So the cat is out of the bag (no pun intended for Kinny!) and over Easter weekend we told both of our families we’re expecting a baby on October 11, 2018. To say everyone was excited is an understatement. Both of our families are thrilled and can’t wait!
A few reasons why I haven’t posted since we found out - one I wanted to make it a surprise for my family and while no one reads my blog, I didn’t want to give it away. Two, I wanted go just enjoy the first few weeks with D and try to figure out a game plan for our future and three, well I’ve been just plain exhausted through the first trimester. Keeping my eyes open has always been a challenge, I love sleep and wow, have I needed so much more for Baby R!
I’m almost through the first trimester or I am through it according to some books being 13 weeks and I’m feeling really good. I haven’t had any morning sickness and have only felt nauseous when I don’t get enough protein. Protein has been my biggest craving so far and especially red meat. I’ve wanted burgers, steak and roast beef sandwiches nearly every day. I’ve also been on a big kick with buffalo chicken. My once sweet tooth has pretty much gone away and I only want gummy bears, not for the sweetness but for the chewiness. I never knew how real cravings were or how emotional I’d get trying to figure out dinner. But, I have to say I absolutely love being pregnant right now and knowing after such a struggle, we have a little one waiting to meet us in October.
Besides our families, I had to tell work which hasn’t gone quite as planned. It’s been a struggle there and so much so, I’ve had to finally ask to pull back the reins and move me from the Manager of the department to just an Accountant. It was a hard decision and after a lot of tears I know it’s the right decision for me and my growing family. I think it would have been more bearable for me to remain manager if I had a full staff but since finding out we’re having a baby, I’ve only had half of a staff and not many leads on new employees or my ideas have been shot down, which has been extremely disheartening. This is my chance to do what I needed to do to take care of myself. Thankfully despite the pressure, I’ve held my ground for myself, which has brought a lot of extra stress and tears but I will hopefully be back on track to focus on me. I will say working in a male dominated industry has been rough. They don't quite get why I've decided to pull back and have been a bit rude about my decisions. All I can hope right now is that I can make it through the next 6 months dealing with the ridiculousness there and then enjoy my time off with our little one. I'm also debating on what sort of work schedule changes I'll make after my FMLA expires.
Right now though, I want to focus on the positive and enjoy this exciting time in our lives. On March 9th, I graduated from the Fertility clinic to a regular OBGYN. We met her the following Friday for our first appointment and confirmation that I am indeed pregnant. At the appointment, we had an ultrasound and we talked to the doctor about what to expect throughout the pregnancy. She answered so many questions and eased our minds. Here's a pic of our bundle of joy from our visit:
I went back to the doctor on Tuesday for my 12 week appointment. My new OBGYN is awesome. I really like her and I'm so glad I decided to find a doctor that not only is looking out for our baby's health but also my own. I'm no spring chicken in terms of pregnancy. In fact, the doctor classified me of "advanced maternal age" since I'm 35 and she's taking that into consideration with each visit. This time we talked about genetic testing and her recommendations since I am older. I decided to go with a test called Natera. It is a Panoramic test that not only checks out many genetic issues but also will allow us to find out the gender of the baby sooner. I had the blood work done after my appointment and hopefully will see the results within 7 business days. Ultimately, I don't have a preference on the gender but just hope that we have a happy, healthy baby.
Everyone has been so great since we announced our news. On Wednesday my mom texted me and told me that while she was out shopping, she happened to have a few things jump into her cart for us. Besides the few items we've bought ourselves, this is our first baby gift, which was so sweet!
Yesterday we got a cute surprise at our door. We were getting ready to go downtown to get my hair done and run a few other errands and before we left, a florist dropped off the cutest arrangement of flowers. Grandma and Grandpa R sent us flowers as a congratulations and it was one of the nicest gestures I could have asked for.
I think everyone is as excited as D, Kinny and I are about our newest addition!
