Two little pink lines. Life changing, life affirming, life creating! I’m pregnant. I. AM. PREGNANT.
How do I tell my husband? Just tell him? Come up with something cute? Pinterest doesn’t exist yet!!! Ok. Tie a smily face balloon to the pregnancy test and leave it on his desk. Now wait 6 hours for him to come home. Longest 6 hours of my life!
He’s home, he knows, we hug it out (keeping it PG here people). Now, because I’m me, the planning!! Nursery themes, do we even do a theme? Colors? Do we have the baby shower in Boston or here in Maryland? Should we have 2? WIll someone actually throw me a baby shower?
First doctor’s appointment. Scared, nervous, excited. I just need a heartbeat. We have lost one before, I can’t do that again.
We have a heartbeat! And nubby little arms and legs! It’s a gummy bear!!!
Tell the parents, tell the siblings, tell the best friends.
Baby books. #readallthethings. Sign up for weekly updates. How I feel, how the baby feels, what fruit are you this week? What grew this week? A penis! It’s a boy!
Names…we can’t agree. On anything. But we have time…not!
Starting to show! Time for maternity pants. Oh my word, why have I not been wearing maternity gauchos my entire life?!!!
Strangers can tell there is a baby in there instead of my lunch. Time for the unwelcome advice. “You shouldn’t eat that. You shouldn’t drink that. Are you taking your vitamins? Breast is best! You’re nursing…ew.” (yes someone said that to me).
Did you ask to touch my belly?!
Baby shower time! Such cute clothes. I can’t believe this human will be small enough to fit in this newborn diaper. Binkies, blankies, bottles, bathtubs… what the hell does this thing do? We will figure it out… eventually.
Bring it all home, put it in the nursery and begin to get overwhelmed. What else do we need? Let’s paint the room! You look really hot with that paint roller in your hands…ah the energy of second trimester.
Life becomes a blur. Go to the movies, go out to eat. Go to bed and sleep till 10 because I can. This will never, ever, ever happen again.
9th month. Exhaustion. He’s heavy, he kicks, he spins. He gets the hiccups. I laugh and change my underwear.
My body is preparing me for sleep deprivation. Pregnancy insomnia kicks in. Time to ask the Dr. what drugs are allowed to help me sleep.
Laundry. Go buy the scent free, sensitive skin baby stuff. Wash everything! Rip off the tags, take off the hangers. Organize by size. Newborn, 0-3 months, 6-9 months…who bought us an 18 month outfit? Let the kid be little!
Piles of laundry on the couch. Relax, sit down and fold. I hear a pop. Like when your elbow pops and you feel it but it doesn’t hurt. BAM! On the floor with a contraction. That pop was my water breaking.
Do we have a bag ready? Where’s the car? Drive! Drive faster! Oh my gosh are we Miss Daisy?!!!!!
Breathe, blink, breathe, push, breathe, breathe, breathe… he’s here.
And he’s now 6. And there are 2 more. Around Mother’s Day, I always relive the moment I went from a woman to a mother. I encourage you to do the same.
Ronni Gehron
Latest posts by Ronni Gehron (see all)
- Blink – the Journey from Woman to Mom - May 10, 2015
- Let The Children Play! Battling Mom Guilt - April 21, 2015
- Strength in Numbers - April 4, 2015
