We're Having a Baby!!!

I know it's been forever since I've written... but this is the very good reason why!

We wanted you to be able to look back with us and share in our joy as we prepare to welcome a new member into our family!

On March 22, 2010, I officially found out that I'M PREGNANT!! That's right, folks... I'm knocked up, with child, preggers, got a bun in the oven, damaged goods (wait... strike that!). We were on our second month of TTC (Trying to conceive = one of the many new terms I've learned recently...), and even though I had been charting (taking my temp every morning, etc.), we still consider ourselves very, very lucky that we were able to conceive so quickly.

I guess now would be the time to spill the story on how I found out, and how I told my baby daddy ;)

Well, since I was charting I knew when I ovulated, and soon after I had been talking to women on my fertility/pregnancy message boards. A couple of them suggested I test since my chart looked "good". I thought it was too early, but on the afternoon of March 21, Brian went out to Trader Joe's and I decided to try one of my little cheapie internet strip tests. I waited about 3 minutes (not the 10 you're supposed to), didn't see a second line, and tossed the test in the trash not thinking much of it. After all, 10 dpo (days past ovulation - another fun term) is very early to get a positive HPT (home pregnancy test). I went back to the computer, but a few minutes later something told me to check the test again. I went back to the bathroom and grabbed the test out of the trash. I saw the FAINTEST line ever, and thought it might have been an evaporation line since I could barely even see it and the test had been sitting for more than 10 minutes. Still, I started tearing up and freaking out and saying over and over "ohmygodithinkimpregnant!" I put the test away and decided not to say anything to Bri since I wasn't totally sure, plus I had a whole plan on how I would tell him and I didn't want to spoil the only chance I'd get to do that. I couldn't wait until the morning where I'd test again.

The next morning, Monday, March 22, I got up before Brian and took 3 different pregnancy tests-- the internet cheapie (aimstick), First Response, and a ClearBlue digital... the first 2 developed a clear second pink line and the digital test read PREGNANT. OH.MY.GOD. I'm pregnant!! I was jumping out of my skin but still I didn't run out of the bathroom screaming like a crazy woman... I can't believe I held it together. Yay for self control. I was all giddy when Brian was getting ready for work (I hadn't started my new job yet so timing was perfect) because of course I couldn't go back to sleep!

Brian left for work, and I got working... I called my doctor's office when they opened (I had already chosen an OB/GYN - I was that prepared) and called to see if I could come in to confirm my pregnancy. They were happy to see me right away, and luckily they are like 2 minutes from our house. (Right next to the former Tarzana hospital, where Brian and I were both born.) I went to the office where they had me pee in a cup, and then the nurse took me in a room and she was not grinning ear to ear like I was so of course I thought she was going to tell me the test was negative! Wrong. She looked down and calmly said, ok, the test is positive... UM, YEAH IT IS! ;) Anyway, she sent me to the lab to get blood work done, where they measured my HCG level (the pregnancy hormone that the tests detect) and my progesterone level. I was SO excited! And appropriately enough Brian called me multiple times while I was waiting in the lab and I was forced to ignore his calls and text him that I was out running errands.

When I got home, I started planning the night... I had bought little fortune cookies with custom fortunes in them (to be revealed in just a few), and planned a Chinese themed dinner. I went to the market and bought a little cheesecake (Brian's favorite) and had the cute cake lady write a little inside joke on it (am I keeping you in suspense?) and decorate it with plastic cheesy baby things that thrilled me.

I found our video camera and by the grace of God managed to find a blank tape and charge the thing. I did a little "confessional" in our office about how I was feeling and how I couldn't wait to tell Brian, and how totally over-the-moon excited that I was going to be a MOMMY!!! Then I brought the camera downstairs, and being the sneaky lady I am, I hid the camera on our kitchen counter between a box of Matzoh and a box of cereal, under a Trader Joe's bag, with a bag of chips leaning against it. See? Sneaky. Then I waited. And then prepared a meal consisting of orange chicken, friend rice, stir fry with shrimp and probably some other stuff (none of which actually was consumed that night, mind you). I set the table up with our fortune cookies and waited anxiously for Brian to get home. I also took some pictures... the proof is in the pudding, er, the pregnancy tests.

and my sneaky hidden camera:

When he got home, I called him to dinner right away (I had told him I was making dinner which apparently made him slightly suspicious since I had prepared a whole meal THE WEEK BEFORE. Wow, what a great housewife I am.) He came down and I sat in his normal seat in fear he'd spot the camera and I wouldn't get the genuine reaction I desired. I started opening the fortune cookie right away, and Brian asked why I wasn't saving it for dessert... I just kept cracking and said I wanted it now, and told him to open his. He did, and started opening the fortune and got silent, and then asked me what mine said. I coyly said, "what does yours say?", and he read this:

He said, "it says I'm going to be a daddy"... and started tearing up. It was SO sweet :) And then that was followed my a few "ohmygod"s and "holy shit"s. And it's all on video for our children to see... forever. I said, "I'm pregnant!" (you know, just in case he didn't get it with the whole "you're going to be a daddy" thing staring him in the face). I told him all about my day, and going to the doctor, and when I thought I was due, etc. Eventually... I told him about the hidden camera. ;)

We barely ate dinner... but that's ok. I showed him the dessert that I had bought:

I used to bug Brian all the time about having a baby... I'd tap him multiple times and ask "is it baby time?". It wasn't then... but now, it's definitely baby time! ;)

We then went upstairs to take more pictures (I know, me, pictures? ha) and set up the camera to do our own little "confessional". Words to the baby, really, plus some ramblings... we may be the biggest nerds, but our baby will never doubt that it was loved and wanted before it was even conceived. :)

us = happiest parents-to-be ever!

I think that will do it for our first post pre-baby. More to follow!