Telling the Pietrini's

This past weekend finally gave us an opportunity to tell the Pietrini's, although we still were not able to get quite the whole clan together. Zach and Kaelee were in Minnesota visiting Kaelee's family. (Seth called Zach that Friday night to tell him.) We invited the fam over for the Super Bowl. This would not have been our first choice considering the youth group winter retreat took place the same weekend (a.k.a. the most exhausting weekend of the year), but we didn't want to wait any longer. The next opportunity would be February 15, tax night, and not only would I be nearly ready to tell the world since I would be just two days shy of 11 weeks but I would already have told my closest girlfriends. We have a little getaway planned for this weekend.

So Seth being amazing as usual let me sleep on the way home from camp. And take a nap when we got home while he prepared bacon wrapped dates and brownies for the Super Bowl. The Pietrini's arrived around kick off, but between the commotion of eating, catching up and watching (for some of us "watching") the game, the opportune time did not come until half time. Due to the high volume of the television, Seth muted it, and said, "We have an announcement (I see Dana's eyes widen since I'm facing her), and it's probably what you are thinking. Becca's pregnant." Following cheers, and hugs, we shared details and the ultrasound pictures. Seth's mom told us she knew we would be sharing this news. She told Jim so and almost brought over a gift just in case. Between Carol and Maria, I guess mom's just know these things. 

My Favorite Moment

Today I am giving thanks and breathing a sigh of relief. Leading up to my eight week appointment on Monday, I was feeling good. Too good. My sudden disappearance of the need to munch in the middle of the night, or at least right away in the morning, and the fact that I was still not feeling any pregnancy sickness left me worried that my baby's heart had stopped beating. (Although Seth liked to point out that I have several other pregnancy symptoms such as frequent cravings and nasal congestion, among other things.)

I had no signs of miscarriage. No spotting or anything like that. It was just the feeling of nothing that had me worried something was wrong. On the drive to my appointment and on the brink of tears, I was praying desperately. Seth was not with me since I received notice that day that my appointment had to be moved from late afternoon to lunch time.

Inside the ultrasound room, my fears faded. In fact, I experienced my favorite moment so far in this pregnancy. Now far enough along (eight weeks three days) to be viewed in the ultrasound externally, I could already see the little baby's head and hands just starting to bud. Most importantly, I could see the quick little pitter-patter of that Little Pea's heartbeat. A solid 176. Maybe Pietrini's can have girls.

Telling the Miller's

Shortly after Seth and I learned about our pregnancy, I received an invitation to my high school friend Lauren's shower on January 21. This presented a perfect excuse to travel to Minnesota so close to Christmas without (hopefully) any suspicion of the news we would be presenting.

On Friday night January 20, the Lord decided to send the second real snow of this mild winter season leaving us with a choice to make: either travel to Minnesota early the next morning or not go at all. Travel home from work was over two hours and there was no way we were going to make it to Minnesota at any decent hour that night...if at all. Lindsey Moon had made her way to Palatine on the train from the city to travel with us since she too was invited to the shower and wanted to surprise her dad for his birthday. I shared with her my planned surprise for the weekend and we decided to bite the bullet and make the trek early the next morning.

We arrived to my parents around 11:30 AM and brunch was nearly ready. Peter, Sarah, and Elora came over to join us and I was prepared to make my announcement while we ate. I waited for my dad to get seated and exclaimed, "Oh! I have something I got for Elora that I just can't wait to give her, but I have to put it on her." I scooped up the little babe and brought here into the other room. I fashioned the "i love my baby-cousin-to-be" bib around her neck and well, I'll let the video tell you the rest...

We had a great rest of the weekend, already planning baby showers and guessing the gender. For some reason, my mom, sister, and me have the feeling it's a girl. The guys didn't share their inclination, but Peter did share he has the thought that Pietrini's only have boys. We'll just have to wait until late April to find out.

Already showering us with gifts

First Ultrasound & Due Date Announcement

Yesterday I had my first prenatal appointment and ultrasound and everything is looking good. There wasn't too much to see of course, but I got tears in my eyes seeing my little baby and hearing his/her heartbeat. Before the appointment, I sent Seth a picture of a 7 week ultrasound so he didn't get his hopes up of seeing more than just a little, but beautiful, blob.

The heartbeat read 128. Yes, that's low, but for good reason. I was not as far along as I expected and measured just 6 weeks and 3 days. I'll be back to the office again in two weeks for another look at the heartbeat. We'll be looking for a much faster beat then.

So, at 6 weeks and 3 days yesterday, that makes our due date September 7, 2012. This was pretty exciting to me since that day is not only the day Seth and I got engaged, but it is also my dad's birthday. How great is that!

On another note, today's "craving" was cheese. I saw a commercial advertising cheese and just had to have it. I say "cravings" because it's more like I found something that sounds good because nothing else does. I guess I am like my sister in that way. She described her "cravings" the same way.

So Seth made mac and cheese and cheesy garlic bread. Yum! 

Cravings, or am I just Hungry?

Beef. It seems to be my first "craving." 

Yesterday Seth made each of us a nice bacon wrapped steak with green beans. After literally licking my plate I said, "I want another. Or, how about a McDonald's burger?" Seth's immediate response to his hardly pregnant wife, "I will go for you." He's the best!

Mmmmmmm

Our Little Secret

Seth and I successfully managed to thwart questions of babies over New Years. Naturally, this is a topic of conversation, especially with our Taylor friends, but even with Nate's relentless prodding, we never cracked.

Time is going too slow. It's not the secret that I'm excited to tell, it's actually looking pregnant. There is something about a baby belly that excites me, and I'll feel more like I have something to show for being pregnant. 

This week our Little Pea is the size of a pea! Our babies heart is now beating and his/her features are beginning to form. I am still feeling great. No morning sickness. No added tiredness. And I actually have less of an appetite than an increase. So far.

6 Weeks

Baby, Jesus loves you already, and so do we!

Convinced

I'm finally convinced. It did take another positive on a third type of home pregnancy test, but I'm finally there. I just somehow couldn't believe the faint second line I received the last two days and reading article after article online saying, "Any line, no mater how faint means positive," really meant I was pregnant. And I just didn't feel pregnant - as though I should know how that feels. 

Today I am actually noticing a few minor symptoms. I'm taking more trips to the bathroom and things are starting to feel a bit tender. 

So how long do I have to wait until I get to tell family and friends? I guess technically I got to tell two people today: the BCBSIL rep and the receptionist at Women's Health First to make my first prenatal appointment (January 16). I have already planned how I am going to tell my family. I  just need a little help from Baby Elora Morrow...