Day 4

It's amazing how quickly things change when you find out you're pregnant. I bought the old standby, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and have been reading and skimming it. I realized that a lot of my diet habits have to stop, and that a lot of them are already on the right track for healthy me and healthy baby. So more fruits, veggies and water, and less sugar, caffeine and no alcohol. Which makes this secret pretty hard to keep, because my friends know I love to drink wine! The Dining In was easy, since I'd already volunteered to drive Dandy and Amber so they could have a little without-the-kids fun for once.

I went to Tricare to make my appointment today. For my non-Army friends, we don't have an OB or a hospital here on post. So when in "delicate condition", you have to use a doctor on the economy (aka in Germany). Since women have babies every day, and particularly often in the Army, they already have an established network of doctors that speak english, and that have been attending to us Americans for quite awhile. I chose Dr. Stadlbauer, since he's seen a lot of my friends here. I would have had a completely different system for choosing a doctor in the states, but here it's a little bit different. We'll see how it goes!

The combination of tripling my water intake and being pregnant means I have to pee all the time. The combination of a healthier diet and all that water means I've actually lost two pounds. I'd love to be going to the gym right now, but I want to check with my doctor first. The good news is that I'll only have to wait two more days!

So far no morning sickness and only mild fatigue. I hope that I can erase some of that with regular exercise, and a regular schedule since I quit my job! The weather is getting nice, which means in addition to my gym time Oscar will get two walks a day, and I'll get all the fresh air I've missed since winter pulled the grey clouds over us.

I watched The Discovery Channel's documentary, From Conception to Birth, and it was pretty interesting. Right now I'm more amazed at the miracle of conception than I am of the miracle of birth. Understandably so, since I'm so much closer to one than the other. It's amazing what forces are at work in your body! Only 3 out of 10 American women conceive their first time around, and we had such a short window to work with! The scarier part is that 1 out of 6 women miscarry their pregnancy, so I'm crossing my fingers. I figure my job is to make sure my body is as healthy as possible, and the rest is up to nature.

Day 1

Well this is just nuts! I took a pregnancy test this morning. Imagine my shock when a little "+" showed up in the window!! I decided to stop taking my pills this past fall. Jay and I kept trying to do the math and figure in the Army and deployments and PCS and I realized the best time to have a baby shouldn't be up to me. It should be up to my body, and greater forces at work. So we adopted the "if it happens, it happens" attitude. We both promised not to get our hopes up, and not to get disappointed if it didn't happen right away.

For all my excitement and hoping, I was truly shocked to see that test. I knew the next logical step was to go to the health clinic for a blood test, but it was only 6am!! I tried to go back to sleep, but my mind was racing in about a million directions. I finally fell back asleep about an hour later, and woke up at 9. I called the clinic, and realized I didn't need an appointment. Just walk in and get the blood work. I went to the admin office, and they set me up with some labs. Headed downstairs, where the guy drew blood almost without me knowing it. Sweet! I waited a torturous hour and a half and went back.

It's confirmed! Blood doesn't lie. Here come the battery of questions, forms, and mixed feelings of excitement, fear, anxiety and impatience. The nurse was all kinds of scatterbrained and I had to keep correcting her. Me. The one who just found out she's "with child" for the first time, correcting the lady who's been a nurse for 20+ years. She was only slightly more shocked by the existence of my appointment book than the fact that I'd already been taking prenatal vitamins. Amazing.

Sidenote: Try explaining to the pharmacy clerk, "No, I'm not pregnant or breastfeeding" when you're getting a prescription for prenatal vitamins.

My favorite part of the day, of course, was when my phone rang and I knew it was Jay. I was at work but working with another girl, so I could take my phone outside while she was in the store. We talked small talk for a minute, because I wasn't quite sure what to say about this recent development. When there was a slight lull, I said, "So you're going to be a daddy." Silence. Silence. Followed by, "I am? Are you serious?" I've known Jay a long time, and I've finally found what can make him speechless. I was still in shock, but I'd at least had a few hours to let it sink in. I told him about my day, and I think we both just kind of sat there, shocked and excited, for most of the conversation.

I went to bed knowing there was this tiny little life that we had created, that God and my body had decided we were ready for, and it was pretty amazing.