2 1/2 weeks post partum - check in!

It's about time for a quick check in! I am doing well for the most part since delivery - physically I'm recovering well. I got my belly bandit in a couple days ago and have been wearing it and it feels good on, helps keep everything in tight! A LOT of the swelling has gone, in fact I think pretty much all the excess fluid retention is worked out of my system now, I haven't had puffy feet for the last few days which is nice. My abdominal swelling has gone down a lot as well, hopefully the belly bandit will help with a little more of it and I plan to start some very light exercise again soon. I've been off pretty much all pain meds for about a week now. I get occassional tugs/twinges on the left hand side internally which hurts a little every now and then but that's about it. I take it easy for a good portion of most days still, but do light housework, cook and have been running errands most days. I nap every now and then, but now that I've spaced my pumpings out to every 4 hours at night I get enough sleep most of the time!

I'm still pumping but probably not for too much longer - maybe another couple weeks. My FIPs only wanted milk for the girls while they were in the hospital, and one went home this past weekend so just baby A is still there for hopefully not too much longer! I dropped off about 70 ounces on Monday at the hospital so that should hopefully be enough for her until she gets to go home too. I am hoping if there is leftover milk J&C will let me know and I will be able to go pick it up and add it to everything else I've pumped since then. I have about 42 ounces in the freezer right now and will find either a local family or someone through SMO to donate the rest to once I've weaned.

I have been having a great time being able to plan out the coming weeks - I return to work on April 9th and Kent and I will be going to Washington to visit my family the week before that (his Spring Break) and I am finally going to be able to get my next tattoo which I've wanted since my mother passed away in November 2009. I haven't been able to with the surrogacies since you have to have 12 months between tattoo and transfer (usually). With a c-section I will wait a minimum of 12 months before I would transfer again if I do another surrogacy so I am going to go ahead and get the tattoo now. I can't wait to see how it comes out!

I have Compass Testing for school coming up next week, I also have my post partum check up at the OB's office next week! I am nervous about the testing, but pretty much already know I'm going to need the "remedial" classes so it is what it is. I am hopefully not going to stress out too much, just do my best and whatever happens happens! It's just a couple extra classes I will have to take essentially - but it's been so long since I've been in school I'm sure I need them!

Kenneth has been in touch more the past week or so and it's been really good to get "real" e-mails from him with updates and not just quick 1 sentence notes - although I love those too! :) He received one of the packages I sent two weeks ago and I'm always very glad to hear a box made it safely! He really liked the little photo album I included, though he said it made him miss us all even more. I cannot wait until he gets to come home for a visit in a couple more months! It's already been 2 months since he left - the last 2 months have been pretty crazy! It's been nice to be able to keep him involved and updated in everything at home since he has access almost every day to my e-mails and can respond quickly most of the time. Kenneth's dad wants to take Kent to a movie this weekend that he asked me to look up and I was able to send Kenneth a note about it and ask him what he thought too and I am glad he is able to weigh in too and help make decisions from where he is! I told him I discovered Kent is growing facial hair this past weekend and he needs to add "teach Kent to shave" to his list for when he comes home for a visit!! :)