The Part of My Summer I Didn't Tell You About

Back over the Fourth of July, as you may recall, we went to Chicago.  And after we got back, I was met at our front door one morning by a crow.  When I wrote about it, amandam commented that crows are a harbinger of change, signaling the death of one thing giving way to the birth of another.  Kathy similarly noted that crows "give us the message that there is magic alive in our world and this magic is ours to use and create a new world for ourselves with."  

Well!  Well, well, well.  

Exactly one week after the crow encounter (can you see where this is going?  not so subtle, I realize), we found out I was pregnant.  It wasn't, like, a "whoops, how'd that happen?" kind of surprise, but it was still a surprise in its own way, since given everything we'd been through with the (Non)Adoption From Hell (which ended, once and for all, in late February) we were a bit in the place of COME ON ALREADY even though this venture hadn't been going for that long, relatively speaking.  

So naturally there was much rejoicing, which quickly gave way to much worrying, because God knows after falling in love with two babies halfway across the world and not getting to bring them home, you start to be a little gun-shy about anything related to babies whatsoever.  (I should clarify that the worrying was pretty much all on my end; Joe was ecstatic from the get-go and not terribly concerned that DOOM WAS NIGH like I was.) 

But on my birthday, we saw the little smudge for the first time and we witnessed the wee-tiny heart galloping away in there, and then a few weeks later we saw a little snowman-baby with little nubbly flapper-arms and a slightly bigger heart still galloping away in there, and THEN last week we saw an almost human-looking baby on a big screen with a phantom hand and a button nose -- and a heart galloping away at a solid 153 beats per minute (it was partying in there, too, jumping all around and sliding about like it was in a ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese).  While I can't say I'm TOTALLY relaxed at this point, I am feeling much less FRAUGHT than I was up to now.  Like this might actually happen.  (KNOCK ON MUCH WOOD.) 

I'm also feeling like kind of an idiot, because pregnancy for me has not been nearly the ride through Hades that I had always feared it would be (not that that was THE reason we pursued adoption first, of course, but it was there in my mind -- my whole life I have dreaded pregnancy like one might dread being attacked by rabid bats...sigh, all that wasted energy).  Dude, I could have done this YEARS ago.  We could be on kid number FIVE by now!  Durr. 

I have escaped most of the first trimester woes, having the occasional woozy moment or bit of nausea, but I've only thrown up once (ONCE!) and that was because I didn't eat immediately after taking my prenatal vitamin.  I have had a lot of fatigue, to the point where sleeping while standing up on a crowded subway train seemed like a viable option and accomplishing any high-level cognitive functions between the hours of 3 and 5pm became a life-threateningly arduous task, along the lines of summiting Everest.  And my body temperature is all weird -- I'm freezing one minute, gasping for air in sweaty panic the next.  But other than that, things have been fine, really fine.  Fun, even!  It's like an adventure every morning to wake up and see what's going to happen yet.  Plus, the milestones!  There are appointments and weeks to cross off the calendar and things, like, progress as time passes.  It's quite thrilling. 

I have had some food cravings and aversions; for the first week or two after we found out, I was obsessed with cherries, even though I could probably count on one hand the number of times I've eaten them prior to getting pregnant, while, on the other hand, chicken has become absolutely abhorrent to me.  Don't even mention it to me.  Well, actually, if it's in nugget or patty form, it's acceptable; but the thought of preparing and eating a chicken breast -- or, oh god, coming into contact with chicken ON THE BONE --makes me want to throw myself off a bridge.  Between that and the affinity for ginger ale and crackers and the overriding general preference for starchy, bland food, my palate has been reduced to that of a fussy two-year-old. 

At work, I've been looking like Maude, what with the billowy cardigans and oversized handbags strategically placed to cover the belly that seemed to pop around week six and continued to grow ever since.  I don't know if it's my build or what, but this thing seems to be an overachiever; it may soon have its own gravity field.  I just read about some super-skinny soap star who didn't tell her coworkers until she was FIVE MONTHS along, and I was all, DUDE.  I figured the office rumor mill was spinning the first week I knew I was pregnant.  Who are these people?  I know, we're all unique pregnancy snowflakes (TM Jonna), but it is duly noted that I am not one of those tiny women with a mosquito bite-sized bump that still fits into regular clothes for half the pregnancy.  Ho!  No.  I'm in maternity pants, baby, and I am loving every minute of it.  Do you know how COMFORTABLE this stuff is?  Elastic waistbands and roomy hip/seat areas!  I may never go back to regular clothing. 

Anyway!  So that's the news around here.  I told you we save our excitement for September.

I'm 12 and a half weeks, due March 26.  An Aries baby (assuming the due date holds any water, which I know it really doesn't -- the doctor said it could be three weeks before or two weeks after the due date, which seems...well, rather hazy, but still definite enough for my taste, all things considered) and a summer strolling in Central Park with a little guy or gal.  For now, the bean is known as MVM -- Magnus von Magnuson, the World's Strongest Embryo (now the World's Strongest Fetus, actually).  Given his or her superhero paternal parentage (have you seen my husband's arms?), and his/her tenacity thus far, we thought it appropriate. 

Hot damn, we're excited.  We're having a baby, y'all! 

Comments

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnZdMMfmqbVDdJDNPRxGJNN5QS_7oqpD6w]

HOORAY!! Congrats!! How exciting... are you going to find out what MVM is in a couple more months? SOOO elated for you both, can't wait to read all the updates to come!

[Lawyerish]

Oh, YES, we will definitely be finding out what's in there. Our anatomy scan is set for Nov. 2, so we should be finding out then and I will be sharing that information, for sure. I am wayyyy too impatient to wait any longer than I have to for that particular bit of information.

[amandam]

Aaaaaaahhhh! That is so, so, so amazing! So many congratulations to you and your husband. This is such a happy thing, a happy new chapter for you. And, among the many new activities and adventures that await, prepare to fire up that stroller for cruising the aisles at your new local Whole Foods, LOL!!! :) Seriously, Many Blessings to you and yours.

[jonniker]

And the heavens parted.

[Emily]

HOLY FRICKING MOLY!

Congratulations! I didn't see that one coming! Oh this is such wonderful news... here's hoping you sail through the rest of the pregnancy, but here's hoping even MORE that the newborn thing is a breeze. Congrats congrats congrats!

[daysgoby]

F'ING SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Oh, oh, oh I'm so GLAD for you!

Oh, oh, oh!

[Emily]

Congratulations! How exciting for the two of you.

[Dysfunction Junction]

Holy shnikes!!! That is fantastic.

Huge hugs and good thoughts from the Windy City. I like to think we had something to do with it.

[Mandee]

Such wonderful, fabulous news! Congratulations!

[Blythe]

Yippee! Hooray! And all other wonderful exclamations. How exciting.

[leenie]

congrats congrats!! lots of warm thoughts to you three (!!)

[Erin]

De-lurking to say HOORAY!
I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!

[Beth Fish]

Well damn! And squee! And congratulations!

[Tara]

YAY! So exciting. Congratulations!

[Natasha]

CONGRATULATIONS! If I could think of an even better word to BOLD I would, maybe, HALLELUJAH!

Could not be more thrilled to hear a baby is on its way into your family. Looking forward to hearing the name, the nursery and maybe some pics of you in the awesome pants : )

Blessings on your wee-one.
Natasha

[Carolyn]

Wow, WOW!!! I am so thrilled for you. Congratulations!

[Lisa Guzik]

Congrats! That is sooo exciting!

[Julie]

I am beyond thrilled for you and Joe. So happy your Sunshine Day finally came.

You two deserve much happiness after so much sadness you went through.

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!

[JudithinNYC]

Yes!!!!

Congratulations to you and Joe.

[beyond]

oh my gosh!
what wonderful news! you deserve this joyfulness, you both do!
CONGRATS.

[Lisa]

YES!!!!! Scott and I could not be happier for you!! I may have to dance a jig!

[April]

Congrats! I'm so excited for you guys, such great news :)

[Beth]

OMG, you have no idea how happy I am for you! I've been reading your blog and just hoping, hoping, hoping for a baby to come your way somehow! This is amazing news!! :-)

[Mimi]

Congratulations! That is SO exciting!

[Dave]

I am so, so happy for you all. Mazel tov!