If you're reading this first post I'm going to assume you've also read the title of the blog. WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!! This blog will chronicle 9ish months of my (our?) pregnancy. At times I'll attempt to talk about things other than the zygote/fetus/baby. I'm sure there will be mentions of the hubby, the four pet children, the jobs. But mostly it will be all baby, all the time. Like my what my brain and body have already become. Oh, and I'll probably switch between past and present tense all the time. I like to storytell in present, so bear with me even when I'm telling tales from long ago.
So, we're pregnant! At least we think we are. We won't know "for sure" for another 4 weeks. But we're 4-pregnancy tests sure. That's a lot of double pink lines. Although anytime I mention baby or baby future I still want to say "I hope!" at the end of my sentence. What kind of optimism is that?! Maybe it hasn't sunk in yet, not all the way, not really. I'm eagerly awaiting week 8, when we go in for our first appointment. I've chosen UCSD Women's Health Services for now, and they don't bring you in until week 8. I had to refrain from begging to let me come in for a "confirmation" test. Instead, I'll probably just keep taking at home tests every week until the appointment and I see that first flutter of a heart beat.
Here's a little back story on how I knew I was with child. I took my first test last Friday, July 19th. I was three days late and about to burst thinking of the possibilities. (Side note - we had sort of been "trying." Like, making sure we jump each others' bones at the right time of month, among all the other times!) So I took a test. I was up in Moscow for my high school reunion, and Aron was still in San Diego. I was staying with my parents, and my sister was also visiting them. I hesitated to take the test alone but ultimately decided I couldn't wait. I took the test, then brushed my teeth, then brushed my hair, all the while keeping one eye on the clock for the slowest three minutes ever to pass (this was not my first pregnancy test, but it was the first in which I was actually hopeful for two pink lines!). FINALLY, I take a look. And, ohmygod, two pink lines! I throw open the bathroom door and yell "mooo-ooooo-oooommmmmm" down the hall. Before my mom can even get to the bathroom I'm shaking uncontrollably, because even though I was hopeful, it was the last thing I expected. Happy shakes, mind you. While waving my pee stick at her, I tearfully say "I think I might be pregnant," and next thing I know my sister throws open the bedroom door and goes "WHAT?!" She has superb hearing! So then we get to be in a happy little women bubble for a few minutes, and I realize it was probably the second best way I could have found out I was pregnant (first being if Aron had been by my side!). Sharing that moment with my mom and sister is something I'll always remember; it was such a feminine, powerful moment. The things our bodies can do!
After the initial joy settled down, I was immediately skeptical. So I chugged some water and took a second test. Even with not-first-morning-pee, it was positive. Hot damn!! Preggers!!! How was I going to wait 3 days to tell Aron in person?! I spent most of the weekend thinking of a cool, sweet, funny way I could tell him. After all, I couldn't go through with my initial Moscow plans - drinking all weekend long with old friends! So, I plotted. I had taken a third test on Saturday morning (still positive! OMG!!!), and had accumulated pictures of all three tests (I know I'm not the only one who did this!). The pictures gave me the idea to first tell him through technology, with a sort of backup plan. I drug Randi and my BFF Emily to Hastings with me to buy baby books, which included the classic "Dude, you're gonna be a dad!" Then Randi and I went to Walmart and I bought some onesies that said "Daddy" on them. This completed my "I'm telling you some really awesome and kinda scary news" package. With all this scheming and anticipation, the two plane rides home to San Diego were the LONGEST.EVER. Finally, after a long, crazy airport pick-up due to the comicon folks leaving SD, we were home. I immediately go into action. I tell Aron I want him to look at some photos on my phone (they start out being general ones of the weekend). He scrolls through and gets to the first test picture. He's confused (later, he tells me he was confused because he thought it was a photo of a non-pregnant result test. WTF. Why would I have a picture of that?! Turns out he couldn't see the 2nd pink line very well). I yell "keep scrolling!" while frantically grabbing the "dad" book and shoving it in his face. All of a sudden I'm laughing and crying and yelling "we're having a baby!!" The moment didn't go quite as well as planned but it's one I'll never forget. The incredulous look in his eyes as he kept repeating "reeaaaalllyyyy?!" was priceless. And no passing out or panicking! The rest of the night consisted of "what?! really?!" and all sorts of excited random pillow talk.
It's been four days since I told Aron and I already know the next few weeks are going to be excruciatingly long as I attempt to keep this a secret from even my nearest and dearest. I'm not opposed to telling people, but Aron thinks it's bad luck and wants to wait at least until week 8. We've known a few women who have had miscarriages lately at weeks 10 or 12, and it's hard not to keep that in the back of our minds. But, I reason that telling our closest friends could be okay, because then we'll have a much larger support group should anything go wrong. But I'm respecting my hubby's wishes, and keeping mum. Which is very hard for me because I have quite a few girlfriends in my life that I'm dying to tell!!! Apart from my family, only my two besties in Moscow know. And that was only because I had to bow out of drinking plans and was too excited about the news to come up with a lame excuse. Instead, it was right out with "I'm not drinking because I'm pregnant!" I'm secretly betting Aron doesn't wait until week 8 to tell his mom. I can tell he's already getting anxious to share the good news.
Ok, enough ramble for one night. This blog thing is going to be hard - how do you reel yourself in?! I'll heave to learn the art of keeping it short and sweet. But seeing how this is my only outlet for the time being, expect lots of words trying to express how excited and nervous I am that WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!
