I figured I should probably fill you in on my pregnancy thus far since I have kept pretty hush hush about it on here.

Conrad and I had been trying for months and getting mad at how expensive pregnancy tests were.  One day, after seeing the bill on a package of two that I had purchased, he stormed downstairs and loudly stated that “Next time we buy these stupid things, it better have a better result!” and then stormed back upstairs.  I laughed so hard, very quietly of course, because I have never seen that much emotion come out of my husband before!!  It was priceless!

So one day when I was home alone, knowing that I was not pregnant but only having one test from a package of two left, I decided to take the test because next time I test, I will want two anyway.  Thinking back now, I was not too sure of my logic…but it made sense at the time.  Anyway, I peed, dipped the stick, set it on the counter and waited until I could throw this test away like the others.  (Am I getting too graphic already?!)  I went to the kitchen, grabbed something to eat (probably chocolate) and wandered back into the bathroom two minutes later (probably having eaten too much chocolate) with the dog following me.  I picked up the test and anticipated my disappointment.  I looked at it and said…”HOLY SH%&!!!” (Earmuffs baby) then I turned to the dog and said “HOLY SH%&!!!….Now what do it do?!?!” (Earmuffs again baby)  So as I barely remain standing in my bathroom with my confused dog and a positive pregnancy test, I realize, how on earth am I supposed to tell Conrad?!?!  Don’t couples usually look at the test together?  Or go to the doctor and find out together?  Together being the key word!  So I decided that I will put together a make-shift scavenger hunt that takes Conrad around the entire house, and then finally to our bedroom where I can show him the proof!  I have never been good at last-minute things, they stress me out….this being one of those things!  So once I have everything set out I texted Conrad something like this…”I am very sorry Conrad but I need you to come home right away, it is really important, I just need you very badly!”  Looking back now, he probably thought I was dying, because he sped home so fast, barely had time to park the car before he was jumping out and running to the door (I was peeking at him from the bedroom window).  There was a sticky note on the door that said “Do not do anything else but follow my directions and use the camera”.  So he went from item to item which had pictures of us throughout our relationship, one from high school, one from our wedding, one with us two and Moses and then lead to a pair of baby booties (thank goodness I had those on hand as my bridesmaids gave them to me as a shower gift) and then a note that said “Now go find your wife!”.  Meanwhile I am sitting in the bedroom with the door shut wanting to burst out laughing, or cry, or any other emotion I could think of as I waited for him to come upstairs.  Finally he walked in (I think he had been crying but I have never seen him cry before, and he said that he wasn’t…but I don’t believe him!) and said “What is all this about?!” (typical man) which then lead me to show him the test.  We both kind of just stared at it, compared it to the pictures in the pamphlet of all the possiblitlies of how dark/light the lines will be if it is positive, and hugged eachother.  It was a pretty surreal moment.

So that was the first part, now comes the second part.  It seemed that from the moment I took that test and found out that I was in fact pregnant, that is when all the symptoms started.  First there is the constant nauseau, pair that with the dry-heaving that is set off by anything, include the constipation, headaches, 24-7 pee breaks, irritability, back pain, and worst of all, the extreme exhaustion and that was my life for the next two months!  I could not do anything during that time, no cleaning the house, no doing yard work, no leaving the house…nothing!  I even think I ignored my friends for fear that if I saw them, I would not be able to hide my sickness and they would figure it out.  At one point early on, I had to tell my two co-workers as they are in the same office as me and had figured it out already.  During this early time, Conrad and I didn’t talk much about the pregnancy, I guess we figured that a) anything can happen and b) we don’t want to get too excited because then we will want to tell everyone.  We looked forward to the time that we could share our wonderful news.

My sister was living in the Yukon at the time, so Conrad and I decided that we would phone her and tell her the news even if it was still early…she is my twin sister, I can’t hide anything from her!  So we phoned her one day (or she phoned us, can’t remember) and we listened to the latest gossip of Mukluk Annie’s (where she was working).  She finally came up for air to tell us that she only had a couple minutes left on her calling card so “what is new with you?”.  “Well”, I said, “We have something to tell you…” and the phone went silent!  We thought at first that the calling card cut us off, but then we finally heard her in a teary tone “TELL ME ALREADY!!!”  So, Conrad and I told her that we are expecting a baby and the phone went silent again….turns out that she was still there but crying like a baby (hehehe)!  But then she only had like one minute left so couldn’t talk much more but it was nice to be able to tell her anyway.

We told the rest of my family on a picnic in the park celebrating my parents 30th wedding anniversary.  We had spent the afternoon visiting, eating, playing football and half way through the celebration Dad received an email on his blackberry telling him that he got the job in Delta!  Already it was a wonderful day!  Then it was time for gifts.  Mom and Dad opened all their gifts and then I handed them one more from Conrad and I.  They opened it up and it was a copy of “Chicken Soup for the Grandparents Soul” with a photo of the positive pregnancy test inside.  Dad was crying at this point but mom looked at me and asked “So are you expecting?”.  I thought this was a silly question as I thought it was quite obvious but I said “Yes!”.  Then she said “I am so glad you are pregnant and not dying, I have been so worried about you!”  Then they gave us hugs and we cried (typical). 

The next night we phoned up each member of Conrad’s family, his mom, his sister, his brother and his dad and told them all the good news!  They were all very happy for us!  Conrad’s sister is also expecting a baby, and get this, her due date is two days after ours…what are the chances?!?!  Very exciting that two cousins will be so close!!

So now, the third part…I am 16 weeks now and feeling great!  It almost feels like I am not pregnant, except for the bulging belly that is throwing off my golf swing!  Today I had bad heartburn all day, but I will take that any day over constant dry-heaving!  Conrad and I are now getting very excited about this next stage in our lives…parenthood!  We hope that we are ready (as much as we can be) and that we will become the parents that we envision ourselves to be.  We understand that this will change our lives completely but we are ready for the challenge.  What a great gift that we have been given to bring a child into this world and what a great God that we have to thank for all of it!  We can not wait to meet our child!

Goodnight…it is 10:15 and way, way, way past my bedtime!