What to Expect when you're expecting...

Hi! Welcome to my new blog! Most of you probably have heard by now that Jake and I anxiously awaiting our first baby! Being in the "baby business" this is a really exciting time for me, not so sure about Jake ;) So let's start at the beginning.

Jake and I decided that 2011 was going to be the year of the baby. Well, I may have forced Jake to decide that, I'm not sure. Although I am convinced that Dad's aren't really fully ready to be Dad's until they are one. Me, I've been a mother since I was six. It didn't happen in January, which I was prepared for, but I was actually kind of surprised it happened in February. I took a home pregnancy test as soon as I got up on my birthday, and just prepared myself for another negative as I left it to think and I went to let the dogs out. Well much to my surprise I came back to see a definitive positive (those things are so advanced these days!) Then came the waterworks! I had plans and things to prepare for so I just kind of let the excitement take over but reminded myself to pick up another test later (and a different brand) just to make sure. And of course, that one was positive too, PHEW! Now, how to tell Jake?

Most of us know that Jake is very smart and always one step ahead. I hadn't told him specifically when I was going to take a test but he must have figured it out because when I handed him a nicely wrapped little box with the two tests in them when he got home from work he just looked at me and said, "You're pregnant!" He thinks he's sooo smart. At this time I hadn't even had a chance to miss my period so we were barely even past conception (again, those little tests can tell you 6days before a missed period), which I definitely knew was too early to tell. The last two weeks have been long and excruciating keeping it in and I was so happy to let it out last night!

We are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends. The responses were all positive and tear-filled. Announcing news like this is kind of an interesting thing. Like how do you bring it up in conversation? I wasn't sure. We had talked about me wearing a "designated driver" t-shirt or having Jake wear a "baby daddy" tee, but in the end saying it out loud felt best.

So I am starting this blog as a virtual scrapbook and a way to share our growing family life with friends and family near and far. I'm going to do my best to give week by week updates. So far what I know is, our first appointment with the nurse practitioner is April 5, I will be 10 weeks (and for my brothers and brothers-in-law who may not know, pregnancies generally go to 40 weeks). Then about a week later we will meet our OBGYN, Dr. Bridget Hurry. We have another appointment in May and then June 15th is our 20 week appointment and our ultrasound. So Jake will get to find out if we are having a boy or a girl for his birthday. He has already said, that if we have a girl and then go on to have some boys there are definitely going to be some double standards, I told him I knew all about that being the only girl in my family! I thought it was pretty cute though.

Again, we appreciate all the love and support and we are so lucky to have our family on this journey with us.