Sharing the News

Since we had been trying for several cycles, every month I would get anxious to take a test.  For Christmas we did our twelve hour drive to Illinois to see our families.  Last year we drove back a day earlier than planned due to impending snow and it ended up being really nice to have a day at home alone after the chaos of shuttling back and forth between both of our parents houses. So this Christmas, we intentionally came back with a day to spare before going back to work.

Since we've dated for so long (1999), we've always exchanged gifts after our family exchange. It's always been a moment I look forward to each holiday season. This year was no different, but I hoped we'd get a special gift to share, so I took a test on Tuesday and it was negative.  I knew it was a little early, but I was still upset not to see those two lines.  That day we drove to Vail. so that I could go back to work Wednesday and Ben would work from the apartment for the remainder of the week.

I'm not sure what prompted me to take a test on Wednesday (12/28/16) and it was positive (at what was 3weeks, 5 days along)!! I was stunned! I was worried it was somehow wrong and I didn't want to get Ben worked up, so I decided to wait until the next morning to take another test. Sure enough, Thursday's test was also positive. I had butterflies in my stomach all day thinking about telling Ben.

I got back to the apartment that night and pulled out a gift bag. I told Ben I'd forgotten about a gift I'd had at the apartment. First I handed him a bottle of Love Child (one of our favorite sour beers). A smirk crossed his face but I didn't say anything and prompted him to open the bag where he found:

Needless to say, we were both a little stunned that it finally happened!

We waited to tell our families until after our first appointment (which was Friday, 2/3/2017 at 9 weeks). Growing up my parents belonged to a nonprofit organization and every Valentines the group would make and sell Valentines cookies as a fundraiser.  Every year February rolls around and I crave these cookies!  I whipped up a double batch and decorated them to send to our families after our first OB appointment.

I watched the tracking for our parents (we'd strategically overnighted so they'd arrive on a Saturday; since I was still living in Vail during the week, we wanted to be together when we shared the news).  My parents reaction was so funny. Over FaceTime, they opened the package and said "hey! you made us cookies!" Then they started to pull out of the box "Cutie", "Stud Muffin", "We Sept?" What's "We Sept"?!  It took what felt like forever, but they finally got it!

Those first few weeks of knowing and waiting to tell family and friends went by so slow! It's hard to believe that tomorrow is already 17 weeks!