EricaB410’s Pregnancy Story
Posted
Friday, July 17, 2009 1:26 PM
"I thought lying on the white sandy beach of a Mexican resort was Heaven
on earth. That was until I purchased my pregnancy pillow!"
Note to self: Pregnancy tests don’t lie
My husband, Daniel, and I were married on April 18, 2009. The wedding day was a complete dream, as was the honeymoon in Mexico that followed. But the most interesting dream came on the night we returned from our honeymoon. Back in Atlanta, I tossed and turned all night with a crazy dream that I was pregnant. When I woke up on Sunday morning, I told Daniel about my dream, and we both laughed – there was no way I was already pregnant! Daniel convinced me to take a pregnancy test just to clear my mind. I remember sitting in the bathroom, staring intently at the white stick as the first horizontal blue line appeared… and then the second vertical line appeared, creating that telltale “plus” sign. I literally screamed in shock. I came out of the bathroom – pregnancy test in hand -- and Daniel was frozen on the couch. He knew before I even said it. We just stared at each other, jaws on the ground, for what felt like hours. When we finally snapped back to reality, we decided it must be a fluke, and went to the drugstore to buy three more pregnancy tests. Guzzling fluids, for the next three hours I took a pregnancy test. And one by one, they each popped up “PREGNANT”! So much for that post-wedding relaxation we planned on. I went to the doctor the next day and found out I was six weeks along. I immediately bought every pregnancy book I could get my hands on – and that’s when it became real. I was carrying a little baby. OUR little baby. It was at that moment that I officially felt like a mama.
Reality sets in
At the 12 week mark, it was very clear to me that my body was quickly changing. Bye bye skinny jeans and pencil skirts, hello elastic waistbands. Along with my expanding waistline, my skin had reverted back to a 15-year-old’s with pimples, and my hair seemed to jump to age 50 with the amount of grays that were quickly sprouting. However, I convinced myself that I was the only one who was noticing – that was until one fateful day at the Target Photo Center. As I picked up my wedding thank-you photo cards, I took one out of the box to make sure it looked good before I paid. The clerk took a glance at the photo too, and said sweetly, “The bride is so pretty! Who is she?” to which I responded, “Thanks! It’s me!” The clerk giggled a little as if I were joking and then proceeded to say, “No really… is that your younger sister?” It was like she had slapped me in the face – I was in complete shock! I ran immediately to look for low-ammonia hair dye and the strongest facewash I could get my hands on. This was going to be a long 40 weeks!
My little slice of Heaven…
I thought lying on the white sandy beach of a Mexican resort was Heaven on earth. That was until I purchased my pregnancy pillow! I had no idea this huge, body-hugging pillow would become my nest each night, giving me the most comfortable sleep of my life! It may take up three-quarters of our Queen sized bed, but even my husband thinks it’s worth it if it means I stopped the tossing and turning of my first trimester.
Finding some truth in the Old Wives’ Tales
The other day I was looking in the mirror when I noticed a new brown mark on the side of my face. Usually I would freak out (not another pimple!!) but this time I jumped for joy! I immediately Googled “Pregnancy AND Old Wives Tales” to see if my memory served me correctly – that a baby girl will “steal your beauty” and many women will get a brown mark on their face for every girl they deliver. Google didn’t deliver the results I was hoping for, so I went to the next best source – my mom. She confirmed the old wives’ tale, and I was elated! Can you tell I was hoping for a baby girl? Not that I wouldn’t be excited with a baby boy, but I think I may be way over-protective for a boy. I’d always be worried about him falling down, roughhousing, and so on. You know – doing boy stuff. So after I convinced myself I was having a girl, I looked into two more old wives tales – first, the Chinese Birth Chart. Results? Boy. Then I did the test where I put the ring over my belly and see what way it swings. As much as I willed the ring to swing in circles, it only swung back and forth – which means boy! So now I’m back to square one. Guess I’ll have to wait until August 17th to find out!
Starbucks and a baby bump (apparently) don’t mix
One thing I’ve learned so far is that nothing will get you dirty scowls like walking around with a baby bump and a Starbucks cup. I want to wear a shirt that says, “Chill out! It’s DECAF people!” Same goes for anything revolving around sushi, alcohol and deli meats. People see the bump and immediately make it their responsibility to keep you on the straight-and-narrow towards Mommyville -- like you wouldn’t do it on your own. The best was last weekend, when my husband and I went to a Mexican restaurant that had a crazy-long wait. As we walked up to the bar so he could grab a margarita, everyone’s eyes went straight to my belly. (Baby bumps and bars don’t mix, either.) He ordered his drink, and I ordered my customary water with lots of ice. I made a point of saying it louder than usual, as if to prove to the world I was a responsible Mommy. There seemed to be a collective sigh of relief among the other customers close by. Thanks for having faith in me, people!
