We found out in Tokyo, Japan. I arrived after a 16+ hour trip and just about collapsed when I walked in the hotel room to meet David. We decided to get dinner before we took the test. The lines appeared almost instantly - no doubt, we’re pregnant! 6 months of trying finally paid off!
The trying process was probably the hardest and most emotional experience I’ve ever had. It was really tough for David as well. I know 6 months isn’t a long time - in fact to fall pregnant in that amount of time is just about average - but I just couldn’t relax about the experience. I was anxiety ridden and couldn’t stop thinking about how out of control I was. No matter how much planning and scientific measuring I did there was nothing I could do to control whether we could actually conceive. I think that’s the hardest part of any couple trying to get pregnant. Relaxing about the process is close to impossible and the stress that ensues just draws out the experience which in turn causes more stress. Geesh, Mother Nature could have worked better with us on that one, I think.
In Australia, there’s a baby boom on so that means as SOON as you learn you’re pregnant you have to book your reservation at the hospital where you wish to give birth. What I don’t understand is why they want you to make a booking. Back to the Mother Nature thing - there’s no way to predict when the baby will actually come so how can they honor a booking? I don’t get how it all works. All I know is that we needed to make a booking ASAP so we did. North Shore Private Hospital, here we come October 1st!
Many people have asked if our baby will have dual citizenship – unfortunately, Australia doesn’t recognize babies born in this country as automatic citizens so the answer is no. In fact, our baby will be born WITHOUT CITIZENSHIP and we’ll have to apply for US citizenship after we receive the birth certificate. The only real down fall is that our child won’t be able to be the President of the United States, but I’m not sure we would wish that career choice on our own flesh and blood anyway… ;)
The baby boom also makes getting ‘in’ with an Obstetrician difficult. You see a General Practitioner for all medical needs in AU until it’s time to see a specialist like an OB. Our GP recommended a number of OB’s to choose from. We narrowed it down to Dr. Stephen Morris who has a very modern practice which allows for scans of the baby at almost every appointment. To me, that’s worth more than any amount of bedside manner. I’m so visual that actually seeing the baby growing inside of me makes a huge difference, emotionally. I feel more connected. Our first appointment was Feb 16th and we’ve seen him every 4 weeks since.
All of my tests have come back the way they should - the ones that needed to be positive were and the ones that needed to be negative were the same. Good numbers all the way around. The interesting thing was that my hCG levels were high for the time that I took my initial test – that could mean that we were having TWINS but thankfully, it just turned out to mean our baby was strong and healthy. WHEW! Escaped that one, narrowly!
I can admit openly now that the beautiful Tiffany’s ring that David bought me in Tokyo was not just a Valentine’s Day/Birthday gift but also a “you’re-having-my-baby-ring!” I love looking at it and knowing its true significance in our lives :)
The word is out to most everyone we know by now. The first 3 months were very hard to keep things under wraps, but that’s the experience all to-be parents have. Only tell those who you would need to lean on if (God forbid) something difficult were to happen. Otherwise keep the most wonderful secret in the entire world to yourself until you can’t possibly keep it in any longer – or at least until the NT scan at 12 weeks and then let the cat out of the bag. :)
When we told Janine, Niels and Jacs (Sam was away) we decided we needed to come up with a nickname for the baby to have something “real” to refer to as (s)he grows. Sawyer Seebeck was known as “Legend” for his time in utero - our baby will forever be known as “Ninja” since we found out while we were in Tokyo. :)
Pictures of Ninja:
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| Ninja 8 Weeks |
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| Ninja 12 Weeks |
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| Ninja 16 Weeks |
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| Ninja 19 Weeks |
We had a “sex declaration party” with Janine, Niels and Jacs to tell them our news. We decorated cupcakes with “sex colored” icing to surprise them. :)
I felt the first flutters at 16 weeks. They turned into true kicks at about 18 weeks. I’ll never forget the sensation of lying in bed, half asleep and feeling the skin on my belly come out and fill up the palm of my hand. It shocked me awake and I couldn’t stop smiling for a couple hours in the wee morning. She let me know she was really in there! She was ready to connect with me and prove she was getting bigger and stronger! What an amazing feeling! 6 weeks later, she’s kicking up a storm. Sometimes I think she’s playing a soccer game in there! David hasn’t been able to feel her yet, but it will happen soon – we know it! She’s getting stronger by the day.
My belly “popped” at about 18 weeks. I’m SO glad to be in true maternity clothes now because the whole rubber-band-to-keep-your-pants-on thing was getting really old. Mom was kind enough to make me a “belly band” to help my normal pants last as long as possible but there’s just something to be said about the elastic panel built into maternity pants. We’ve joked that we should invent something similar for men and women alike around the holidays. It could be a Thanksgiving tradition to allow people to eat what ever they like and still be able to keep their pants fastened after dinner ;)
So far, this pregnancy has been almost a non-event for me – I feel so fortunate. No morning sickness and I’ve been able to do most everything I’d like with the exception of drinking lots of wine, eating smoked salmon, feta cheese and sushi. It’s been amazing to read about the development stages as Ninjette and I have grown together. I understand why they call it, “the miracle of birth” now. I’m fascinated learning about the changes going on in my body and how the baby is growing and changing by the week.
I’m at 24 weeks now and I’m still feeling great. I’m still running but getting slower for sure. My shins have been killing me with the extra weight, although I’m happy to say I’ve managed to push through the pain and keep up a 4 day a week exercise routine. I find that I feel so much better after I exercise and it really helps me sleep better (which by now is starting to become more of a challenge). I’m looking forward to picking up my custom orthotics (for my running shoes – thank you Australian insurance!) and I have a support band coming for my ever-growing belly to assist with my runs in the coming weeks. I’m planning to go as long as I can – keep your fingers crossed for me!
I’ve been asked to post some pictures of me and my pregnant belly so here you go!
~LAA :)
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| 14 Weeks |
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| 20 Weeks |
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| 24 Weeks |
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