The Unicorn Speaks!

I know. I know.  It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Life has been so busy the last month (probably more than that actually), but it’s slowed down enough that I told Tory and Travis that I would blog today – 25 weeks!!!

For starters, our two families got together for a play date and pizza last night!  Between us keeping busy with four kids and our crazy life, and the T3 keeping busy with traveling and work, we finally managed to get a date on the calendar!  What we didn’t realize until my hubby looked through his pictures is that our get-together was one day shy of exactly one year that we got our families together for the first time to meet each other at their house!!!  Truly amazing!

This is our first meeting of all family members March 4, 2017!

What a difference one year makes!  This is us last night- March 3, 2018! And one of the best parts, I think, is that Tory and Travis got to feel some pretty strong movements from their strong boy!  Watching Momma’s reactions were priceless!!

A lot of people ask how I’ve been feeling lately, so here we go!  2nd trimester has been better in some ways and challenging in others.  I am able to keep food down, I find myself having more energy (which is typical), and my bump is now, at 25 weeks, a baby bump (not a food baby…lol).

But the last several weeks have seen challenges as well.

• Heartburn, which is normal in pregnancy, came earlier than expected. Tums was doing ok, but I can only take so many of those. So now I take a daily OTC that helps immensely!
• Restless Leg Syndrome sucks (and I hate that word!)!!  It is every night. I cannot fall asleep til about midnight, sometimes later.  And that in-between time I just go stir crazy. It’s quite frustrating!
• So then I finally fall asleep, for a few hours, then the insomnia hits. Oh joy…lol.  Usually around 2:30 or 3.  My mind is totally awake for about 2 hours…just in time to fall back asleep for one hour.  So needless to say I’m a little sleep deprived…which is starting to catch up with me now.
• And then there’s the swelling of the legs, feet and hands.  (See evidence below…lol.).  So thankful Tory got me compression socks!  Although I am not a sock person, they have been a blessing! (Thank you Tory!!!)

 

So then the question becomes how I’m doing emotionally.  Honestly, I’m pretty good there, I think.  (Maybe you should ask my husband…lol.)  This pregnancy IS different than my four.  So many people say surrogacy is going to be so hard because of the attachment piece. And I can totally see how that could be possible.  All I say is that I knew in my heart and my head that I was done having kids. Our family is complete (unless God has other plans for us).  And in my heart I knew that I wanted to help another couple become a family.  Or in the T4 case, expand their family!  So other than the heightened emotions that come with being sleep-deprived, I’m feeling pretty good!

The last couple of weeks have been amusing in a different way.  Now that my belly has popped to the point of people assuming it’s a pregnancy I have gotten a lot of reactions.  There are still a lot of people who don’t know I am pregnant/surrogate.  Today I walked into church and the friends around me looked at me and one friend’s face was priceless!  It might seem crazy that people at my church don’t know, but it’s not a situation that is easily brought up in conversation.  Lol.  “Hey, how’s it going? I’m feeling tired bc I’m pregnant…a surrogate really.” There are usually so many questions following the beginning of my journey that a normal conversation doesn’t lend itself to the time I have to tell it!  But the reaction is still priceless, warm, excitement, surprise and so. much. support!  And for that I am so thankful!

Even today, at 25 weeks, I received a message from an acquaintance who has been struggling with fertility saying they are keeping surrogacy as an option in their back pocket because of our journey!  That’s a main purpose for this blog…to bring others hope when maybe they were down to little or none!

I continue to be asked if I will do this journey again.  I honestly can’t say at this point.  When I know that I could carry for others that so desperately want to have a child I think YES!  When I think of the inconveniences I have had during this pregnancy, and doing that all over again, but next time in my 40’s, I’m not so sure….lol.  But I’m not even done with this beautiful and blessed journey, so I really can’t say. So…to be determined. 😄

Unfortunately I didn’t blog when I took my 23 week bump pic, so I’m including that along with my picture of me at 25 weeks today!!  It’ll be fun to see the compilation of growing bump photos as we only have 15 weeks left!!  Crazy right!?  I’m just thankful Tommy is growing, active and maintaining somewhat of a set schedule! We just ask for prayers that this journey continues along with little to no issues and both Tommy and Unicorn stay healthy.

 

Blessings and thanksgiving to all of you readers out there!

Signed,

The 🦄 (aka Brandi)