39yo, 4 Kids, 5 inch muscle repair, hernia repair, loving my results!!

After 4 large babies my poor belly has been stretched to the max. I have lost all the baby weight and then some but with my muscle separation I have the mommy "pooch" and extra skin that I can't correct without surgery. I had my first consultation for a full mommy makeover on August 8th with Dr. Stokes and immediately liked him and his staff. I decided that for now it made sense to just have the abdominoplasty and in a few years go for the BA. I still booked another consultation with a different surgeon just to have something to compare. I knew within seconds of the second consultation that I was going to stick with Dr. Stokes. I liked that he was going to repair my small umbilical hernia during the tummy tuck at no extra cost and that he used prineo tape for the incision closure.
My biggest worry at this point is not being able to take care of my family like I normally do, especially my two year old. I will have my mom for a couple of weeks which will be a huge help and I am praying I can have a recovery that is free of complications. In the meantime, my plan is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep a positive attitude pushing all the "what-if's" away!

I decided to put some more before pics up because I love reading the reviews that include lots of photos. It is so helpful for comparison and I think it is quite brave of all the women sharing their personal story. I know I am always searching for someone who kind of looks like me in hopes to see what it could possibly be like. I have learned though that everyone heals differently! I haven't found a single matching recovery story. :)
More about me - I am 5'7" and my weight fluctuates between 133-138 lbs. My ps has already warned me that I may have a small 1 inch vertical scar above my incision if there is not enough skin to close. I feel okay with that but do hope that once he has the skin free he can pull it down for one horizontal incision.
I find myself really thinking about my core as I do everyday activities and how I will be limited for several weeks. I have read that 6 weeks is really how long you should wait for heavy lifting - I want to double check with my ps how long before I can lift or carry my 2 year old. He is about 29 lbs. I feel most guilty about my limitations I will have with him while I recover.

I need this surgery to hurry up and get here before I chicken out! I am feeling more positive and excited as the date draws near but in the past couple of weeks I have come so close to calling the whole thing off. I have been wrestling with the idea of waiting a year and getting a BA at the same time with the thoughts of just one surgery/recovery instead of two and my youngest being 3 and more independent in a year. But then I remind myself that putting this off could potentially lead to it not happening! I have a surgeon I am comfortable and confident with, I have my mom's help for 2 weeks, I have my husband available...that could all change in a year. I get so sad thinking about my 2 year old being upset that mommy isn't taking care of him. I need to remember it is just a blip in time in the grand scheme of things and he won't even remember this! Reading positive reviews helps me so much and so many say it is worth it and they are so glad they did this. I know I can live the rest of my life with this hernia and separated muscles and be fine but I know I would regret not taking this chance of getting a tummy that is repaired and reflects what once was long ago before kiddos (maybe even better!). Thank you ladies for sharing your stories, pictures, and encouragement!