Post for 12 weeks pregnant!

I didn't get around to doing my 11 wk post last week 😔 but I had a good excuse.  My grandmother passed away on Thursday and Kurt was out of town until Friday evening so I just was busy with life. 

Here is a photo of my grandma a few years ago on the Lighthouse Pier by her house. 

I did however take a 11 wk photo before we went to the Colorado Spring Vibes game -- they are the farm team for the Brewers. 

 Last week, I also went to the midwife for a check up appointment.  They did a quick ultrasound to make sure I didn't have a subchorionic hematoma (SCH).  Everything looked good on ultrasound and baby shark was measuring right on point with a heart rate of 166.  

They did start me on aspirin 81mg to help ward off high blood pressure.  There is a few reasons that they think I could be more prone to it this pregnancy.  For one, pre-eclampsia is related to the father's DNA.  Since this is the first time carrying C's baby, there is a higher chance that I could potentially end up with pre-e or high blood pressure. I also was induced with Aggy for high blood pressure (but not pre-e) so again, more at risk.  Finally, pre-e is more common at high altitude.  We live in Mile High city so that means we are at 5,400+ feet at my house.  There is less oxygen here too.  The medical journals have shown that there is a higher incidence of pre-e at a high altitude and this is my first pregnancy here.  So 81mg of aspirin should help prevent!  Let's lessen risks where we can!

I flew to Michigan for my Grandmother's funeral on Monday.  It was a beautiful service and I was thrilled to be close to many of my family members for a bit.  Of course, with any family gathering, there was some drama and a few tense situations.  I mostly felt well on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday morning I woke up at 5am with a terrible headache.  It remained with me all day Wednesday and I woke up again on Thursday morning at 3am to head to the airport with this headache.  I tried everything I could to get rid of it, but I just couldn't.  While on the plane, I napped for a few.  Then I had a ginger ale because my stomach was hurting -- presumably from the bad headache.  Then I started feeling really bad. I got hot.  I got clammy and I started to feel faint.  Fortunately my aunt was in the seat right in front of me so I got her attention and she called for the flight attendant.  Then everything went black. I was still coherent -- just on the verge of passing out.  They put oxygen on me and I felt better pretty quickly. I kept the oxygen on me until landing.  Kurt picked me up and I made an appointment with my primary care doctor.  I went home, took a nap and then went to the doctor.  They ran some tests on me and aside from low blood pressure and a high heart rate when standing, nothing seemed to be substantially wrong with me.  I came home, napped more and just was out of it all afternoon.

Luckily, I woke up today, at 12 weeks, feeling so much better. I feel human again. I still have a dull headache but at least it isn't the debilitating headache I had been dealing with for 2 days.  Today I got a few tasks completed and took a short nap. 

Next week we will be in our 2nd trimester -- hopefully with that comes a great relief of all of these unsavory pregnancy symptoms.  Also with the 12 weeks came the end of shots!  Last night was my last set of shots for this surrogacy.  Hooray! 

This size comparison made me smile!  It reminded me of the most awesome macaroons I have had -- at Rowan's baby shower. They were made by E!  I am salivating thinking about them! Yes - I went back and found a photo of them!  😅

Here are the update for what is going on in this old uterus of mine and my 12 wk photo!

Also, something kind of funny, maybe it is because it is the 6th pregnancy. Maybe it's because this baby isn't mine.  Maybe its because I have been busy or I am getting old?  But I can't remember how far along I am until I look at the apps. I have been telling everyone that I was going to be 13 wks today.  Ummm nope!  Next week!

Maternity clothes: Soon -- they are coming on real soon.  For now it's the biggest bottoms I have or stretchy skirts.
Stretch marks? No 

Sleep: It has been elusive this week but hoping to get back into the swing of things now that I am home
Best moment this week: Spending time with my family
Movement: Starting to feel little twitches

Food cravings: Nothing specific this week.  Just carbs.
Labor signs: Too Early
Symptoms: Fatigue, nausea, just overall funk (Same as last week) and add faintness every now and then
Wedding rings on or off?   On
Happy or moody most of the time?  This week has been just emotional
Miss anything yet? Still Margaritas (Probably will be this answer until 40 wks!)
Looking forward to: Sleeping in my own bed for a while!

10 wks

So this week was... blah.  That is how I felt most of the week. Last week I had just mind boggling fatigue.  It was so bad that some days, I didn't pull myself off of the couch to do more than eat and use the bathroom.  It was just really a hard week for me.  I contacted the Midwives who told me to increase unisom to 2 tablets at night with Super B Complex.  Then take a half a unisom in the morning with Super B complex and another Super B in the afternoon.  That has at least gotten me off of the couch this week. I have been able to do some tasks around the house like load the dishwasher, vacuum the floor and do the occasional laundry.

Did I mention it was Back to School Week and did I also mention that I was single parenting it all week this week?  Yeah Kurt was in NOLA which made this week extra challenging.  I found myself face down on the floor a few times -- literally.  I just couldn't get myself up because I was feeling so .... blah.  But I made it through the week and just 4 more weeks of shots -- my poor butt.  😟  

So this week was better in some regards than last week -- my energy levels were higher, and it is a good thing because I needed it doing all of the running and caring for the house and kids alone... Oh and I get to do it again next week when he leaves again.  😑

So we made it to 10 wks -- another week closer to the second trimester which promises relief in many.

I am really believing this is a boy because a girl wouldn't make me feel this miserable!!

Baby shark is doing some big things this week!  S/he is the size of a lego man now!

How far along?  10w0d Total weight gain/measurements: 2 lbs

Maternity clothes: Not yet - My clothes are fitting well still Stretch marks? Nope Sleep: Some nights are okay, others meh. Best moment this week: When I got into the bed at the end of every day
Movement: Maybe? Food cravings: Bruschetta type tomato salad. Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing specifically but sometimes I make something for the family to eat then I just can't stomach the thought of eating it Labor signs: Too Early Symptoms: Fatigue, nausea, just overall funk (Same as last week)
Wedding rings on or off? On Happy or moody most of the time? Tired Miss anything yet? Still Margaritas (Probably will be this answer until 40 wks!)
Looking forward to: Going on the cruise I just booked

9 wk update

Today we hit 9 weeks which puts us closer to the end of the first trimester.  I am hoping at the end of the first trimester brings relief.  This baby has me feeling terrible.  At first it started as evening sickness.  Every night after dinner, I felt crummy and nauseous and overall, useless.   Starting this week, I have also felt crummy in the mornings.  It isn't just nausea but the hot flashes, feeling kind of weak and faint. I have also been super irritable with everyone and everything. Yesterday I made a point to drink A TON OF WATER (like my contract says to do -- which is ridiculous really that they said that just because I live in Denver -- the Mile High City) -- I was hoping that maybe between altitude and pregnancy, drinking a lot of fluids would make me feel better -- wrong.  It just made me have to pee all night.  GAH!

These are the little things that remind me why it would take a really really really (did I mention very???) special situation to do a compensation free surrogacy.  Feeling terrible and not being able to keep up with household tasks is hard on my family so the compensation helps to offset those negative feelings.

We just got back from our week long camping trip and it was a good time.  I was quite irritable during a lot of it, but considering I had just gotten back from a short trip to Michigan the day before, I think I handled it well.  We took the camper from here to Rapid City, SD and checked out many places around the area including Mt Rushmore, Custer State Park, Badlands and the Missile Training Silo on Ellsworth AFB.  Then we took the camper over the Cheyenne, WY and went fishing and checked out the town.  Unfortunately, during that part of the trip, my brand new phone stopped working so I don't have photos to post of the trip!


This baby has me craving weird things -- Sweets.  Anyone that knows me, knows I don't love sweets.  I rarely eat them.  It also has me realizing that I suck at high altitude baking.  Maybe I should just leave it to the professionals.  Between the nausea and sickness and the wanting sweets, it is reminding me of one other pregnancy -- the only boy I carried.  This is mirroring exactly how I felt when I carried Weston.  I craved DQ banana split blizzards with him!  So who knows -- maybe the guys will be seeing blue this time?

This is a fresh peach cobbler I made.  I was going to make it while camping, but our grill was having issues and no camp fires were allowed at either campground.  I had this for breakfast lunch and dinner on some days -- Don't judge  Feed the baby what the baby wants!

I had a sample of Lemon Blueberry Bread at a little shop Kurt & I went to a couple months ago.  Ever since I have been pregnant, I couldn't get it out of my mind -- all I wanted was some Lemon Blueberry Bread.  So I made some.  Recipe said 50 minutes to cook, it took 80 minutes.  Altitude is killing me here!

I still have 5 more weeks of shots -- not like I am counting or anything.  I have already been on shots for about 11 weeks.  I have had a few shots that almost dropped me to my knees and made me feel like I was going to pass out.  A few that bled like I was dying.  I never had problems in other journeys -- I am guessing just the wrong location but it is hard to tell since I am not giving them to myself.  But I am a pin cushion and I have about 48 shots to go until I can stop.  The RE usually does about 10 wks of shots but with the spotting I had, he wants me to stay on them for an extra month.  My poor butt!!!

How far along?  9w0d
Total weight gain/measurements: Since transfer day, I have gained 1 lb 

Maternity clothes: Not yet - My clothes are fitting well still
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Last night was miserable - had to use the bathroom many times, and just couldn't sleep
Best moment this week: Getting home from our camping trip so I could sleep in our bed
Movement: I feel the uterus twitching
Food cravings: Sweets -- what is wrong with this baby?
Anything making you queasy or sick? Every night before bed and now in the mornings too
Labor signs: Too Early
Symptoms: Fatigue, nausea, just overall funk
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or moody most of the time? Irritable
Miss anything yet? Still Margaritas
Looking forward to: Kids going back to school next week!