Starting things off..

Well, here we are.

Since I found out that I was pregnant, I have all kinds of random thoughts and tidbits and whatnot in my head. I realized I've more or less been spamming it all on my facebook, where my many non-parent friends might not care so much. Also, for lack of an actual physical baby book at the moment, I thought I could document any pregnancy related milestones, observations, and just random thoughts. Probably pics too.

I think perhaps a good starting point could be the story of how I found out Nick and I were gonna be parents. I certainly won't forget it but I didn't tell most people outside of family and the friends I was talking to that day. I'm not really the best writer or storyteller or anything but bear with me, we'll see how this goes. (Prepare for super long rambley-ness)

They always say that "when you know, you know". I remember it was late June, and I noted to myself that my period should be coming in the next few days. so I should make sure I have tampons and the such so I wouldn't have the dreaded moment when you realize you've run out, right on your way to work or school or something equally as super-inconvenient.

As the days passed, I noticed my breasts and nipples were waayy sensitive. Like, to the touch. Even my bra rubbing on them slightly was really uncomfortable. I didn't quite put two and two together until I realized it was REALLY late June, and still no Aunt Flo. I told Nick and he said something along the lines of, "Well go take a test, noob". I decided I would wait until June had completely come and gone until I would test. But like I said, I "knew". The night of June 30th I was anxious. Nervous. What would happen tomorrow? Over the passing days I thought about what if I really was pregnant? What if? I actually became ok with the idea, and a part of me hoped I was. But still, I was freaking out on the inside. Hilariously enough, just a few weeks earlier, a co-worker at my job asked if I had kids. My response was something almost EXACTLY like Peter's response in the bar scene of this video:

The co-worker laughed, and I said I felt like I was not ready, and probably just too young. The fantastic irony being that at the moment of that conversation, I had a blastocyst inside me furiously dividing and multiplying itself into an embryo. Anyway, moving on...

I had only told Nick about my concern at this point, but I couldn't take it anymore. I texted a couple close gals and told them I thought I was pregnant. In return I got some comforting words and very lovely things about how I would be a great mommy, and they hoped that I was. (Thanks Shannon and Casey, loves yoouu)

So July 1st comes. I get dressed and decide I needed to go for it. No way around it anymore. On the way to the car, I texted my close friend Nancy: "soo I'm on my way to go buy a pregnancy test..." She told me I was welcome to come to her place to take it, which I absolutely agreed. Nick was on duty that day, and I would've been home alone with the furr-butts taking the test otherwise. I stopped at Walgreen's, and got a two pack digital test. (Funny thought I had in Walgreens: I was hoping they sold giant jugs of Sunny D, so I could drink it all and have a moment like the opening credits scene in Juno haha). At Nancy's, we talked and pondered over the impending results, waiting for me to actually have to pee enough to soak this stick.

Finally. No more putting it off. For the first time in my life, I'm taking a pregnancy test and my hands are shaking. Afterwards, I set it on the counter and finish up. I stand to wash my hands and as I'm doing so, I look down at the test, which had began displaying a little hour glass icon to indicate it was working. At this point in time, it has been literally about 15-20 seconds since I peed on it, stood up and finished, and began washing my hands. My hands probably weren't even that lathered yet. In those brief seconds, the test displayed its result:

Pregnant.

I'm almost positive my eyes didn't leave that test the rest of washing, drying of hands and subsequently yelling across the apartment, "UMMM, NANCY!"

I pick it up, walk over to her in the kitchen and hold it up without saying a word. I don't remember her exact response, but the whole situation was funny to her and it was probably something like "hahaha you're growing a person!" (Don't worry, Nancy was really supportive and humor is definitely what I needed!)

So there it was. We sat for a little while with me in complete shock. Just shock, not knowing what to think. Even with several days to think on the possibility can't prepare you to find this kind of thing out. I searched around on the computer for a clinic to give me a real test to confirm it. It being the friday of 4th of July weekend, my choices were limited and expensive. My only choice was to wait until tuesday the 5th, when I could see my normal doctor. We decided to get cupcakes to ease my nerves. om nom nom.

My God. The longest weekend of my life was next to ensue, but in the meantime, my next step was to tell Nicky. Being on the ship, his phone is not reliable but I texted him a photo of the positive test anyway. The next day, I took the second test first thing in the morning before work. The SAME exact thing happened: I got a result within a few seconds and it was positive. ohhhh boy. Before I left for work, I left both tests on the bathroom counter with a note, "Congratulations, Daddy!" I eventually ended up getting a hold of Nick via email that afternoon, and he was very happy as far as I could tell through all the smiley face emoticons and exclamation points. That evening when I got home from work, he was there to meet me at the door and lift me up for a spinning-around-in-happiness hug. It was definitely overdue, since I had found out more than 24 hours prior and hadn't seen him yet due to our overlapping work schedules.

We decided to keep it a secret for the time being, minus the few girlfriends who knew and the friends of his who were at the house right then. I knew I needed to tell my family in person, and I planned right then to make the drive to Maryland immediately following my Dr appointment on the 5th. I wanted to talk to my mom about everything SO BAD, but I knew I couldn't tell her this online or on the phone. This needed to be done in person, so I held back the few times I talked to her those couple days until I could get to MD. It's a good thing it isn't out of the ordinary for me to come across a couple days off in a row, and make an impromptu trip home.

We were so happy to find out this wonderful news, and couldn't wait to share with everybody we knew. I just needed official word from the doctor first. After that would happen, I would have one of the happiest days as I drove home to tell my parents and family. But that's another entry for a different day.

Goodnight for now loves :)