Announcement of Future Baby Christen!

Well I'm sure most of you are not surprised to hear the news that Todd and I are expecting a new little addition to the family!  May 8th is the working due date for now which also just happens to be Mother's Day this coming year.  We wanted to wait to spread the word until after our first OB appointment which we had this last thursday the 7th.  Everything looks great and the baby is growing normally to my dating.  I think we are both still a little in shock as to how quickly the whole process took us.  One never knows how long it may take to get pregnant until they start trying and for us I guess the first month was the lucky month!  I've known since the end of August.  We had a couple over for dinner that lead our pre-marital class at the church.  I had been a little clumsy which is normal for me as my cycle approaches but I had also been a little more spacey at work then normal.  After mentioning out loud that night to our guests that I was so clumsy and didn't know what was wrong with me, Rebecca asked if I might be pregnant.  It wasn't till after that comment that I thought I really could be so the next day while Todd was at work I decided to buy a pregnancy test just for fun.  I was surprised to get the "+" results but then was doubting myself as to how I was reading the test.  As I am sure no women just takes one test, several hours later I decided to take the second test which also came up positive. 

I was then trying to figure out all day how to tell the hubby the good news.  I finally decided to write him a note on his bathroom mirror that he would surely see soon after he got home from work....wrong!  He went into the room but must have never went into the bathroom and then decided to go out and mow the grass.  I finally had to tell him that I left a surprise for him in his bathroom.  He went to go check and out and came downstairs with a look of surprise and he said something like "are you sure" or "seriously, we only tried one month".

Sorry for the side ways shot...I can't seem to turn it around.

Of course the next day at work I felt crampy and thought I must have read the test wrong so after work I decided to get the digital kind because I figured I couldn't mess that one up.

Now it was offical I had 3 tests that confirmed it but Todd jokingly stated he needed more data!  I started to feel a little tired and then the nausea set in.....all good signs of a strong pregnancy!  I couldn't tell my parents the news since they happened to be on a 3week cruise in Europe which was torturing me.  Nannie was the first to hear the news since she tried to give me wine when we went to have dinner with her one night.  Then we shared the news with Todd's immediate family on a trip one weekend to Yakima for Grandma Joye's birthday.  Finally my parents came home.  I was dying to tell them right away but wanted to do it special and in person.  We drove up on a friday in rush hour traffic to Arlington for only 30 minutes just to tell them.  I gave them a little gift and got the opening of it on video (sorry for the view change).

Next waiting for my first OB appointment seemed like forever!!!  I think it was especially hard for me being an OB nurse and knowing all the things that can go wrong.  It's the curse of working in the field I guess.  Our appointment went well.  It lasted 1.5hrs and of course they waited till the last 30 minutes to do the ultrasound.  I was so nervous and excited all in one.  The day before I felt as though I was going on vacation I was so excited.  Tears came streaming down my face as our baby came into picture on the ultrasound for our first viewing.  Todd was right by my side holding my hand.  I guess he got a little misty eyed as well seeing our little one.  It didn't take long to see our little peanut moving it's arms, legs, and large head around!  I've been in the field for 8 years but I will never get over the amazing blessing that God gives us through new life!  And of course the experience is extremely different when it is your child.  I wish we got it on video but instead we got 3 pictures to share.

To help with orientation for you non medical people....This is a side profile of our baby with it's face on right side facing down, back on the top.  It's kind of hard to see the limbs but on the originals the image is clearer but the limbs are obviously on the down side.  The dark space around the baby is fluid and then of course next is my uterus.  Pretty darn amazing!!!  Our next ultrasound will most likely be around 18wks since we are declining genetic testing which would include an additional ultrasound this month.  Todd and I are leaning strongly towards not finding out the sex as well.  I think it is more exciting that way...there are so little good surprises in this world!  I have a strong feeling that it is a boy though so we will see if my suspicions are right.

Today I am 10 weeks on 10-10-10.....weird right!  That has to be a good luck sign.  I had Todd take my first belly shots this evening.  Please don't say I look pregnant here because any plumpness you see is my normal extra cushion!  I hate to have my picture taken especially belly shots but it is kind of fun to watch the belly grow so I am taking one for the team!  Hope you guys enjoy and hope I haven't bored you with an extremely long entry.  We are telling everyone the good news now so you can pass the news along but I am waiting to tell my work till the end of October most likely.