So our little story starts back in February...I was late. I'm talking a week late, however I was a week late in January and Aunt Flow still came to visit so I just assumed it was my body being crazy and out of whack like always. I was cramping like crazy so I assumed I would be getting that friendly monthly visit any day. Then the headaches, fatigue and nausea set in...on Friday February 18th I decided to bite the bullet. I drove over to Walgreen's while Matt was making a run over to the house (we hadn't moved in yet) and picked up some EPT. I did the little plus sign one first but the line was really faint, but I could tell it was a + sign not a - sign. Oh boy! So I did the other EPT that gives you pregnant or not pregnant...PREGNANT! HOLY SHIT! OH MY GOD! By this point once I'd peed on my second stick Matt was back at the apartment. Did I mention I took four test "just in case"?
I wish I could have found a more romantic or creative way to tell him but it was just "OH MY GOD we're pregnant!" It was too late in the afternoon to call my doctors office so I proceeded to google. I found a nifty little due date calculator and it proceeded to tell me we were at 5 weeks and the baby would be due sometime in October...how nice. So then I google some more and find amazing websites to explain development and symptoms based on each week.
For those of you that don't know me I get cravings all the time, so they aren't something unnatural for me....until you are pregnant. I craved turkey sandwiches and milk (not uncommon for me). Hi I don't ever eat turkey deli meat...EVER! When I told Matt he just grinned ear to ear "think of all the fun foods you might eat now." No no no this is not fun. However there is no doubt that this baby is his child!
Cravings-check.
I have a very small bladder so I go to the bathroom more than normal people any way so I didn't really notice a change right away...later in the week I started waking up in the middle of the night to pee.
Frequent urination-check.
I am used to getting migraines especially before my monthly visit. But I was getting headaches daily for a while there.
Headaches-Check.
I was so tired I didn't even want to move off the couch. Don't get me wrong work can wear me out at times, but never several days in a row when I'm not really that stressed.
Fatigue-Check.
Of course I was worried about the fact that I have a positive pregnancy test in hand, time out I had four. That's right four! I am nothing if not obsessive and I wanted to make sure the damn thing was accurate so I took two of each. Okay so I have a positive pregnancy test yet I'm cramping like I'm gonna get a visit any minute...cue google. Apparently its normal in the first trimester because the girl parts need to grow and stretch to fit the fetus (horrible pregnancy word). Also in my research I found if you are prone to back aches during your monthly visit you will be more prone to back aches during pregnancy...so exciting!
Cramping-Check. Back aches-Check.
Once I found out we were pregnant I went about setting my day around food, not eating in excess, but breaking up my meals into smaller meals and making myself snack and eat healthier. Thanks to my amazing husband for helping out in the healthy department :) Instead of eating breakfast (or sometimes skipping :( ), lunch and supper, I started vitamin, breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, supper, night snack. I found that eating through out the day knocked out any nausea that I was having early on.
Mild Nausea-Check.
Certain smells and food textures made me gag.
Food aversion-Check. Sensitivity to smells-Check.
I need to start off by saying that I am a regular pooper. I go at least once a day. I am not shy about it, if I'm out in public and I have to go I am not the pinch a penny type I will just go. Needless to say I'm pretty dern regular. Well blame it on the hormones or change in diet or what not...I didn't poop for two days. So the day I finally pooped...WORST POOP OF MY LIFE! I cried. :(
Constipation-Check.
And my new nickname can be the gas monster...seriously HORRIBLE. Again not sure if its the hormones or what but...its bad. Poor Matt :(
Gas-Check.
For the last two reasons alone I can understand why others encourage you to be married when you have a baby...he can't just easily walk away from your stinky TMI butt. :) My husband knows more about me now than he probably ever wanted to know...poor fella.
I ran the gamut of symptoms. We ended up getting our first prenatal appointment for the following Thursday Feb 24th in the morning. Of course I googled to have an idea of what would go on...google did not prepare me for the amount of blood that would be taken. Let me preface with the fact that I've never had blood taken...NEVER! Not adult blood taken...only the finger prick when I was younger. So I was super nervous about this visit for that reason alone. I get there and I have to pee in a cup...well I'm a pro at this thanks to all the UTI's I've had (ps if you've had previous UTIs you are more prone to have them come back while pregnant...awesome). I went back and the nurse asked for the first day of my last period to predict how far along and my due date. I was told I was 6 weeks that day and my due date would be October 21st...OMG that's my baby sister's birthday!!! I then proceeded to give four vials of blood...and I watched...MISTAKE! When the nurse was done I was seriously about to pass the F out. Thankfully I am always prepared and whipped out a granola bar and bottle of water from my purse. Then came all the genetic talk and the pap...OH GEEZ how I hate the pap! I normally spot a little the day I've had one. The doctor told me that its normal regularly to spot (and I do) that its more likely to occur now that I'm preggers and the cervix is tender (more blood flow--TMI). She said that I could spot for a few days and that there may be some mild cramping. Me: what is not normal? Response: Heavy blood flow like you've started your period, sharp abdominal pains. Okay breathe. So I spot and mild cramp Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday...and I'm googling. It was very very light and brown in color so I figured it was just normal. But should it really be for this long?? Googled some more. Tuesday spotted in the morning only. Wednesday (March 2) spotted some more in the morning and freaked out. So I called the doctor and they scheduled me to come in that morning and check things out for my peace of mind (Thank you sweet baby J!!!). Since I was coming in last minute they didn't have my file, my last appointment was in their Sterling office and on Wednesday's they are in Fairfax so they didn't have any of my information. They did a vaginal ultra sound and determined that I was about 4 weeks 6 days (2 weeks less than what I was told at my last visit) and it was too early to get a good fetal pole or heartbeat. I had to give more blood so they could compare samples from the week before and scheduled to go back in two weeks. I got home and googled. Why would I be off by two weeks? This is so weird but I found out its normal. No big deal and that the ultra sound at week 20-22 would be the most accurate and not always because its just a prediction. Good news that was the last of the spotting! :)
Fast forward to Monday March 7th, my doctor calls to say that my blood test (genetic screening and all the other STD test that they have to run) looked good but they didn't have enough blood to due the Jewish heritage screening. Seriously?? You didn't have enough blood?? Isn't this something you plan for?? I've given blood twice now!!! Also the pap showed that I had a bacterial infection...I proceed to google. It's unknown how they are caused and there is no information on how to prevent it, but about 20% of pregnant women get them. Further research revealed that unlike a yeast infection the bacterial infection has no side effects most times. Most doctor's offices don't even screen for it at prenatal visits...so thankful my doctor did! Now I'm on my way to a full recovery. March 10th marks somewhere between 6-8 weeks and its already an adventure.
Fast forward to Saturday March 12th, we decided to go ahead and tell the family because regardless of what happens we need our support system. My parents, Kateland and Grandma Hazel make the trek up for what they believe is just to bring up the bed for our basement guest room. We invite Matt's family over for supper so that we have everyone together (minus Sister and Liz who was working). I have to preface with saying the weekend before while we are home for my Papaw's funeral I yet again tried to persuade Malissa to come up for the weekend and she was not having it. So Matt and I talked it over and he gave me permission to tell her because I wanted it to be in person. I would rather her be the first than the last. So in the Dairy Queen parking lot in Franklin in Matt's truck we tell her that we're having a baby. I love my baby Sister so much and she is going to be the very best Aunt in the world. And since they are related she has to like my child :D Things Sister plans to teach my child(she sent me this in an email and it made me cry. I have the best sister and soon to be our baby's best Aunt in the whole world):
1. Your mom is the coolest person you'll ever meet, ever. Well except for me, I may be a smidge cooler but that's because she taught me ;)
2. Eat chocolate every single day, even if just a little. It makes everything better. Your mom/dad may try to keep it from you, just let me know and I'll at least sneak you some.
3. Everyone needs a pooh bear or a blankey. This is entirely fine but don't hang on to both for too long, the bed gets crowded and it's a lot to keep up with. (SN: I am 28 years old and still have my bear blankey....and I'm with child....)
4. If you are not having a fun time you are wasting time. Find fun in everything or don't waste your time on it.
5. It's my job to ensure you are somewhat of a terror of a kid who is outgoing and loud on occasion. I'm here for that balance.
Back to our house and the family. We had made t-shirts for everyone that said "Team Baby Z" on the front in block letters (no seriously they look like baby blocks) and their name "Aunt Lissa", "Pop Pop", "Aunt Kate" "Jo Jo" "Uncle Dan", etc on the back. I cried. It was a really special exciting moment. Now they are all dying to wear the shirts to tell other people :)
March 16:
We had our ultra sound today to see and hear Baby Z's heart beat! OMG! So amazing! :) I think seeing that little heart beat on our little baby blob made this whole thing so much more real. And what a relief I feel like I can finally relax a little about that whole little spotting episode!
The more I read about pregnancy the more amazing I realize the whole damn process is. It is quite fascinating. However, I think pregnancy has a few gross terms that I can do without mucous plug, placenta, fetal sac and of course I saved the best for last....bloody show. VOMIT! Alas the words are nothing in comparison to the nasty things my body is doing :)
March 19:
I've been putting off getting fitted for my cousin's bridesmaid dress out of fear of what size I would need. Nothing prepared me for the fitting. I get to David's Bridal and I give them the style number and she asks what I normally am...a size 6, however I'm pregnant and I'll be 20 weeks for her wedding June 18th. No problem they had me covered. I got to use one of those pregnancy pillow things that strap around my belly to give the appearance of you showing. Hilarious! So here I am in my bra and uns in a dressing room with this thing strapped around my abdomen about to step in the size 10 dress. You didnt think it could get worse did you...but of course it did...some douche lady opens the door. Seriously didnt even knock just flings open my dressing room door. AWKWARD! Alas the size 10 did not zip up. Had to go with the size 12, hopefully I'll look pregnant and not just fat in the dress for Megan's wedding.
April 1:
Baby Z is officially 9 weeks now! :) I still have days where I am dragging by 10:30 and become in desperate need of a nap. :( But most days are pretty good with me getting up at 8 (yay working from home) and going to bed between 9:30-10. I've definitely had more energy and I've noticed when I'm not bored out of my mind at work I have more energy too. :P My largest symptom would have to be smell aversions. OMG! I smell things and immediately gag. I've been finding myself gagging a lot lately. I gag when I smell my prenatal vitamin. I gag at the smell of chicken cooking (note: I've not been able to eat any since I've been knocked up). I've even gagged at my own farts...horrible. I have the best husband who comes rushing to my aid and lights a candle whenever the smell is around the kitchen, which it normally is. I feel so bad because we dont really plan meals anymore because I might not "feel it" when I smell whats being cooked. :( Matt is the best Team Z member though and has been my biggest and best supporter. He makes all my meals and even fetches me snacks.
In other news the gals are in rare form...making an even bigger appearance than usual. We had our big meeting on Wednesday of this week and I set across the conference table from Megs and she looked at my boobs and was like OMG they are just falling out of your shirt...its bad. Some people are extremely excited about this prospect, I am however not. I do not want a chest so large that it contributes to my already aching back. Dear Jesus you can take it all back once we get the baby :)
Also my other most frequented symptom is indigestion. For those of you that know me I burp like its my job loudly all the time...better out than in! Pregnancy has made my burps (and farts) ten times worse! And half the time I don't even know where it is all coming from!
I've had to buy a pair of jeans one size up for me to fit in comfortably to last me to the summer. I just need it to get warmer so I can survive on skirts and dresses until this child is born. So please bring on the warm weather! :)
April 2:
We gave our family the go ahead to tell folks about Baby Z. Originally, the plan was to wait until the end of this month for the family to let the cat out of the bag, after we told our bosses. Our biggest concern about making Baby Z public is facebook, everything spreads like wildfire. The last thing either of us wanted is for the office gossip to get wind of Baby Z from FB and tell our bosses before we get a chance. And frankly I don't feel comfortable telling work until we are at least out of the first trimester or maybe not even until I'm showing. Any way its really exciting news and I'm so excited to have the rest of our close friends and extended family know :) So now you know our little secret and we would appreciate you not saying anything on FB :)
