Patiently Awaiting PiDay 2014

Life Changing Moment

I found out I was pregnant in July. It happened on a totally ordinary day and in a totally ordinary way. I don't know why but after years and years of struggling with infertility I guess I thought I would somehow just "know" if I was pregnant. I was totally wrong.

We had gone to the doctor to find out why I couldn't seem to lose any weight. I had been running and working out on a regular basis and I was not dropping any more weight.  I had just finished sharing my entire medical history with this new doctor including my long battle with infertility when she told me she had all new female patients take a pregnancy urine screen at their first appointment "just in case".

Andy and I both laughed and sarcastically told her if I was pregnant it would be a miracle and off I went to the bathroom. I handed my sample to the nurse and went to join Andy in the waiting room. We were reading magazines and talking when Andy said " I think you are pregnant, there is something different about you" I told him not to get his hopes up as this test would be the same as all the others and went back to reading my magazine.

Baby Spencer's first picture

 The nurse came out and took us back to her station and very casually she said "your screen was positive, you are pregnant." I swear time stood still, I could hear her talking but I could not understand what she was saying, all I could hear was "you are pregnant". We left the office and drove home and I told Andy that the test was wrong and not to believe it. He immediately went to the store and bought some pregnancy tests. I took one every morning of that week, positive every one. I told him they were all wrong so he went and bought a Clearblue Easy digital test and the results of that one were PREGNANT.

I still struggled to believe this was really happening so the Doctor ordered an Ultrasound. We had been through this before and the outcome had not been a baby but an extremely large ovarian cyst. I was too scared to look at the screen so I looked at Andy who started crying almost immediately and my heart sank, I thought, here we go again.

There's a bun in this oven!!!

The tech then said "see that, that is the baby's heartbeat" and I turned to look and the baby was moving!! It was clearly a baby and not a giant cyst as I had feared all along. I started bawling, I mean sobbing so hard that the tech told me that I needed to calm down or they could not get the readings she needed. We were indeed pregnant!!! It was one of  the most amazing experiences of my life seeing that movement on the screen. Both of us were openly crying and the tech asked "did you want this baby?" We both replied "yes, more than anything else in the world." I told her that I had prayed this baby into existence and we were definitely keeping it. She pointed out a few things and told us that we were about 8-10 weeks along and our estimated due date was March 14, 2014. Our baby was due on PiDay!!

PiDay has always been a big deal here at the Spencer household and now we really had something to celebrate. This baby was indeed ours.

 We were cautioned to wait until we had completed our first trimester before we shared our news as we were not out of the woods just yet.

Baby Spencer!!!

Due to my paranoia about losing the pregnancy, Andy purchased a fetal doppler so we could monitor the heartbeat from home and we agreed that we would tell absolutely no one about this pregnancy. (That did not last very long as I had to explain to a judge why I could not serve as a juror on a 14 day trial and why it was absolutely imperative that I be allowed to leave the court room ASAP to throw up in a nearby trashcan.) This was not my finest moment. On the plus side, I was excused from jury duty and released to leave for the day. I don't think anyone was very jealous of me.

True to his scientific nature, Andy has been meticulous in all his baby related measurements. We have several recordings of the baby's heartbeat, my growing waist size, (yippee) and all other pregnancy related measurements. He takes extensive notes during each prenatal visit, reminds me to take my prenatal vitamins, and is always admonishing me to "take it easy". He says "goodnight baby, I love you, keep growing" to my tummy every night and he has a recording of the baby's heartbeat on his phone and is willing to share it with anyone who cares to listen. I think it is fair to say he is as excited as I am.

We went for our anatomy ultrasound on October, 17. The baby registered a strong and solid heartbeat, two feet, and two hands with fingers and toes and all other accompanying body parts as expected. It now looks like a real baby and everything appears to be on track developmentally. All appears to be well with our child and for that I am eternally grateful. (I may finally sleep a little tonight)

Looking very pregnant and feeling it.

The real question I'm sure everyone is asking (including Andy and I)  is "What are you having?" After 3+ hours of being at the clinic, climbing stairs, doing jumping jacks, and drinking more water in an effort to turn the baby we were successful!!! But the baby had it's foot between it's legs and stubbornly refused to reveal it's gender despite everyone's best efforts.

It looks like we will be making that particular announcement at a later date and time... this baby is very modest already.

In case you were wondering..

I crave Triscuits, potatoes, and every variety of carbohydrate, especially bread and pasta. I can no longer eat chocolate, eggs of any sort, and especially cannot handle strawberries,  it is so weird because I used to love them. The worst thing I have thrown up was Jello and I suspect I will never be able to eat it again :)

No, that's not an NFL linebacker..

 This baby likes salad in all varieties, does not tolerate ice cream of any type, and enjoys waking me up every morning at 3 am with an urgency to eat unlike anything I have ever felt before.

My hair is out of control frizzy, I look deathly pale even with makeup, and I am really enjoying my second go around as a pimple faced adolescent. I know absolutely nothing about myself or my body anymore and everything takes me longer than it used to and I have had dizzy spells all along the way. For the first time ever in our relationship Andy walks faster than me!

 Everyday is a new adventure and I wouldn't trade any of it for anything in the world. I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be a mother and carry a child of my own. I want you to know that I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers, he knows the desires of our hearts, and he never gives up on us even if we have given up on ourselves.

We could not be more thrilled with our 10th Wedding Anniversary present and we appreciate all the love and support we have felt from all of you over the years as we have struggled to have a family. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as you are always in ours.
 
With much Love and a Feeling of Total Elation and Excitement words cannot adequately express, and with a sense of total impatience that March cannot possibly come fast enough this year.


Melissa, Andy, and Baby Spencer