Happy Mother's Day!!!
My day began with a quick e-mail to E sending her a new belly photo and wishing her a happy mothers day from 17. Her responses to my e-mails make me tear up every time but this one really hit me on how much they truly care about me. "You are sooooo pretty!!!! You look amazing Chelsea! What an amazing mothers day....You are helping me become a mother.... I will always celebrate you on mothers day Chels:)" Best Gift Ever!!
I had promised a quick new post about some negativity we encountered but I think I am going to wait until after delivery. Right now, things are just so positive and are going so perfectly that the last thing any of us need is to get caught up in any drama that may get our spirits down. This is a time of celebration and joy and that is all we can focus on! Week 33 will be here Tuesday!! Ohhhh Myyyy is the delivery date creeping up fast! Our week 30 and 32 appointments went great! I still have no swelling except in my fingers which is minor. It is amazing that with this pregnancy I can still see the bones in my legs! I think the lower sodium intake helps a ton! I still feel pretty small, that is until I look in the mirror (full body image--->beautiful but ughk, lol) I'm still rocking out the medium clothing which makes me feel great! Our week 32 OB appointment I was up 21 pounds----> NOT BAD! I feel like I'm doing well with my eating habits but that is not to say I don't have major cravings! I love my cherry slushy, peanut butter (strange because I normal hate the PB), anything sweet is on the top of my list, and of course the macaroni ;)
New Belly Photo!
30 1/2 Weeks
How am I feeling?? Now that we are coming up on week 33 I am starting to feel a little more tired than usual. I have had to rearrange my routine cleaning schedule packed into 2 days a week instead of small things daily so that I just have more days to not have to feel behind or that I have to get something done. My energy is good but I have my times where I just would love to take a nap. Naps never happen but a woman can dream :) I'm tossing a turning quite a bit during the night always trying to get comfortable as now it's hard for me to stand up without getting a rocking head start, lol. Belly is still comfortable as far as not having any type of shooting pains or cramping unless I eat something 17 doesn't agree with. I have the normal pregnant aching back and neck but nothing too complain about. One thing I hated when pregnant was the charlie horses I would get at night while sleeping....they're back!!! I have not fully gotten one yet because I relax and flex just in time before the full grasp, thank goodness! Those things are the worst pain and I would get them one after another with Ava! OUCH! My poor calves can't take the charlie horse beatings. It is getting harder to breathe or to catch my breath when I get moving around too fast so I have to remember to take it easy although it is easier said than done. I still carry Ava and her bags but it doesn't seem to phase me much. The doctor said for the most part I can do anything I did before the pregnancy.
17's Movement - There will be no kick counts for this baby! Constant movement throughout the entire day and those shifts get stronger and stronger. I swear my uterus is only on my ride side because 17 could not be tucked in any further in that area. I always feel/see the heavy shifts right up front and along my entire right side all the way to my back, strange!!! I still only have a small lightly tinted belly line which completely blows my mind because with Ava I had a full dark belly line, top and bottom, by 25 weeks.
E & A - They are very excited! They have started shopping and planning for 17's arrival but I don't have much more information to share than that. I haven't heard any name choices and of course we do not know 17's gender so it will all be a big surprise on delivery day. We had our last Michigan OB appointment May 9th, 17's heartbeat 148. We start our Chicago OB appointments May 22nd (week 34) and it is going to be great having E & A there with me instead of me going alone.
Emotionally - I feel awesome! Ben and I have been very happy with our entire experience so far and I feel amazing about what I'm able to do to help E & A. I have fallen in love with them and feel so much happiness for their new family. I feel 17 move more than ever at this point and was wondering in the beginning if I would feel differently about carrying another family's child when I felt the strong kicking. The truth is, I don't feel any different then I thought I'd feel. It is exciting when 17 tosses and turns but in no way do I feel like 17 is my child. I have so much focus on how E & A feel and their excitement that it keeps my emotions in neutral. I get emotional, don't get me wrong, but it isn't about handing the baby over. I don't see the delivery as giving 17 away at all. I cry over little things like t.v. shows, etc. I feel overwhelmed sometimes with all that our family has going on with the surrogacy on top of it all but I manage the organized chaos pretty well. We have finally bought a house so are in the process of finalizing the closing on that for the beginning of June, our son is in a billion and one sports it seems so we are always busy with that, and I start summer classes next week. I'm still working and starting to pack for the big move. I will be heading down to Chicago for the temporary move the middle of June, delivering a baby the end of June, while still in school and coming home to a new house. I am soooooo excited though because I will be on maternity leave during most of the summer giving me plenty of time to get the house in order and to relax with my family while I heal.
Newest Belly
Photo!
32 weeks!!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!!! A BIG special thank you to my mom for raising me to be the woman I am, always having confidence in me, and cheering me on. I love you Mom! I hope to make as big of a difference in my own daughters life.
Love,
