The First Visit

So – we went to the doctor on Tuesday afternoon and the appointment that was only going to take 15 minutes lasted for about 45. Believe me – it was not my fault either!

We were all prepared for the family history portion of the appointment as the books had told us to be and researched everything we possibly could about our families’ backgrounds. The scheduler had told me on the phone that we would be filling out paperwork for 30 minutes about our history and then see the doctor for about 15 minutes so we both figured this would be pretty extensive and hounded our families for information for over a week and even up to the point of the appointment. We walked in with all of our emails in hand ready to go. Well, we didn’t need it. They mainly asked about my history specifically and some of the father and then touched on our immediate family history minimally. Sorry, everyone for bugging you, but now I know everything I have ever needed to know about both family history’s clear back to great-great aunts and maybe some stuff I didn’t need to know.

I made sure to bring a 32 oz. bottle of water since I figured I would have to do the rite of passage and pee in a cup and drank a good 16 oz. while I was on the road and sitting in the waiting room. Of course I didn’t plan for the appointment to be running late and I needed to pee!! I have never been so relieved to have my name called so that I could finally think about something other than peeing in a cup.

Then we found out we were having an ultrasound and I couldn’t wait! Before this was to happen they had to do there own “pee on a stick” test with my cup full of urine. (Like all of this nausea has been in my head) Here is where the panicky part of the appointment happened for me. The nurse stood there waiting and then said she didn’t like those tests and was going to get a different one. I need to give her a piece of advice – “Never give this information willing to a new mom-to-be on her first visit.” I am sure I turned as white as a ghost and my stomach did about 5 flips. I asked her what the problem was and she said this test can sometimes take 10 minutes to work. Then she let me know that the strip that would show I was pregnant worked but that the control line didn’t show up. What does that mean? That I am pregnant but not a woman?? So she used the other test and immediately it worked. Now I wonder – why do they use the other test in the first place? Maybe it is time for them to switch pregnancy test vendors completely and save the parents-to-be a little stress.

We then waited for the doctor to come in and wouldn’t you know it…my daughter calls my cell phone – twice! So of course we are thinking – EMERGENCY. No as the doctor walks in (and mind you we are not to have cell phones on in the first place) I am discussing with Lexi whether or not she will be grounded because she forgot her homework at school and I had told her the next time she did that she would have privileges taken away. I told her we would discuss it at home and that this is not necessary to call me about. She finished with “Well am I going to be grounded or not?” She is lucky I had an ultrasound that day and saw the baby for the first time otherwise she probably would have been grounded just for calling. LOL!

Then we finally got to see the baby after all of the other stuff. It was incredible. The heart was beating on the screen and it looked like a little strobe light going off. Here is the funny part. So, as the doctor puts the picture on the screen I ask – is all of that the baby. He looks at me and I am sure Ryan was giving me this look of “are you crazy” but then the doctor proceeded to show me the head and body. Now in my pregnant insane mind’s defense, I wasn’t expecting the ultrasound to be magnified and all of the books told me the baby was only the size of a grape so I figured the part with the heart was the only part of the baby. Sorry little one, but I guess at first glance I chopped your head off. I guess I am beginning to think that maybe I am reading too many books.

So that is it in a nutshell. Ryan told me that he stared at the picture the whole way home (I am guessing at the stoplights in between driving) trying to see the sex. He is sure it is a boy and that he could find his “thing.” Now remember everyone, this is the same parent that is strictly adamant that we do not find out what the sex is. I had to let him know it is too early and that the parts have not fully developed yet. Kind of makes you chuckle though if you think about it. Maybe he better think twice about going to the next ultrasound visit between 18 and 20 weeks because then if he looks hard enough he may figure it out even when he really doesn’t want to.

Where do I begin

Hello everyone!

So my sister Julie suggested that I start a blog to try to keep everyone in touch with the little things that happen with our first pregnancy and so that you can hear about the little things and reactions that you might otherwise miss. So...here we go.

As most of you probably know it was a rough first 4 weeks so far with my car accident the day after we found out we were pregnant and then getting a terrible case of the flu over Christmas (and can I just say I can’t even begin to remember the last time I had the flu so of course I have to get it now). Also, the constant sickness I have been having has been indescribable – and yes all the previous pregnant moms are allowed to laugh at me right now. I was reading in a book the other day about how moms tend to get amnesia after they have the baby and forget how miserable the pregnancy can be sometimes because if they remembered there would be no more babies – well as of right now – I have to agree with that statement. I just keep telling myself that all of the dry heaving and getting up at 3am to pee will all be worth it in the end.

Finding what to eat is the next battle. Nothing sounds good and there are so many faux pas now about what is allowed and what isn’t. I think I would have liked the days of surviving off Mt. Dew and Honey Nut Cheerios just to make sure you were eating something – anything that was good to you. That is not allowed in today’s society but it makes me wonder…didn’t all of the rest of us turn out just fine??? And are all of these precautions necessary?? I of course will not be the first pregnant mom to test it – but it still makes one wonder.

The Soon to Be Dad of Three has been great when he remembers that I am pregnant. A lot of times I get the “look” when I say I can’t pick something up or that I am really tired so then he gets the “look” back and the response is “Oh yeah…I forgot.” Last night I asked him to bring a Mc Donald’s cheeseburger and side salad home after Cub Scouts with my son. He came home and told me – “I am starting to like this pregnancy thing” then proceeded to tell me how they did not have any side salads left and the manager asked him if he should make one. He told the manager “I have a pregnant wife at home and if I don’t come home with a salad I am going to be in big trouble.” The manager I guess smiled and made him a salad and then proceed to get the exact dressing and whatever else he thought I might need. Of course all this was fine with me because I got a delicious salad and that is all that matters.

So I have my first doctor’s visit today and I have no idea what is going to happen and for those of you that really know me – this is driving me crazy. I think the lack of control over my body and the next 9 months is what is the hardest for me to handle. Not knowing how I will feel from one day to the next or if I will be able to stay awake long enough after I get home from work to get anything done at the house. I hear the second trimester is the best so I am patiently waiting. But back to the doctor…I am supposed to ask questions at the first visit to make sure this is the doctor I want and let him know what exactly my thoughts are, but how can you ask questions about something you have only read about in a book? If he tells me his c-section rate is 25% instead of 15% is that really going to matter to me? Oh well – we will see. And then I had to let the Soon to Be Dad of Three know what to expect at the visit – the fact that another man will be examining me – I thought he would pass out! It was kind of funny actually, but I know I shouldn’t laugh. It made me think of that friends episode where Rachel is getting checked out for the first time by her OBGYN and Ross comes in and she keeps telling him to stand by her head – that is what I made sure to tell the Soon to Be Dad of Three ahead of time.

So long for now until the saga of the first visit is over…