Welcome!

Well, given the title of this blog, I suppose there's no beating around the bush...I'M PREGNANT! There. I said it. I've decided to write a blog as a way to keep family and friends updated on what's happening in our lives baby-wise. Also, I figure I've kept blogs about major trips in my life so that I can document my experiences, so why not blog about this amazing event? It will be wonderful to go back and read this, and perhaps Baby Powell will want to read it someday, too!

Yep, that's my urine

Anyone who knows Craig and me even just the slightest bit knows that this is something we've wanted for a while (i.e. since we were teenagers, but well, we had this idea that maybe, just maybe, that wasn't quite the right time). We're now 25 and 24, respectively, which, to us, seems like prime baby time. There are obviously some slight stressors (Hey world, where's that full-time job I've been searching for?), but they pale in comparison to how overjoyed we feel about this addition to our family!

Right after learning that we're going to be parents

We found out we were expecting on Friday, September 29. I had so many big plans for how I would tell Craig that he would soon be a dad, but when push came to shove, I just ran into the bedroom, shook him awake, and held the positive test in his face. The poor guy struggled between trying to wake up and being completely ecstatic. In the end, we hugged each other tightly, and Craig said he could feel my heart pounding like crazy against his chest. It was a very happy day.

Four weeks

The first thing we had to figure out was where we're going to have this baby. Here's the deal--we live across the street from a hospital. I'm not exaggerating. I look out my window, and I see the hospital. That seems like a pregnant woman's dream, right? Not quite. The problem lies in the fact that they don't have midwives at this hospital. Ever since watching The Business of Being Born about a year ago, I've been interested in giving birth with a midwife rather than an obstetrician. I've done further research since then, and I'm currently reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. All of these things further cement the fact that a midwife is for me. I know it's not for everyone, but it's definitely the right choice for me. That choice, however, means that we will be having this baby at a hospital that's an hour and a half from home. The travel time is not ideal, but I believe it will be worth it (unless, of course, I end up giving birth on the side of the road--but hey, our baby will be newsworthy!). Anyway, we found a midwife that we really, really like, and I'm excited about the programs they provide.

We also struggled with when we would tell our families. We told a few very close friends within the first few days, but we were worried about telling too many people (and our families are BIG) and then potentially having something go wrong. We seriously contemplated waiting to tell our families until Thanksgiving, but in the end, we were both bursting to share this happy news with our loved ones. On Tuesday, October 4th, after meeting our midwife for the first time, we told our immediate family members, and it was honestly one of the most joy-filled days of my life. It was so wonderful sharing this happy news with the people we love most. It makes me unbelievably happy to know that this baby is already loved by so many people!

Six weeks

At the very beginning, when we first found out, I was a little cocky. "I feel great," "I can't even tell that I'm pregnant," and "I almost wish I'd get sick so I'd truly believe that I'm pregnant" were all statements that left my lips. I truly believed that I was a member of that 3% of women who experience no negative symptoms. How very wrong I was. About a week after telling our families, I made a delicious curry-dijon pork tenderloin with a fruit chutney. And yes, it really was delicious. I'll toot my own horn if it's the truth. Anyway, I ate one serving, and then, since my only symptom thus far was ravenous hunger, I filled my plate with a second serving. Big mistake. I immediately didn't feel so great and decided to head to bed so as to feel better. The next day was even worse. I couldn't even enter the kitchen because the smell of curry was just lingering there. That was just the beginning. As it turns out, morning sickness does not need to involve vomit. I had always thought that it must, so I was a bit in denial at first. It didn't take me long to figure out what was up, though, and I learned to walk on a tightrope of being neither hungry nor full. Either one could lead to disaster. I also learned why it's called morning sickness--morning is when you've gone the longest without eating, and this near-starvation leads to nausea. Fun, fun stuff. My nausea only lasted for about two or three weeks, and I'm very thankful for that. I began taking my prenatal vitamin at night, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't just a coincidence that I began feeling better at that time. I just wish I'd thought of that connection sooner!

We had our first real appointment on Halloween, which just so happened to be the ten year anniversary of when we first started dating. I could not imagine a better way to spend that day with Craig. The downside was that he worked an overnight before that and was pretty exhausted at our appointment. He was a trooper, though. I would have been happier if we could have heard the baby's heartbeat, but unfortunately he or she was playing hard to get! Our midwife assured us that there was nothing to worry about. There's a 50/50 chance of hearing the heartbeat at eight weeks. It would have been nice, but we'll have an ultrasound at our next appointment, at which point we'll be able to hear and see the baby!

Eight weeks

At the moment, our tentative due date is June 6, 2012. I think we'll have something a bit more concrete after our ultrasound, but we at least have an idea of when he or she will be here. Whenever I hear a due date, my reaction is "Okay, well, that's the day the baby WON'T be born." I mean, really? What are the odds of having your baby the day you're due? Maybe they're higher than I think, but I'm really not expecting our baby on the day it's due. Craig was born a month early, and I was almost a week early, so part of me thinks this baby will be early, too. Unless the baby is born very early, June will continue to be a very important month for our family. Craig's birthday is mid-June, our wedding anniversary is the end of June, and now little Booger could be born in early June. May would be cute, too, because all of our birthday months would be in a row! It doesn't matter to me when the baby's born, as long as he or she is healthy.

What I'll look like before you know it.

I should mention that this poor child already has Booger as a nickname. I believe it started when we were talking about the size of the baby a few weeks ago. I joked that Craig has boogers that are bigger than that, and unfortunately for Baby Powell, the nickname stuck. We plan on learning the baby's gender, and Craig has assured me that Booger will remain as a nickname if the baby is a boy. According to him, Booger will become Sweet Pea if the baby turns out to be a girl. Don't worry, neither of these names will have any place on the baby's birth certificate!

Ten weeks

This is apparently a great time to have a baby. I know a number of people who are pregnant right now, and it makes me excited to think of potential playmates for Booger. Most notably, my brother Geoffrey and his girlfriend, Sarah, are expecting their second child, a girl, due in April. I love the thought of these cousins being so close in age!

Well, I think that's enough writing for now. It's only 9:15 at night, but this mama is ready for bed. To be perfectly honest, I could have gone to bed at seven. On top of that, I already took a nap today. It appears that I'm now experiencing some of that pregnancy fatigue. I'll take this over nausea any day!