Telling my Family

MOM and NANA

My mom and Nana were the first to find out on Saturday. We drove in to BA that morning and called Nana to see if she wanted to come see the kittens since she hadn’t been down yet. She was being lazy so I knew my news would cheer her up for sure! She came down and we all sat around the kittens for a while. Then I pulled out a present for my mom. I found a Peter Rabbit Grandmother’s brag book that was just perfect. Here’s how the conversation went:

AB: Mom, look what I found for you…its Peter Rabbit.

Mom: A Grandmother’s brag book; oh that’s so cute. And when is this for?

AB: It’s for…well I found it and couldn’t pass it up.

Mom: Okay (and then laughs and Chris laughs and Nana laughs, and I had a poochy lip!). Are you just teasing me?

AB: Well geez mom, if you don’t want it…

Nana: That’s going to be one of her subtle ways for how she’s going to tell you.

Mom: Well I don’t know; she’s got me on pins and needles. Awe, that’s very cute (as I look at Chris, with a look of disbelief, who is holding the camera and recording the whole scene; then Nana smiles and looks right at Chris too.)

So for like, another 3 minutes we just stare awkwardly at the brag book and I finally tell her she should just open it. So she finally opens it and the first picture says, ‘Introducing the newest member to our family…meet little Baby Bright’; then the next page has two pictures, one of the tests and one of the sonogram. She looks at me and says “Are you kidding!” And I hand Nana a frame that says My heart belongs to Nana and she said, “Oh, is this a sonogram??? Oh my word.” It was so cute. Then my mom said she knew because when she saw me the weekend we were back for Dave and Kylie’s wedding, I was glowing…maybe that’s a mom thing!! Then Nana said she had told Susie she thought I had gained a little weight especially in my tummy…well thanks Nana…she saw me the weekend of Ryan and Toni’s birthday party, the day before I found out I was pregnant!! I better suck it in I guess! Then I told them all about the last 7 weeks. We had a lot of fun.

My mom brought me in a present…she has some Peter Rabbit bone china (a plate and a bowl). I’m so excited to have it. She made me a snack as well; wheat thins with laughing cow cheese and put a mini rubber ducky in the middle of the plate! I ate two wedges of cheese and a bunch of crackers…I’m starving!

THE REECHER’S

My Grandmother had her 90th birthday party in November and since then, I’ve been telling her I was going to make a slideshow with all the pictures from the party including the slideshow pictures of her last 90 years. This was the perfect way to surprise everyone. So I worked on it all week long and waited for the last picture…our sonogram. I set the show to music from the 40’s and burned it to a DVD. We went to her house last night for a joint birthday party for my older brother and I (he wasn’t able to make it, so the night was all about me!). After dinner, we started to watch the video. I pulled Michael into the kitchen and said, I just wanted to tell you before everyone else finds out, you’re going to be an uncle. He was shocked and excited! I told him that they were going to be surprised at the end of the show. So we went back in and I sat by my Grandmother. Chris started secretly recording everyone towards the end. My heart was pounding as it neared the end. Then the first picture came up…‘Introducing the newest member to our family…meet little Baby Bright’. My Aunt Jan read it quick and screamed “WHAT!”, but my Grandmother didn’t see the whole thing before the picture changed to the sonogram and got all confused. My Aunt was yelling ‘she didn’t see it, she missed it’ and rewound so she could read it again. My dad had a huge smile on his face…which is totally not his style and Michael was laughing. So Grandmother read it and said “Oh no! Oh, really!” It was so cute! My Aunt was screaming congrats and I got hugs from everyone. It was awesome. Then we told them the important details and had some cake! It worked out perfectly. My dad is very excited to be a Granddaddy and my Grandmother is FINALLY a great grandmother!

THE CURRY’S and AUNT SUSIE

Since we weren’t able to get to Chris’s parents this weekend, we decided to get together with the rest of my family this weekend so we could spend Easter with his family in Norman. Luckily everyone was able to get together for Easter and my birthday (even though they will still have Easter lunch again next week). I made Avery an Easter basket and put in a frame that read “Watch this spot for a picture of Avery and her new baby cousin coming November 2010.” She started going through all her goodies (I got her a cute little bunny ears head band and a small stuffed bunny and some stickers). Then she got down to the end and I told Amber the big present was under all the grass. So she got it out and I told Avery to have her mom read it OUT LOUD!! Amber read it quietly and I yelled “I SAID LOUD!!” She said, I’m going to cry…and then she read it and Aunt Susie and Aunt Janice screamed and Amber yelled, “I knew it, I knew it!” This was the first time I actually shed some tears. It was official; my whole family knows we're expecting. Then it was time to eat…thank goodness, I was dying! So Uncle David started the blessing and it was your everyday blessing asking for wisdom and peace and such, then Aunt Janice squeezed his hand and he said ‘and bless April and her birthday and give her wisdom this year’ (and everyone thought, who cares about April’s birthday!) so she squeezed his hand again and said ‘and the baby’. He said, what baby? And we all looked at him and said you don’t know?!?!? Well, apparently we’re such a loud family anyway that he didn’t realize anything had just happened. Aunt Janice said, April and Chris are having a baby! So he was surprised after everyone else had found out. We laughed and laughed. Then he finished the prayer by saying “And thank you Lord for Chris’s manliness and I hope it is Chris’s!” It was by far the best prayer our family has ever had. Aaron came in late and I got to show him the frame. He was so happy for us. We called Austin and all yelled into the phone "Chris and April are having a baby"...it was on his voicemail so I hope it he could understand!

This has been such a fun weekend. I’m so glad people are starting to find out. I can’t wait to tell the world. It is so hard to keep it a secret when I’m bursting at the seams. We will tell Chris’s family next weekend. I can’t wait. I know they will be overjoyed! Then our close friends will find out the following weekend. We probably won’t tell FB and the rest of the world until May. My second trimester starts on April 29th so maybe we will just wait and tell everyone on our anniversary. We’ll see!

Our First Appointment!

Our first appointment was today at 10:30. I was so nervous! I think I was shaking from the second I woke up until I got there. The nurse took my vitals and then got out the infamous OB wheel to determine the due date. She said 11/12..only one day off so we're sticking with 11/11!! Everyone agrees with me, so I don't feel so silly about it! Then we chatted with my Midwife for a while about nutrition, questions we had, and what a Midwife is all about...support! They will be there throughout the entire labor and delivery; they make sure that we have whatever we need according to our birth plan. OU Medical has fantastic birthing suites and all she asks, is that we change positions frequently and move around a lot during labor rather than laying in bed the whole time. They also have hydro tubs in every suite if we choose to do hydro therapy…that sounds yummy! We also found out that she is retiring and probably won't be there for the delivery. I am very sad. I like her so much. There are 4 other midwifes in the practice so we will talk about who we want later on. Then she brought in the ultrasound machine (yay!) and I was so excited. I wanted one so bad and had read that sometimes they don't do one on the first visit, especially at only 7 weeks. Slowly, the image came into view, and low and behold, there was the baby and the little heartbeat! Our baby has a heartbeat! I couldn't believe it. It made it so real...finally! Like the 18 pregnancy tests didn't confirm enough! The heartbeat was a little flicker...back and forth, black then white. She went to click print and it wouldn't work...no way!!!! I wanted so badly to leave this appointment with my baby's first picture, how could this be happening! Well, it wasn't plugged in...Okay, thank goodness I thought, easy fix! Not so much…after she plugged in the printer, it STILL would not work! So she said, do you have a camera on your phone (And let me just say, Andria asked if I had brought my camera and I said of course not..why would I bring my camera to an exam!! Yeah, well, I should have!). So we got my phone out and it wouldn't take a picture because the memory was full...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! So there I was, trying to delete a bunch of pictures (like 17 of them!) and it still wouldn't take it, so I deleted an app I never use and finally (!) we could take the picture. I have to say, I'm rather impressed that it worked so well, maybe because it's black and white, I don't know, but go iPhone! So Chris took the picture and she tried to get a better shot, but I guess my insides weren't cooperating! Needless to say, it was a very interesting visit. But, I got what I needed...visual proof that miracles do exist!

After my exam, I had to have my blood drawn...we waited forever! I finally got to go back and the phlebotomist was so sweet. He said he had over 20 years experience so I was in good hands. He laughed like Seth Rogen so that made me laugh and relax a little. I sat down and watched as he started getting the vials he needed...first there was one, okay, I can handle this, then there were 3, yikes, then there were 5...holy poo, then there was one more and I thought he was done and he recounted and looked at the list, and grabbed one more...so, 7 vials!!! How will I have any blood left! He got started and it stung for just a second. I didn't watch, but I could feel and hear him switch the vials, it took less than a minute to fill 7 of them. Guess my heart is working well! I told him he was an angel and that he had made my day. He was so sweet, it definitely made a difference.

I got home from work around 5:30 and we decided to go to the mall...we had something on hold from Pottery Barn kids. Last Friday, I was looking online at the Peter Rabbit collection that I loved so much when I discovered it was being discontinued. My heart was sad; I have wanted this stuff since I saw it in the store when we were at Lights On in Utica Square at Thanksgiving! So we went to dinner with Robert and Anna and then headed to the mall to see if they had the items. Luckily, they did...the bumper, quilt and sheet. So I asked the lady at the counter (who's first name was Anna's maiden name...so how could this go wrong!) if she would hold it for a week until we went to our appointment and saw that everything was okay. She said absolutely and I nearly cried! No one holds stuff for 7 days anymore! So I had the whole week to think about it and after our appointment I was convinced that I wanted it. I told the girl at the counter that I was there to pick up the Peter Rabbit bedding on hold. She said, "oh, you're the Peter Rabbit girl!” Someone was on the waiting list if I didn't come to collect my goods. I still can't believe they held it for me. So, we made our first purchase for the baby today!

This is one of the best days of my life! I can't believe we are going to have a baby. I am still in shock and probably won't really believe it until I start growing a belly! We go back in 4 weeks (4/23) for another appointment and will get to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler (through the belly), but we won't get another ultrasound until July (I'll be about 20 weeks). How can I possibly wait that long to see our little miracle again!

Best By....

Tomorrow is our first doctor's appointment. I am so anxious. I am scared and nervous and excited, it's crazy. I don't know if they will do an ultrasound or not, I really hope they do. Based on my LMP, my due date is 11/11/10 (I think that will change based on the ultrasound, we'll see; maybe not!).

Last weekend, we stopped at McD's for breakfast before heading to Broken Arrow for Arlynda's birthday party. As usual, I got chocolate milk...yummy! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the lid! If anyone knows me, they would know that I am obsessed with numbers (this is why 11/11 is so perfect for me!). Anyway, here is the picture of the lid...



Best by 03 26 10 ... the date of our first baby dr appt
11:11 ... my due date
480915 ... added together is 27 (my age now)
01 ... add 1 to 27 is 28 (my age when baby is born)

I know, I know, pathetic!! But seriously, who else would that happen to, let's be honest!

Baby Bright on the way!

WE ARE PREGNANT! Can you believe it? I can't. I'm 5 weeks and 5 days along...very far to go that's for sure! Our tentative due date is 11/11/10 (11:11 make a wish...so fitting for me isn't it). We have our first doctor's appointment on March 26th at 10:30. I seriously can't wait. I won't believe it until I see it for myself. Pregnancy tests just aren't doing it for me! It took us 6 months (60% or normal couples will conceive by the 6th month). So hey, we're normal, isn't that some great news. I knew it would happen, I was just getting sad waiting, and thinking there was something wrong. So now, I have the fear that something will go wrong with the pregnancy. Come on first trimester, let's get this over with. I know I will feel much better when we go for our first doctor’s visit (1 week 3 days and counting!). So far, the only pregnancy symptoms I have had are frequent peeing and hunger (oh, and my ladies are looking lovely). The hunger is very strange; I will feel a twinge of hunger, and then two seconds later, I will feel like I haven't eaten in 3 days. I need to work on drinking my 80 ounces of water...it's only 4 water bottles, but I'm not a huge fan of water (esp. in the morning), so it's hard for sure. I am waiting for the nausea to show up; supposedly it'll show up by week 6. I read something that having morning (or all day as it should be called) sickness, that the pregnancy is normal. So, come on nausea!!

I should have bought stock in these test makers! I think I've taken about 15 by now!!

So far, only a handful of people know. I feel a little bad because my mom is still in the dark. I really want to surprise her with the ultrasound picture, so she will have to forgive me for not being the first person! I was supposed to get my decimal on March 7th (also Toni's birthday and the beginning of her 3rd trimester). The Thursday before, I was sitting on the couch playing on the computer and listening to American Idol when all of a sudden, I had this strange rush come over me. I could feel my blood pumping through my entire body, from my big toe to my pinky finger! When I got home on Friday, I was exhausted and a little queasy. So I laid down for about 3 hours before we packed it up and headed to BA. The next day was Ryan and Toni's birthday party (and the 3rd anniversary of my papa's arrival in heaven). I was feeling much better than Friday but still a little off. By Sunday, and no sign of my decimal, I decided to go ahead and take a pregnancy test. It was a cheap test strip that came with my ovulation predictor kit. There was the faintest little line. We couldn't believe that this could be it! I took another on Monday morning (a First Response test) and there it was again, a faint pink line. I took yet another on Monday when I got home just to make sure I wasn't dreaming! Another faint line! I decided on Tuesday that I would just wait and not take another test. Cailin asked if I would take a test at work if she bought me one. She and Stacie decided I needed one that would say pregnant or not pregnant. So on Wednesday, I took another First Response test (I wanted to be sure I wasn't going to take one at work and have it be bad news), the line was much darker than the one I took on Monday! At 10:30, I had to go, which is unlike my normal bathroom routine, so I took the test. It said PREGNANT! I couldn't hide my huge smile as I came back in to the office. Stacie started crying and Cailin was so excited! We called Andria up to the front so she could see it. And then Brandy walked by and we ushered her in. She has been so sweet sending prayers up for Chris and me. So there's my support circle that has been my support the last 6 months. They have been so sweet listening to me every month, getting excited after the two week wait and doling out hugs and comfort when the answer was no. Thanks ladies.

Robert and Anna pretty much already knew since I wasn't returning texts to Anna when she asked if I started or not. They came over Friday night and I said, hey guys, I have a cool picture I want to show you on the computer! I had taken a picture of two of my tests and set it as my desktop picture. I opened the laptop and Robert said congrats and Anna said, I knew it!! Then I got some hugs! It was so fun. I knew she was always going to know beforehand and I wasn't going to be able to surprise her, but I'm glad I found a way to tell them anyway. We have been through this last 5 months month together. They are trying as well so it was so nice to have someone else to turn to that could understand the heartache each month brings. They are so excited for us; it's so cute!

So now, we have my family, his family and then the rest of our wonderful friends. I especially can't wait to tell Ryan and Toni. I know we will get the biggest reaction from them! The plan is to wait until April 10th when we get everyone together for my birthday...we'll see if I can wait that long to tell R&T! I could have spilled the beans several times at Kylie's wedding. It was so hard not to just blurt it out. But it's very very early, so shut it!

So there's the good news! We're pregnant! I can't wait to tell the world...shout it from the rooftops!!!! Until then, there really are brighter days ahead.

AB