The silence is broken

Blog topics have been especially difficult for me to come by for the past couple of months.  Not because I was out of ideas, but because everything I have been wanting to say needed to be kept secret.  Well, no more secrets!  I can finally break my silence.  And with excitement, say that I will now return to regular blogging, although it's about to take a completely new tone!

On August 8, after a bout of food poisoning and a borderline migraine, I was diagnosed with this:

faint second line. Was it really there?

After a major panic attack and the realization that the migraine and food poisoning were likely not what they seemed, the tears subsided.  In complete shock and disbelief, I ran to Walgreens for a second opinion of the diagnosis.  I was retested and the diagnosis was confirmed:

lines were not real enough. Can't mistake that word!!

OH MY GOSH!  I am pregnant!  Yep.  Pregnant.  I had no idea what I was supposed to do next.  There's no book for that.  No instructions inside the test kit that tell you who you call first, or what you need to do.  So, I freaked out, ran downstairs and told Chris.  After his panic attack subsided (ok, let's be honest here...his panic attack lasted for 11 more weeks, but more on that later.) I called the doctor who wanted to see me ASAP in that I am 35 and considered "higher risk."  As if I needed to hear that!! More freaking out ensued.

On August 15, the diagnosis was confirmed.  Yep.  Still pregnant!  Holy crap!  Now what?  Well, time to see a real doctor. I had been seeing a nurse practitioner.  So, on Tuesday, August 23, I met Dr. Allison.  I really liked her.  And from her I learned that when a "high risk" woman asks "are these cramps normal?" she will be rushed into an ultrasound.  And that's when we saw where our little poppy seed will be taking up residence until approximately April 22, 2012. The munchkin was too small to see on the ultrasound, but we could see the yolk sac (a term which still grosses me out a little).

This was the day before Mom and Dad's anniversary and I couldn't wait one more day to tell them.  So, we Skyped.  And I am completely disappointed to say that I wasn't quick enough to grab a screenshot of their reaction.  Shock. Happiness. Tears. Disbelief. Overwhelming excitement. Utter elation.  It was all there!  And while I may not have a still photo to capture that moment, I will forever have that memory.

Then we went to Florida over Labor Day for a vacation with Chris' parents.  And we got to tell them in person.  The reaction from my mother-in-law was just as priceless as my parents' reaction.  My always-stoic father-in-law smiled as big as I've seen him smile since the day I met him 6 and a half years ago, and the only thing he could say was, "well, I guess I'll get the 'For Sale' sign out when we get home!"  We're still waiting for that, but he's pretty excited too!  Rumor has it he's already changed his some of his passwords to reflect his incubating grand baby and pending grandparent-hood.

The stories of how people learned from there forward are pretty funny.  And should be a blog of their own. You need to hear the details about my "irresponsible drunkenness" and my grandmother asking "does your mother know?"  And the story and photos of the establishment of "The Baby Jar" are equally priceless.

So, here's what I will tell you today.  Because I will be 36 when I deliver, my doctor recommended several extra tests, such as the CVS and/or Amnio. The CVS is similar to the amnio but can be done sooner in the pregnancy (10 weeks) and because I am one of the least patient people on the planet, that's the option we chose. 

And as of Monday, October 3, I can tell you with 100% certainty that we have a completely healthy (no major chromosomal abnormalities) baby boy that's growing like a weed, and as of Saturday, October 15 (which is also our 5 year wedding anniversary) I will be out of my first trimester.  Thank goodness.  That morning sickness was ALL DAY LONG and is finally subsiding. 

Most of you already know that I am pregnant.  But the story is part of the fun of it. 

Cheers to the changes to come!