6 weeks pregnant!

12 weeks pregnant and the first signs of a bump!

I am so late on getting this post up, but better late than never, right? 

I feel like my first trimester went by sooo slow and then all of a sudden I am 17 weeks! The first 13 weeks of this pregnancy were truly crazy, for lack of better words. It was a whirlwind of shock and excitement and anxiety and overwhelming joy, which is why I think it took me a month to be able to sit down and put it all into words. We found out at a very early four weeks and while we knew it was a possibility, it was still a big shock! The best way to describe the feeling of seeing those two pink lines is surreal. For me, it was something I was so excited to see pop up that I almost thought I was imagining it when it really happened. 

After the initial shock and excitement, a huge cloud of anxiety settled over me. I was about to have to make so many big life changes. One of the biggest changes I made was coming off of anxiety medication. I had been on anxiety medication for about three years when I found out I was pregnant and could no longer continue taking it. I didn't know how this would affect both my physical and mental health. The first trimester comes with a lot of worries as it is, so I think this made them a bit more heightened for me. Thankfully I have a wonderful support system and was able to manage it moderately well if I do say so myself. 

Health

Everyone prays for a "normal", healthy pregnancy before you even become pregnant. Of course, this is not always the case. I will admit that I have experienced some complications that I did not share before now, but in the grand scheme of things have not caused any major issues. During week 9 I woke up with some very intense cramps in my stomach, I waited about an hour and a half before deciding they were too serious to ignore and we went to the hospital. Of course, your mind jumps to the worst-case scenario. Thankfully we were seen immediately and assured that our baby was safe and healthy. I was admitted to the hospital and after a very long two days, my dr found that I had an ovarian cyst that had ruptured. All was determined to be well, my pain had finally subsided and I was sent home. Secondly, it was discovered at week 12 that I have a uterine septum. Now I could go into all the details, but I will spare you. Basically, I have an odd-shaped uterus and this in combination with my petite frame, means the baby could run out of room faster causing 1. early labor and 2. baby being breech due to lack of room to turn, meaning a c-section. My first reaction was sheer panic, but with the help of my husband, and family, and doula, I realized this was a small complication and that overall my baby and I were healthy. For all we know, I could still go to full term and have a natural birth as planned, and I will keep you all updated. 

Other than those two small road bumps, baby is growing and progressing on schedule, and we are both very healthy!

 Symptoms 

I have gotten many questions about the symptoms I experienced so here is a list of all the symptoms I experienced during weeks 4-13

1. NAUSEA - Nausea hit me HARD. I did not get physically sick every day, but I almost wish I had because I constantly felt like I had to throw up. On top of that, there were very few things that helped me feel better. It was rough, y'all. 

2. ACNE - If you know me personally you know that I have been blessed with some great skin and never really experienced breakouts, even during puberty. Well, I am making up for that now with the worst acne I have ever had in my life. This is actually the symptom that made me think "I might be pregnant" and made me take a test (the very test that turned out positive).

3. BOOBS - The sisters grew fast and man were they sore! 

4. PEE - I don't know why I thought the whole frequent urination thing didn't start until the baby was heavy on your bladder, but I discovered real quick how wrong that assumption was. I get up 2-3 times a night to pee and during the day is no better. 

5. SOB - Aka, shortness of breath. Breathing is hard y'all. Just walking up the stairs takes my breath away and I feel so embarrassed saying that! 

6. AVERSIONS - Everyone talks about the weird food cravings, but no one bothers to mention the food aversions, of which I had many. In fact, I think I only had aversions during the first trimester, no cravings. That in combination with my nausea actually caused me to lose weight rather than gain it in my first trimester. Craziest aversion? COFFEE. If you know me, you know how big that is.

Must-Have Items

1. Prenatal Vitamins - If you haven't started taking them already, start now! Your body is about to go through so many changes and prenatals are so important in the support of all these changes.

2. Pregnancy Pillow - I was gifted this one by one of my sweet friends, and I wish I had gotten it earlier. It is the most comfortable thing I have ever owned. I truly don't know if I will ever sleep without it again, pregnant or not. 

3. Preggie Pop Drops - As I said above, not much really got rid of my nausea, but these definitely helped, and if nothing else they taste just like candy!

4. Comfy clothes - I got to a point where even though I wasn't showing yet, tight clothing on my belly was very uncomfortable. I lived in oversized sweatshirts and these aerie leggings. 

My Gender Prediction as of week 13: BOY!!

I am so excited to continue sharing my pregnancy journey with you all! If you have any questions or recommendations, drop them down below!

 One of my favorite times of the year, Ulta's "Love Your Skin" Event is here! From January 3rd - 23rd, you can shop skincare faves for 50% off, each day there are new deals that last only 24 hours!! This is the perfect time to try a new product or stock up on your favorites. 

This is your ultimate guide to shopping the 2021 "Love Your Skin" Event, showcasing over 70 of the individual items featured in the sale with dates and direct links, plus I even highlight what I believe are must-have items! Happy Shopping!

My Must Haves

1. Sunday, January 3 - Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Primer - My very first love from Tula, this is one of my all-time favorite primers. $34 → $17

2. Tuesday, Jaunary 5 - Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash - Anything Dermalogica gets a stamp of approval from me, I have never tried a product from this company that I haven't loved.  $19.50 → $9.75

3. Thursday, January 7 - Patchology FlashPatch Rejuvenating Eye Gels - These are some of the best eye gel patches on the market! $35  → $17.50

4. Friday, January 8 - BECCA Zero No Pigment Foundation - This is basically just a glorified primer, but I have been wanting to try it for so long so I will definitely be taking advantage of this sale! $36 → $18

5. Saturday, January 9 - Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm - If you're still using makeup wipes to take your makeup off, this is an investment you should make that your skin will love you for! $31 → $15.50

6. Tuesday, January 12 - Cover FX Booster Drops - I love these drops, specifically the SPF 30 drops and the Mattifying drops. Such a good product to have as part of your collection. $45 → $22.50

7. Friday, January 15 - Renewed Hope in A Jar Peeling Mousse - This extra cleansing step reveals better textured skin and I LOVE it. Truthfuly, I love every Philosophy "Renewed Hope in A Jar" product. $35 → $17.50

8. Friday, January 15 - Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Gentle Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover - Another makeup remover product that you absolutely must have! This stuff is a god-sent for removing glam eye makeup, and waterproof mascara. $30 → $15

9. Saturday, January 16 - First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Mini Duo Set - One of my favorite ultra moisturizers that does not leave me feeling greasy. $24 → $12

10. Monday, January 18 - Mario Badescu Drying Lotion & Buffering Lotion - These are two products I have yet to try but have heard incredible things about. I will be purchasing these for the first time in hopes that it will help with my pregnancy acne! $17 → $8.50 & $19 → $9.50

11. Wednesday, January 20 - Skin Gym Jade Crystal Facial Roller - I am a true believer in facial rollers. I love to leave my amethyst roller in the fridge and use it in the morning to calm irritation and puffiness. $32 → $16

12. Friday, January 22 - Florence by Mills Swimming Under The Eye Gels - I am pretty sure this is a newer brand, but I am intrigued to try it based on what I have read and I am a sucker for under eye patches. $34 → $17

13. Saturday, January 23 - Philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar Refreshing & Refining Mositurizer - My all time favorite moisturizer, as I stated above, I am in love with all of these products. $39 → $19.50

14. Saturday, January 23 - PMD Personal Microderm Pro - This deal is just too good to pass up, 50% off a $200 product!! $200 → $100

More Sale Items

*be sure to check the dates below the picture to know when they are one sale

**the price displayed will NOT be the sale price