Since it was just one of my cheap strips, that came with some ovulation predictor strips I had tried out for fun that month, I just wondered if maybe it wasn't reliable. I worked until noon that day, so when I got home I immediately took a First Response Early Response Test I already had around. This time, it really sunk in (maybe seeing the word "pregnant" next to the two lines helped).
Poor Michael didn't even find out that day I did, as I was still shocked and wanted to come up with some kind of clever way to tell him. Plus, I didn't want to tell him, and then leave him alone for two days!
I was headed up to Chicago for my friend Jenn's baby shower. She was about 7 months along at the time, and her and I trained for the marathons we had completed last June. I didn't tell her my little secret, even though it was soooo tempting, because I hadn't even told Michael yet and I wasn't going to tell anyone but him first. Little did she know, I was already starting to get ideas. I haven't been to a baby shower for awhile, and I had no idea what was out there or what I might need. This weekend was the first time I noticed my particularly ravenous appetite. I also developed a strange hankering for spicy foods. I stopped at a Subway on the drive up, and the buffalo chicken sub was so good! (I normally like spicy foods, but now I really wanted them)
I got back home in the mid-afternoon of Sunday, February 24. I had two cheap pregnancy test strips left, and first took one before I told Michael to make sure I wasn't imagining things on Friday. ;-) I decided to tell Michael by putting the picture of the First Response test as the background image on his laptop and waiting for him to discover it. It didn't take him too long, and I was in the room at the time. He just got this really big smile, and told me he suspected something might be up! He was also very excited, along with me. Even more exciting for us, was the fact that Michael had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was 10 years old and there was no full guarantee the chemotherapy wouldn't have permanent effects. We had always trusted God about this and didn't believe there was a high risk, but we really didn't know until that moment.
To fill in a few other things while this was still "our little secret." The following Monday, right after I told Michael, and the day my period was due, I woke up and had light brown spotting. It REALLY freaked me out, so I was frantically trying to call my gynecologist. I took my final pregnancy test, and was reassured at least the line was darker now as it should be. They wanted to get me in right away, and then set an appointment for 3:40pm. I had already gone to work that day, so I had to figure out a way to leave. I'm not a good actress, so pretending I was sick (after I had been my normal self was out). Instead, I bent the truth a little and told her I was getting checked out because I was concerned something was not quite right and I was going to have the Dr. check me out to make sure I didn't have another cyst. That worked, and I knew if follow up appointments were needed that would also still fit. I hate lying, but I had to in this case as I don't want to tell my employer until I'm sure all is fine.
To make a long story short, after a frustrating 1 hour 20 minute wait in their office just so they could take blood (then to have the first nurse miss the vein, and have a second come in to stick the the other arm). Then, about a week later they said congratulations, the spotting was probably just implantation. They didn't give me the hCG levels, but apparently all was normal and I was definitely pregnant. I have not had spotting since, and I hope I don't again. It's not always a bad news bearer, but it still is so unnerving!!! They gave me a list of OBs and I began doing some research among women I know. One caught on and I did tell her, but that was exciting to have someone else to share with who had been pregnant before.
Other than that, things have been very smooth so far. I have been very fortunate to be like my Mom and not have nausea or morning sickness (yet). My biggest symptoms are tender/enlarged breasts, bloating and gassiness, very consistent hunger and thirst, more tired than usual (but not too overwhelming yet), one dream where I woke up crying, and this week the moodiness hit and took me back to adolescence all over again! Overall, I cannot complain. I just take one day at a time though, since you never know what the next week might bring!
Michael and I did tell a couple friends (mostly that lived far away or didn't know our circle of friends and acquaintances). I needed someone to share with, but didn't want to tell everyone still early in case anything was to happen. We still aren't out of the woods yet, but hearing the heartbeat is a wonderful sign. We finally told our families on Easter Sunday, after seeing both of our parents a few times before this. Ironically, I actually enjoyed savoring those last few moment of "normality" before all the baby talk and rocking their worlds too. We chose Easter Sunday because it was the best chance to tell the maximum number of people on both sides the same day. Plus, it's a day full of cool meaning: new life, spring, Jesus' victory, etc. After thinking about what I would do for almost a month, I decided to make cards to tell everyone (as a designer, it's appropriate). I will post pictures of those later, for all the friends out there. All I can say about telling the family, is for some reason I was actually anxious at first but everyone was so supportive and loving I just couldn't believe it. I felt so blessed. My Grandpa on my Dad's side was particularly excited as there had been a series of deaths in the family (mostly more distant to me) so it was good to finally give him some good news!! He told my great aunt and she was crying! So sweet.
Finally, today was the big day. The first prenatal appointment and first day I met my new OB/GYN that several ladies at church recommended to me. Michael and I really liked him, and honestly I had no worries as he does support having a birth as natural as possible, and won't induce or do c-sections unless absolutely necessary (one thing I really hope not to have to get). He also said he lives in the area, so if I needed 4 or 5 more hours then he would just go and mow the lawn and clean then come back but not rush me at all. He also has a really good sense of humor, explained everything, was easy to talk to, etc. Checked out fine on all accounts!
Today's appointment consisted of first getting some bloodwork, which the assistant explained fully. I thankfully didn't feel woozy or anything. Then he went through our family history, his philosophy on things. He was excited to see my chart that had basal body temperature, explained it to the first year female med student we allowed come in, and agreed with the due date of November 3 it gives me since my cycles are longer than average. Finally, Michael got to see what females get to go through at they GYN appointments....lucky guy ;-) He said my uterus is about the size of an orange, and was able to feel it and said, "Yes that is a good sized orange." He pressed up on it so I could feel it a little too. Then, he was going to attempt to hear the heartbeat which I was most excited about. I kept reading it wasn't common to hear it around only 9 weeks, but WE DID!!! It was the coolest thing. He let both of us hear first my h/b, then the babies which was fast and quiet. He said the mom gets to hear it twice, so I got to hear it one more time before it was all over. Dr. said it was around 160 bmp (fast when they are small). It just made things so much more real and made me want to tell the world!!
This really long post was just to fill in on what was going on these past two months, undercover. Most probably won't be this long, depending on my energy level. Had the day off work today, so hence more time and energy. Speaking of work, I might wait until the end of the first trimester (week 12) to tell them. We'll see. I'll be one of the many new moms/moms-to-be around the office, and the third designer in a row!
1 comment:
I think it's funny you posted the positive pregnancy test picture as his desktop wallpaper!
Post a Comment