You have zero clue how hard it is for a big mouth like myself to keep such a ginormous secret for so long. It was the worst. And so I would write imaginary posts to all of you and save them, dreaming of the day when we could share and care as God and the internet intended.
So today, I have for you, the first of several Past Pregnancy Posts.
Part 1: The day we find out we are pregnant
November 26, 2010
It’s the day after Thanksgiving and Pete and I have pretty much sterilized the house from last nights festivities. I didn’t really drink very much, but I just feel weird. Not to mention the boob explosion that plagued me a few weeks ago at Pete’s brothers wedding seems to be back.
I ask you, how do bizooms go from this:
To this:
In 6 weeks? Only two ways, my dears. Surgery or pregnancy. As you all know, in my case it was the latter.
I decide to make an impromtu CVS run, ostensibly to buy a few pregnancy tests- but really because I would very much enjoy a kit kat. When I get back to the house Pete is still up in the family room studying and I don’t even think to call him down.
I go to the bathroom to take the test. Nonchalantly, I leave it on the counter and go explore more pressing matters- like my kit kat. I come back to check on the test a few minutes later and just scream, “PEEEEEEEEETTTEEEEEEEEE, YOU NEED TO GET DOWN HERE!!!”.
Normally when I yell for Pete he yells back something charming like, “WHAT!?” this time, he just comes running. I am standing in the bathroom and hand him the test, “We’re pregnant”.
I start crying happy tears- I have always been what now seems to be very irrationally afraid that I wouldn’t be able to have kids- and I seriously cannot believe that as early as it is, I am pregnant.
Pete, who does not understand “happy tears”-at all-starts getting nervous and goes, “What, this is ok right? This is good, right!?!?!”
I take a few more tests, all positive. Pete takes one to be sure.
Negative.
Pete is not pregnant.
I don’t know where to begin! I don’t even have a doctor in Chicago! We decide we should go to the suburbs and tell his parents. I will need his mom to get me a doctor’s appointment, plus Pete’s brother and his wife are in town and will be key in diffusing the awkwardness that will for sure go along with telling Pete’s parents.
The whole way out to the suburbs Pete and I are grinning like goobers and just keep saying, “this is so weird…”
To describe Pete’s parents as shocked would be a gigantic understatement. They seem to experience a temporary paralysis/go mute for a bit. To be fair, Pete and I did only get married two months before. And their only other child, Pete’s older brother, had been married just three weeks earlier- so it has been a big year for the McCarthy’s and I am not quite sure they have any sparkle left on reserve for this unexpected good news.
Eventually the shock wears off and merriment is had. Champagne is poured and joyfully consumed. Not by me, though. I am just now realizing that this means 9 months of not drinking and am sort of starting to panic.
Oh my God, we are having a baby.
December 1, 2010
Not drinking is weird. I don’t really feel pregnant, and we didn’t plan this so it doesn’t really feel true yet. I am over wine, and thought I was over alcohol in general. Then the idea of a margarita occurred to me and I started to cry. I can’t even remember my last exact margarita. I hope it was good. Ohh margarita, I hardly knew ye. Had I known our time together would be so short I would have really savored you.
The other tragedy that comes with the joy of pregnancy is the suspension of my long held love affair with soft cheese. I can’t even believe this is real. I am pregnant, and I am going to get fat. I have wrapped my head around that, and although calculating in my head what my weight will be if I gain the recommended 20-30 pounds makes me sort of want to chew on some celery- I simply cannot fathom how I am going to achieve such a lofty goal without my old friend soft cheese. Not cool.
Now that I have appropriately mourned the loss of two of my most cherished food stuffs- I plan to treat eating like a game. A contest to see how I can grow the cutest, healthiest, happiest baby ever. I looked up all of the SuperFoods I am supposed to eat and came up with a detailed plan for how every morsel I shove down my soon-to-be expanding tumtumtiggly is going to fuel our SuperBaby.
Also, since it is still too early to tell our friends and family, I find myself telling every check out clerk I meet. And starting random conversations with pregnant women at the grocery store. Pregnancy-so far- is not really bringing out my best qualities.
You found out on my birthday! Happy day!
Pete taking pregnancy test = classic.
I also have an irrational fear of not being about to get pregnant. I hope I’m wrong like you! I’m also really afraid of getting pregnant and not realizing right away and drinking/continuing to take my birth control and hurting the baby. Eek. This comment is stressing me out!
Thanks for sharing your journey with us! I’m so excited to learn all about it. I didn’t even know soft cheeses were off limits!
What a happy post! I can totally imagine you and Pete in shock and skipping around in excitement.
So happy for you guys again! I can’t wait to hear all about this adventure!
Catherine-I totally feel you. When I went to see my OB I was freaking out like omg omg omg I was drinking and I was PREGNANT!!! And she was like chill out pyscho- until about a week+ after you miss your period very little that you do affects the baby. It is not until the baby is implanted that it starts getting stuff from you, until then its just a bunch of cells dividing! Don’t fear!
omg no margaritas for. nine. months. i shall take it upon myself to drink them for you. starting tonight. xo & congrats!
I love this. Such a relatable story. And makes me wonder what my “moment” will be like
Omigosh. No margaritas or goat cheese (my two best friends) for nine months is going to kill me when my day comes. At a recent OB/GYN visit, the nurse told me that tequila is frequently involved in the creation of life and that maybe I should try it out.
I love that you’re sharing everything w/ your readers! I can’t wait to watch that little baby bump grow! And I’m still laughing at Pete taking a test. You are one funny girl!
so this made me cry in my cube. thanks.
then i laughed..”pete took one to be sure. pete is not pregnant.”
I love that you made your hubs take a test. So totally something I would do!
Congrats again! Here’s wishing you a healthy pregnancy (and that time goes quick!)
I cannot tell you how much I love reading your blog. You make me laugh so hard. Congrats are in order…and in terms of cheese and alcohol – they would have to check me for depression LOL! Kidding. Congrats..somehow I think your little bun in the oven is going to have some great and funny parents.
“Pete is not pregnant.”
Big sigh of relief on my end. But really I laughed out loud and I cannot wait to read more pregnancy adventures and see the adorable little nugget — further incentive for me to get my ass to Chicago and meet you in person already.
I can completely understand. I found out at the very beginning of November (due in July), and my husband was out of town, so I had to sit on that news for 2 days! Boobs of fury were my first clue as well!
Congrats and I hope you have a great pregnancy.
Skipping soft cheese is hard…although there are LOTS of options that are pasteurized, so check the labels. You might be surprised! Not drinking is tough stuff. Get some NA champagne and make fake mimosas. It feels better than nothing. Drink water from your wine glasses…that helps too. When the weather gets nicer and you’re sitting on a patio a cold O’douls will make you happy!! Hang in there….it’s TOTALLY worth every minute of it in the end.
Such a great post Bailey! I hope you found a great obgyn. If you are delivering at Prentice it is amazing! I had lake views (better than some 5 star hotels!) Honestly, I love my wine and cocktails but I really wasn’t even into the thought of alcohol when I was pg! My biggest thing that I missed was sushi! but there are some great “cooked” options and my ob always said everything in moderation (except obviously alcohol).
I love your pregnancy posts!! So happy for you even though I only know you through peppermintbliss!
Also can’t wait to see your baby room design thoughts
Congratulations!! I’m so happy for you guys!
soft cheese is a no….really. That’s it, I’m never having a baby.
@Bailey, Thanks for clearing that up! Now I can let go of one of my very many irrational fears.
Congrats Bailey and Pete! You can totally have soft cheese, just make sure it’s pasteurized (most of them are these days unless they come from a local farm). They have a huge assortment at Whole Foods! As far as no alcohol, get yourself some really good non-alcoholic beer for the really hard moments. NO ODOUL’S. It’s disgusting and will make you want to puke more than you probably already do. Also, when drinking NA beer in public, make sure you leave the bottle on the table. I learned that the hard way and endured many nasty looks from old ladies to pass on this tiny bit of wisdom.