How It All Began.....

Our story begins on a warm September night in Mount Pleasant, SC.  It was a special weekend because the calendar revealed that the “window” had arrived and the time was right… Oh, I guess I should probably leave this part out (this is a PG rated blog after all).  So let’s skip ahead a couple of weeks…..

It was October 8, 2009.  Day 26 on the calendar.  I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and prepared for bed.  I couldn’t help feeling both excited and scared as I laid the pregnancy test out on the counter and set my alarm for 7:00am (yes, I have a type A personality… what, you think I got through med school on my good looks?)  As I prepared for sleep, I prayed, “Please let it be positive.”  I tossed and turned for a while, but finally drifted off to sleep.  I was awoken the next morning by that feeling…. You know the one that lets you know that “you gotta go.”  I looked at the clock… it was only 5:00 am.  I laid my head back on my pillow and thought to myself, “Please, please let me just sleep for two more hours.  This feeling has to pass” (as if waiting for two more hours would miraculously change the outcome of the test).  Another thirty minutes passed and I couldn’t take it any longer. I got up and proceeded to the bathroom.  I read the instructions on the test (AGAIN), followed them to a tee, and then placed the test back on the counter.  You know, it is amazing how 3 minutes can feel like an eternity when you are waiting for something like this.  I closed my eyes and picked up the test.  When I opened them, I read the beautiful 8 letter word….PREGNANT.  It said pregnant!!! I screamed to myself and danced around the bathroom.  I couldn’t believe it….  It was positive!!

Deekoy was actually the first one I told…. I know that seems weird, but I hated to wake Griffin up that early (he is NOT a morning person and I knew that there was a strong possibility that he would not be able to express his true excitement if I told him this early in the morning…. which, would probably make me cry).  So I let him sleep.  In the meantime, I proceeded to take pictures of the positive test in several different rooms and then outside (yes, this is odd, but I had to find the right lighting).  I needed evidence.  I was so worried that I would go back to sleep and wake up to find that this was all a dream.  And…I was also planning out creative ways to tell our parents and friends.  Deekoy and I celebrated over breakfast: one bowl of Cheerios for me and one bowl of Kibbles N’ Bits for him.  We ate in silence while watching the morning news, but on the inside we were both jumping for joy (for those of you that don’t know, Deekoy was a person in another life… he has expressions and emotions just like you and I).  It was actually also an eventful day in the world.  Obama found out he won the Nobel Peace Prize and NASA blew up a part of the moon in search for ice.  Yes, it was an exciting day.  I couldn’t stop smiling… and I think I went back to look at the test at least 100 times. 

Finally, I heard my alarm.  It was 7:00 am.  I rushed back into our room to finally share the good news with my husband.  “Honey, are you awake?” I whispered.  He grumbled as he rolled over in bed to face me.  He still wasn’t quite the perky person that I was hoping for, but I couldn’t wait any longer.  This moment would have to do.  “Guess what?  They just revealed that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize,” I announced.  “What? No way,” he replied.  “Yeah,” I said.  “They just talked bout it on the news.”  He looked at me with just one eye open as he said with a yawn, “Well that’s stupid.”  “And,” I continued, “NASA just sent explosives to the moon to blow up a chunk of it in search of ice.”  With both eyes closed now, he said, “Nuh-uh.  That’s crazy.” “No, it’s true.  I just saw that on the news, too.” I replied. “And… I’m pregnant.”  He opened both eyes this time.  “What? You’re lying….” “Nope,” I said with a huge smile. “I am… I’m really pregnant!!”  He sat up in bed, smiled, and gave me a big hug.  “That’s great honey!  I love you!”   We lay beside each other in the bed, looking up at the ceiling.  We didn’t say much, but we didn’t need to. We both knew that we were about to embark on a wonderful journey… one that would be extremely exciting, but also terrifying... one that would change our lives forever.

Important Dates Thus Far

October 9, 2009 (3 ½ weeks):  Positive pregnancy test and shared news with both sets of parents

October 30, 2009 (5 ½ weeks): First US.  This was actually done because of some spotting, but everything looked fine.  It was so awesome to see our baby for the first time (although it looked more like a lima bean than a baby)

November 12, 2009 (8 weeks): First OB appointment and follow up US.  It was so cool to see how much our baby had already changed.  It had a strong heartbeat and all of my prenatal labs were normal

November 26, 2009 (10 ½ weeks):  Shared the news with the rest of the Leary family over Thanksgiving in Greenwood.  I think Mimi had the best reaction of all time.  I never knew she could scream at such a high octave.

December 11, 2009 (12 weeks): Second OB appointment.  We heard the heartbeat for the first time!  It was such a wonderful sound.  After this, we told the rest of our friends and family (although I came to find out that most of them already knew…. Turns out mom and Griffin have a little problem with keeping secrets…. Who would’ve thunk it???)

December 26, 2009 (14 ½ weeks): Felt the baby move for the first time!  It felt like a butterfly in my stomach.

December 28, 2009 (15 weeks): Found out we were having a boy.  My mom and I drove up to Uncle Jukie’s office in Greenwood for an US.  I was only 15 weeks, but apparently his US tech has never been wrong.  He already looked like a little person…. And he was moving, A LOT.  Mom and Mimi were in the room for the US.  Neither of them had ever seen one.  Their expressions as we watched him on the screen were priceless.  I called Griffin to tell him the news… he was so excited!  When I got home, he gave me the baby’s first camo set: a onesie, booties, bib, blanket, and bottle…. all in camouflage.  I have to admit, it is pretty cute.  He also revealed that he had searched the internet for camouflage bedding.  Sorry, buddy, I gotta draw the line somewhere.

January 5, 2009 (16 weeks): Third OB appointment.  Heart beat was still strong.  We had our quad-screen drawn and it was normal (tests for spina bifida, downs syndrome, etc.)

January 16, 2009 (18 weeks):  First sign of a baby bump.  This was the day of my friend Evelyn’s baby shower.  Right now, 5 of my sorority sisters from college are all pregnant (Evelyn, Lindsey D., Kelli, Me, and Missy (in order of due dates). 

January 21, 2009 (18 ½ weeks): First kick.  It was so faint, but I knew exactly what it was