On New Year's Day, I woke up and brushed my teeth in the bathroom like I do every morning. As I leaned over the sink to spit, something caught my eye in the mirror. Not something, but somethings — two of them. Two strands of white hair beaming from the crown of my head like a light show. Well, I guess I'm really not getting any younger, I thought to myself, as I finished wiping my mouth. 2011 is the year I turn 35.
"I'm ready to make a baby," I announced to Drew as I crawled back in bed.
"Really?" He asked.
I'd originally told him I wanted to wait until after my birthday in September so I could enjoy one last carefree summer of unencumbered bike rides and Mojitos at Happy Hour.
"Fuck it," I said, "Let's just do this. It's probably going to take awhile anyway, so let's get this show on the road."
"Yes!" He exclaimed.
The next month my period was due and didn't come, so I took a pregnancy test. It was negative. I threw it in the trash.
I guess I'm just late, I thought, It's not going to happen this fast anyhow.
Then I sat down at my computer and started working. A couple hours later, I had this gnawing feeling I couldn't shake. "Look at that test again," a little voice in my head urged.
So I dug the test out of the trash and studied it. Still negative. I mean, right? There are supposed to be two lines if you're pregnant and I saw just one. Or maybe there was a really, really faint second line. I held the test under a lamp. Hmm. There was sort of a faint second line there. I Googled it: "Faint second line, pregnancy tests." A bunch of images popped up. They all looked just like my test. I read the descriptions of those images, many of them from blogs. I followed the links to the blogs and read about babies — babies that had been born eight months after those faint second lines showed up on pee sticks.
Oh wow. Was I going to have a baby?
I took six more tests over the next three days. Really, six. They were all positive, and clearly so. (Tip: if you want to skip the "Is it or isn't it" riddle, go digital!).
Last week, we had our second OB/midwife appointment and got to see our baby squirming around during an ultrasound. He (I have a feeling it's a he, but of course don't know for sure) was moving around so much — kicking his legs and flapping his arms — it was hard to get a good picture, but the sonographer managed to snap this:
I think he looks like Drew.
Yesterday I started my second trimester. I'm hoping to start feeling better soon. Luckily, I haven't had much nausea, but the fatigue, among other unpleasantries, has been relentless and unbearable. Some mornings I can hardly lift my head off the pillow. And most nights I've been asleep before nine, sometimes even before eight. Having any kind of social life these last couple of months has been a challenge, but I guess that's something I need to get used to anyway. My thyroid levels are three times higher than they should be, which is probably adding to the fatigue, so now that I'm taking medication for that, I'm hopeful I'll have more energy soon. If not, well, I suppose I need to get used to feeling exhausted all the time too.
Anyway, Drew and I are very excited. Very excited! We didn't anticipate this happening so quickly, and as much as I'll miss drinking champagne when I'm in Paris next month, I'm so, so grateful we have what seems to be a healthy baby snuggled in my belly (oh my God, I have a baby in my belly!). I'm sure we'll have plenty of parenting struggles in the not-so-distant future, so I'm happy that getting pregnant is one we were spared — at least this time. Baby's due on October 24th — exactly nine months to the day after I launched Dear Wendy. Guess there were "new beginnings" in my chart that week...
Congratulations! How exciting!
Posted by: Christine H. | April 11, 2011 at 06:57 AM
Aww, congratulations!!
Posted by: Diana V | April 11, 2011 at 07:44 AM
Yay! Exciting! Congratulations to you both.
Posted by: Sarah S | April 11, 2011 at 08:09 AM
oh wendy! congratulations! i had a feeling something was "up," and i'm so happy for you guys! :)
Posted by: megabrooke | April 11, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Thanks so much, you guys! And thanks for still hanging around even though I've been a bit absent as of late.
Posted by: citywendy | April 11, 2011 at 08:46 AM
Hooray! I guess that drink we get is going to have to be lemonade. Or milkshakes. I like milkshakes. So happy for you both!
Posted by: Sarah Brown | April 11, 2011 at 08:56 AM
Congratulations from a stranger! You guys are going to rock the parent thing.
Posted by: Amanda | April 11, 2011 at 09:03 AM
Sarah Brown, I have been drinking a lot of both those beverages!
Posted by: citywendy | April 11, 2011 at 09:16 AM
That is so exciting- congratulations to you both :)
Posted by: Shauna (Fido & Wino) | April 11, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Congratulations!!!!!!
Posted by: Nikki | April 11, 2011 at 10:47 AM
That. Is. Awesome.
Hooray for you and yours!
Posted by: Leanne | April 11, 2011 at 10:57 AM
Congratulations! Babies are fun. (They're pretty good as they grow up, too, I'm finding.) Anyway: YAY!
Posted by: Amber | April 11, 2011 at 10:58 AM
How exciting! Hope you feel great for the next few months. Congrats.
Posted by: Andrea | April 11, 2011 at 03:25 PM
Congrats to you and Drew!!!!!!
I think its a HE too.
:)
Posted by: Stephanie | April 11, 2011 at 04:13 PM
Mazel tov to you & Drew! Such truly wonderful news!
Posted by: Sandra | April 11, 2011 at 11:02 PM
Congratulations to you both!
I had a sneaky feeling this was going to be your announcement when I saw your comment on The Girl Who's blog recently :0)
Also, Paris? Cool! I'm just down the road in Nice, if you make it this far down south, I'll be more than happy to buy you a milkshake to celebrate!
Posted by: Vicki | April 12, 2011 at 05:15 AM
Congratulations! What exciting news!
Posted by: Charise | April 12, 2011 at 07:55 AM
Mazel Tov! <3
Posted by: Annia | April 12, 2011 at 10:58 AM
Wendy!!! Such exciting news!! Congrats, congrats CONGRATS!!!!
Posted by: teahouseblossom | April 12, 2011 at 06:59 PM
Great News!! So excited for you!
Posted by: kim | April 13, 2011 at 05:24 AM
Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone! I was so happy and excited to share the news with you all!
Posted by: citywendy | April 13, 2011 at 05:54 AM
Congratulations!!! This is such exciting news!
I've been reading your blog for about 7 years now and although I've been mostly a lurker and you obviously have no idea who I am, it's exciting to know that we'll be going through pregnancy at the same time. I'm currently pregant with my first and I'm due October 5th. October 2011 babies rock! :)
Wishing you a very happy and healthy pregancy. I'm so happy for you.
Julia
PS. I can totally relate to the fatigue...it took me more than an hour to get up for work this morning. I think I hit the snooze button 46 times.
Posted by: Julia | April 15, 2011 at 10:21 AM
PS2. Ugh,I hate making typos...I know its pregnancy, not pregancy (nor pregant)! I type too fast. :)
Posted by: Julia | April 15, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Julia, Congratulations! How exciting. My energy is slowly starting to return. At least, the tired I have now doesn't "hurt" like the tired of the last two-three months has. Hope you're feeling the same relief.
Posted by: citywendy | April 15, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Such happy news! Best wishes on this new adventure to you and Drew. Glad you got that NO trip in when you did!
Posted by: Denise Plauche | April 15, 2011 at 01:05 PM
Congratulations from a long time lurker ~ so happy for you both!
Posted by: LisaK | April 16, 2011 at 08:02 AM
Holy shite. I am so delighted for you. Sorry this response was so late in coming. Yay for babies!
Posted by: Alyce | April 16, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Oh this is wonderful news!
I've taken a long break from the Internet but was hoping for a fun update on your blog- and boy, did you deliver!
Congratulations to you both!
Posted by: Austin Scarlett | April 20, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Long time no see, Austin Scarlett. Welcome back.
Posted by: citywendy | April 20, 2011 at 04:17 PM
Congrats, that's oh so exciting!
Posted by: Chelsea Talks Smack | April 27, 2011 at 09:10 PM