The Tiniest Heartbeat

Aaron and I went yesterday for my initial prenatal appointment with my obstetrician. I have been nervous…I have mentioned before that aside from being very tired, I don't really FEEL pregnant. I haven't had any morning sickness whatsoever, and it just seems like I should feel something different. To have some inherent knowledge that I am pregnant…or a big letter P burning on my forehead.

So I was excited and nervous to go to the doctor—I wanted to hear good news, of course, and had no reason to think that I wouldn't, but one never knows, right?

Anyway, my doctor is very matter of fact, and asked us if we are going to get married…I suppose there will be PLENTY of times we'll be asked that question over the next year. (In case you are wondering, the answer is maybe we will, maybe we won't. Stay tuned.) After a regular exam, we went to have a sonogram to measure the size of the baby and estimate how long I had been pregnant. THAT was amazing.

On the screen we could see a little blobby shape that was the baby, inside it's little blobby amniotic sac, and the best part—there was this fluttery movement on the screen, which was the baby's heartbeat. At 7 weeks and 3 days, a heartbeat! Aaron held my hand and we were both pretty quiet…like I said, amazing. The heartbeat was strong and in perfect range at 154 beats a minute, and the rest we will just wait to see! It feels like I've been waiting my entire life to see that on the screen.

Spilled Beans

A few weeks ago, Aaron's cousins were in town, stopping by on their way to the Quad Cities. Earlier that day I had taken my second pregnancy test—just to be SURE that it was true. Without thinking, I chucked the box and the test in the trash in the bathroom and forgot about it…until after our house guests had left.

Then I noticed that I had done it! "Oh, no one looks in the trash can," Aaron says to me. Well, turns out, Aaron's cousin's girlfriend, Kat, HAD noticed, but like a champ, kept it to herself. She and her boyfriend Bart (one of Aaron's oldest friends and among his most favorite cousins) gave us quiet congratulations after they knew that WE knew that they knew.

It is AMAZING to share our news with our loved ones…can't wait until we get to tell everyone!

First Blush

So, I'm at the orthodontist today, getting my braces off (phew, glad I got that done BEFORE I have a child—I'm not sure I could take myself very seriously if I had braces and a baby). I'd been there for hours—they took off my braces, fit me for retainers, then wanted to take some photos of my beautifully aligned teeth and what have you. I sit for some photographs (completely jealous of the flashes they had on their Canon, by the way), and then the tech says to me, "Okay, do you mind taking off your earrings? We're going to do some head x-rays."

I thought nothing of it and started to take my earrings out, and then the tech says, "You're not expecting, right?"

I froze. Because I am! I forget sometimes—I've been feeling really good: a little tired, and smells seem stronger to me than usual, but other than that, it doesn't really FEEL like I'm pregnant.

But I didn't quite know what to do—I haven't been to see the doctor yet, and I'm a worry-wart anyway, so I don't want to be telling everyone until the doctor says things look normal, but since I AM pregnant, I don't want to get x-rays taken and risk any harm to my fetus. Conundrum.

So, kind of sheepishly, I said, "Actually, I am." She looked a little surprised—so I said, "I'm only about six weeks—so don't tell anyone!" She smiled and told me she'd need to tell the doctor so that he doesn't wonder, but we won't tell anyone else.

We proceed to tell the doctor (a great orthodontist, if you're looking for one in the Liberty area, let me know) and then I get congratulated by him and the tech and two hygienists! I blushed a little—explaining I am newly pregnant and haven't been to the doc and all of that. The doc said it is funny that he accidentally happens to be the first person people end up telling a lot of the time…but how awkward!

I texted Aaron while I waited for my retainers: "Just had to tell the orthodontist I am pregnant so they wouldn't take x-rays. Can't believe the first person I told was an x-ray tech."

Just another funny story that I'll be able to share later—when I can tell EVERYONE!

April Fools!

This was the most memorable April Fools day I've EVER had. I woke up at the normal time, took a shower, dried my hair, and started brushing my teeth. And then I thought to myself, maybe I'll take a pregnancy test today, what the heck.

So I did.

AND IT WAS POSITIVE.

I stood there in silence staring at it for a while...not quite sure what to do. I've done enough reading and listening to my friends to know that false positives are very rare. Aaron was still asleep, radio alarm blaring (which rarely wakes him up). I took my little test in there and kissed him on the forehead. "Baby," I said to him, "I have to tell you something. And this is NOT an April Fool's Day joke."

We're excited to say the least--but this is such a weird experience! I have the biggest secret of my life brewing--no--GROWING inside of me right now. And I can't tell ANYONE! It's insane. It's weird. It makes me nervous!

I am trying not to stress about it--currently I feel great (maybe a little tired, but that may be because I went cold turkey no caffeine). I worry about whether this is real, really going to happen, really going to end up in a sweet little child of my very own. I have been waiting for the morning sickness...I think that might make me feel like it is more real.

I have now taken three tests, and called my doctor, and am counting down the hours until I can hear from a doctor that everything is going great and I can tell my friends and family about our joyous news. I wanted to put it on Facebook, on April Fool's day, and see what people said...but then on the other hand, I want to present it on my terms...for now, I will write it here.

Squeeeeeeee!