DH said, she's not fat, she's pregnant! I looked at the larger cat, Mao, and she too was "fat". We felt their bellies and felt moving golf balls. Today, Mao's nipples have just started pinking up and the hair is gone. Sadie is still normal. Both are eating like pigs, and both are nesting. Neither of them will let me touch their belly, and will bite me if I try, and the girls really hate each other now, whereas they used to be best friends. I am trying to keep them in seperate rooms. Each room has a few nests in it for them to choose. 2 days ago, Mao's belly is no longer sticking out on the sides, it is now hanging low. My questions are, How much longer !?! and Will I be able to tell when we are really close? Sorry so long, and thanks in advance. I will try to get some pictures up ASAP.
Amy

Well, I want to put in some pics, but it won't let me, maybe because I am new. So here is a link.

http://w7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...t=1633f754.pbw

The big tabby mainecoon is my neutered male definitely not the daddy! The black one is Mao. She used to be super skinny. The calli is Sadie. She is very petite and used to be skinny, too. We counted 5 lumps on Mao and 3 on Sadie. Oh, and Mao has had diarrhea 3 times in the past few hours, so maybe we are getting close?

I thought of another question. Is catnip safe for pregnant/laboring moms?

It will take their minds off their bulging bellies! I had a lot of trouble putting my pictures of Slick on. I think you may have to be a premium member. I am not sure. Had to go the photobucket route too. You have a nice little group there, all fat and sassy. I am not too well versed in pregnant cats. I think I heard if you feel movement, birth comes within two weeks. Don't bet the farm on that! Are you still speaking to your house guests? Keep us informed of the lady's progress.

Hmm, well, you can deffinatly tell that they are pregnant, and chances are they got prgnant at around the same time(You'll have allooooottt of kittens ) It's difficult to tell, but if you can feel the kittens moving, you're in your last two weeks.
Keep us updated!

You don't have to be a premium member to put up photos. You need to load them to an online photo site, such as Photobucket (free). Make sure you have made them public. Then right click on the photobucket photo, copy the image location, click on the photo icon in the message toolbar (looks like a sun over a mountain), and paste in the photo's online location.

Thanks for the tips on posting photos!
The houseguests are still here but I have strongly worded notes on every door!
The girls haven't changed much other than Sadie getting even bigger and meaner every day, and today Mao's belly is dropped even more and she has become so sweet, whereas she was really mean and nasty to eveyone the past two weeks. She even wanted me to rub her belly.
They both still have diarrhea. I'm just so anxious and excited at the same time!

They're both gorgeous girls! I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding homes for the kittens.

Usually when there belly drops, it means kittens are on their way....

Here's what's new today, other than their continually growing bellies: Sadie is even meaner today. I actually made her let me check her out because I was getting worried, but I felt babies moving fine. Mao's genitals seem a little swollen and open (is that normal?) and she is spotting a little light pink stuff when she sits- but not everytime she sits. And she's gone to the litter pan a few times and done nothing. Figures, she's really close and I have to work tonight! (I work night shift in a nursing home).

Well, I don't know about the swelling, but the other signs you said make it sound like Mao's having her kittens soon!