The First Post ... in which Amanda brings you up to date

I found out that our family was expanding on Monday, May 30.  Zac was staying upstate with friends after a Phish weekend and had asked me to be his wake up call.  It was 7:30am.  I saw two lines on the test: the control line and a fainter, but definitely there test line. My eyes widened, my heart soared, and I ran to my computer to google what I already knew: any color change was significant.  Still reeling with happy disbelief, I drank a large glass of water and took another test.  Two lines. Wow. It was nearing 8am.  I called Zac.  Blearily, he answered the phone.  Below is a rough approximation of the conversation that followed:

Zac: Hello
Amanda: Hi. Good morning.  Are you awake?
Zac: (Deep breath) Yeah...
Amanda: ARE YOU AWAKE?
Zac: Yeah.
Amanda: I got two lines this morning! A positive test! We did it!
Zac: Are you kidding me?
Amanda: What?! Why would I (insert unladylike word) kid you? About this?!
Zac: Oh.  Wow. Wow.

Later, just so he wouldn’t think the conversation had all been a dream, I sent him a picture of the pregnancy test.  

2 lines!

I was at work until 2pm that day, and I would guess that I looked at that picture of the two lines at least 20 times.  It still didn’t feel real.

I called my parents and Nana as soon as I left work the next day.  I know that some people keep the news to themselves until they know it’s confirmed (sometimes people don’t even tell their families until the 2nd trimester), but I wanted to share some joy.  Nana had recently been admitted to a rehab facility for a fractured pelvis, and both mom & I thought that the news would do her good.  I remember her joy as she said to me, “I’m going to be a great-grandmother! Oh my! A great-grandmother! How wonderful!”  

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of blood tests which confirmed that yes, we were pregnant and that no, I was not previously exposed to Toxoplasma.  Which, given my profession and how long I’ve been in the industry, was a surprise to me.  On Friday, June 17, we got our first look at the Bean on ultrasound.  Mostly, it was a blob hanging out in another blob, but it was really there.  There was something growing inside me.  On Wednesday, June 29, Zac came with me to the next ultrasound and we were both able to see a flutter that was the heartbeat: 130 beats/min - a good, healthy rate.  Estimated DOB: Feb 15, 2012.

Here is a little picture of the Bean from that day:

The blobby-Bean

 
Friday, July 22 we had our next ultrasound appointment.  The Bean had a bit of a growth spurt, and was measuring a little older than before.  New estimated DOB: Feb 12, 2012.  We could see a good, healthy heart-flutter, but were unable to hear it using the doppler.  However, I did see the Bean move his/her little arm around as if s/he were dancing or wiggling about in there.  That was pretty fabulous.  Not only was there something (someone!) growing in there - it was moving around.

The Bean is less blobby

August 3, I went to Lenox Hill for another, fancier ultrasound.  This scan lasted about 30 minutes because the Bean (now about the size of a lime) was not being terribly cooperative and was bouncing and twisting all over the place.  The Bean was starting to look like a little person, rather than a lumpy blob: I could see a little nose on the face and tiny arms and legs that waved around.  I heard a strong, steady heartbeat: it was music to my ears.

Here are some pics from that visit:

The Bean is looking like a little person in there

The Poultry-pose

After that good news, I felt comfortable enough to start taking pictures (and sharing them) of the Embiggening of Amanda.  So, here I am, posing with a lime that represents the ~12 week old Bean:

I look forward to posing with more fruit as the weeks pass, as well as getting more and more comfortable in my elastic-waisted pants.  

Much love,
-a-