8 Weeks

5-12-13

8 weeks

Today we visited my family for Mother’s Day.  Katie and I planned on telling the family by blurting out the news while taking a picture of all the Cramer women together.  Before the picture, Aunt Gena announced how perfect it would be if someone would announce that they were pregnant.  Katie and I just looked at each other and said, “Yes, that would be nice, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”  Aunt Gena then lifted the lid to a bean salad and wafted the pungent smell our way….laughing the entire time about how bad it smelled.  Katie and I both turned green and wanted to run to the nearest toilet. (Thanks Aunt Gena BEAN Head!)  We got all the Cramer women together for a picture.  Your dad, who was taking the picture, yelled  1, 2, 3, I chimed, “I’m pregnant,”  and Katie announced, “Me, too!”  Everyone was confused, Brandie thought Caroline said she was pregnant, and Lori did a dance.  It was so fun to look back at the pictures and see everyone’s face.  Two babies at the same time is going to be so much fun!!!

This week, Baby is the size of an: Raspberry

How far along? 8 weeks (I think)
Due date: December 22 (until proven otherwise)

Total weight gain/loss: 0 lbs (116)
Maternity clothes? No.
Sleep: Pretty well

Best moment this week: Telling the Cramer family that we were pregnant.

Food cravings: Oranges

Symptoms: Sore boobs, heart burn, nausea (but not enough to complain about), sooooooo tired.

Food aversions/sickness:  Eggs, coffee, and meat

Gender: Still thinking boy.

Feeling toward Pregnancy: I’m ready to start feeling better

What I miss: Motivation, caffeine, and allergy medicine

What I am looking forward to: Our ultrasound this week!

Milestones: Telling the extended family

7 Weeks

5-5-13

7 weeks

Last night I had a dream that Brandie was pregnant and Katie and Luke were trying for a baby.  Katie also started taking up smoking and I yelled at her a lot.  I texted each cousin to see if they were actually pregnant.  Brandie said no and asked me if I was.  I wanted to tell her in person, so I lied and said no I wasn’t. (I texted my response sitting behind the piano at church on the platform while the Crisis Pregnancy representative was speaking- Oh Lord Forgive Me!)  Katie texted me back asking if I could keep a secret- she had only found out a few days prior!!!!  I had to tell her my secret then.  I also had a dream several years ago that Katie and I went into labor and had our babies at the same time.  (Prophetic dreaming maybe?).  We both plan on surprising our family on the Cramer side when we get together for Mother’s Day.  Eeeeek!  Can’t wait!

This week, Baby is the size of an: We have grown to the size of a blueberry!
How far along? 7 weeks (I think)
Due date: December 22 (until proven otherwise)

Total weight gain/loss: -1 lbs (116)
Maternity clothes? None

Sleep: It’s ok.  Hard to get comfortable.

Best moment this week: Finding out that Katie is pregnant also!

Food cravings: Coffee, tortilla chips, salty foods

Symptoms: Cramping, sore boobs, a need for a nap everyday at 3pm, dizziness, heart burn, and queasiness.

Food aversions/sickness:  Eggs

Gender: Chinese calendar says boy.

Feeling toward Pregnancy: I’m ready to get this secret out!

What I miss: Coffee, lunch meat, and energy

What I am looking forward to: Our ultrasound and telling our family.
Milestones: Keeping the secret for another week.

6 Weeks- Telling the Parents

4-30-13

6 weeks 2 days

Week 6 has proved to be almost as exciting as week 5.  We told our parents and siblings this weekend.  What a relief!  I’m so glad I can talk about it now to at least a few people!  First I told Uncle Cody.  He’s in South Dakota right now and was so happy to hear the news.  I swore him to secrecy, but I think he told a co-worker.  Sunday, my mom and dad came for a visit.  They had no clue!  I made an apron for mom with “Grandma “ written on it and planned on giving it to her while we made lunch.  They brought mushrooms from the woods to fry up for lunch.  When Mom started frying I asked her if she would like an apron, but she declined.  I then offered it again, but again she declined.  Finally I said, “Well, I made it for you….so take it!”  She asked if it was for real, screamed, started crying, gave me a hug, and then apologized for frying mushrooms.  She was afraid they would bother my stomach since she refused to fry them for dad when she was pregnant.  I looked over at Dad, and he just sat there, his face red, and tears in his eyes.  The first thing he said was, “Well Andrew, you better start selling some houses.”  They were both so happy and excited for finally have a grandchild.

That night we went over to Phil and Renee’s to tell your dad’s side of the family.  I had sent a text to everyone on Saturday about getting together for a game night.  Since I’m not one to play games, pretty much everyone read through it and thought I was going to make an announcement.  Aunt Jenna asked me at church Saturday morning if I was pregnant, and I told her no.  She texted the rest of the family with the disappointing news, stating I would never lie to her.  She asked me again at church Sunday night if I was pregnant, and if so she was going to get a balloon.  I told her no…sorry to disappoint.  We headed to Phil and Renee’s after church.  Uncle Matt made some burgers.  Uncle Jared asked me if I was pregnant, and I told him no.  (I was really just looking for an opportunity to give Renee her “Grandma” apron.)  Before I could give the apron, your Dad stood up and said he had an announcement.  (Everyone later said they thought he was going to announce that he had cancer.).  His exact words were, “As many of you probably know, we didn’t have everyone get together for game night.  Kaycee and I have something to tell you…..I impregnated Kaycee.”  What a way to tell the news!  But whatever.  Everyone was happy and said they knew all along. I think your Aunt Jenna might have been a little mad that I lied to her, but we made up after I told her I would never lie to her again.  Shortly after, Grammy Renee went to her room and came back with at least 15 baby outfits, half of them Christmas theme.  She has at least 50 outfits for future use.  Everyone is so excited and the aunts are already planning a gender reveal party.  You are going to be so spoiled!

Today I went to see the doctor to make everything “official.”  He said I was definitely pregnant and wanted to have an ultrasound done in 2 weeks to see exactly how far along I am.  I don’t know if I can wait 2 weeks!  He gave me a goody bag full of vitamins, magazines, and a laxative (oh joy!).   Let the 2 week countdown begin!

This week, Baby is the size of an: Chocolate sprinkle
How far along? 6 weeks (I think)
Due date: December 22 (until proven otherwise)

Total weight gain/loss: 0
Maternity clothes? Oh heavens no.
Sleep: Like a log, woke up once to pee at 4:00 am

Best moment this week: Telling all the family that I’m pregnant, and hearing the doctor say, “You’re definitely pregnant!”

Food cravings: Coffee, tortilla chips, and zucchini

Symptoms: Cramping, sore boobs, a need for a nap everyday at 3pm, dizziness, heart burn, and queasiness.

Food aversions/sickness:  I never want to eat eggs or chicken salad ever again.  I also had a patient with CDIFF and Oh LORD!

Gender: The only girl I told at work claims to have a sixth sense when guessing gender.  She says boy.

Feeling toward Pregnancy: I want to tell everyone our good news!

What I miss: Coffee, lunch meat, and energy

What I am looking forward to: Our ultrasound in 2 weeks

Milestones: Having the doctor confirm I’m pregnant and telling the family.

Stories:  I had 3 people at work ask me if I was pregnant.  One asks me every week, one asked me out of the blue, and the other claimed I was because my boobs looked bigger…..if they only knew.

After the Color Run

Mom proudly showing off her "Grandma" apron.

5 Weeks

4/21/13

Today is Sunday, and it was my turn to work (boo!).  I was crabby again, but I didn’t tell any of my patients how they were going to die if they continued their unhealthy lifestyle- so I consider that a win!  I decided instead of writing novels each day, I would write a questionnaire.

This week, Baby is the size of a: sesame seed
How far along? 5 weeks (I think)
Due date: December 22 (I think)

Total weight gain/loss: 0
Maternity clothes? Oh heavens no.
Sleep: Like a log

Best moment this week: Hearing your dad repeat over and over, “We’re going to have a baby.  We’re going to have a baby….” And asking where you would be living once you were born

Food cravings: Coffee.  I miss it.  And things with Gluten.

Symptoms: Lots of cramping and being tired.  I’m not sure if the tiredness if from waking up at 5:00 am and working a twelve, or being pregnant.
Gender: We’ve both decided if we had a choice, we would like a boy.  A part of me would like a girl- just so I can check it off my list.

Feeling toward Pregnancy: I can’t believe we got pregnant in one month.  Call me Fertile Myrtle.

What I miss: Coffee

What I am looking forward to: Telling our family we’re pregnant.
Milestones: A positive pregnancy test!

The Proof is in the Pudding

4/20/13

Your dad had band practice with Matt Stephens this morning.  While he was gone, I headed to the gym and had an extra long workout.  (I think I was working off some shock of finding out the news, or maybe I was trying to will my body into forming a six pack before it turned into a watermelon).   On the way home, I made a detour and went into Walgreens.  It’s so awkward going into Walgreens and just buying a pregnancy test- especially if you had just done it a week before.  I got the digital test so that I could prove to him that you were real.  I won’t say how much the test was ($18!).  When I got home, your dad was home.  I snuck the test into the bathroom, and what do you know- it read “positive.”  I went into the living room where your dad was on the couch, shoved the test in his face much like I did with the first one, and said, “So, is this proof enough?”  I wish I had a camera to record his face.  Shock, happiness, shock, shock, shock….He kept saying, ”We’re having a baby.  We’re having a baby.  We’re having a baby.”  I think he was trying to convince himself.  He stood up and hugged and kissed me and said he was so happy. 

We talked today a little about when we’re going to tell everyone.  We’ve decided to tell our parents and siblings next weekend.  My parents will be coming for a visit and feel it would be a good time.  My mom is going to be shocked.  She brought up having babies today when I talked to her on the phone.  It was so hard not to tell her about you!

The Five Year Plan.....Or Four???

4/19/13

Surprise!  That was an understatement for your dad when I woke him up at 4:50 am to see if he saw what I did on the pregnancy test strip.  I had a feeling I was pregnant two weeks prior, even buying maternity pants at Old Navy (they were $4).  I told your dad I thought I was pregnant, but he said I was crazy.  He had heard the “I Feel Pregnant” story before.  I don’t blame him, but this time was different.  I had all the “signs.”  The time finally came to take a test….and all four tests were negative.  Yes I was crazy, and I spent way too much money on pregnancy tests, but I HAD to find out.  After all four tests (taken over four days) came back negative, I resolved to face the fact that I was not pregnant.  Your dad and I weren’t really trying, but we weren’t not trying either.  I had been off the pill for a month.  We were thinking we would get pregnant in about 6 months, making it September, and have you by June when we would celebrate our 5^th anniversary.  Your dad is a planner.  We were on the “five year plan.”  Well, now we’re following the 4 ½ year plan- and that is ok. 

So this morning before work, following the advice of my co-workers, I took another test.  It’s been about four days since the last one.  I expected a negative.  After two minutes, I looked over at the test strip, and there were two lines!  (One line is negative, two is positive)  It was so faint (and it was 4:50 am), that I kept looking back and forth at it, squinting my eyes hard to help focus, and didn’t believe that I was seeing both lines.  I ran into the bedroom, turned on the light, and shoved the stick in front of your dad’s face and excitedly (and maybe a little to loud for 4:50 am) said, “Do you see what I see?  Do you see two lines?”  I guess you could say your dad was a little confused as to what I was doing.  I handed him the test (the pee end.  Oops!), continuing my excited talking while he did the “squint eye-it’s so early-my wife is crazy” look.  He said he maybe saw two lines, and asked me if it was a test from Aldi.  He has this thing with Aldi and their non food items.  Of course it wasn’t from Aldi, but instead of screaming that at him I said I would take another one later and sorry for waking him up. 

I took another test at work (a patient one we are!).  It read two lines.  You would think I would be happy, but instead I was the crabbiest person ever at work.  I got into an argument with a doctor’s nurse over suppositories and told a patient he needed to stop drinking and taking narcotics because he was killing his liver.  I might have also mentioned that I have seen other patients his age with live disease and he was going to die a horrible death if his current lifestyle continued.  After the patient was discharged, I marched into the conference room and declared to all the other nurses how mean that patient was and then I started crying.  That sealed the deal for me.  I had to be pregnant.

Tonight we went out to eat with our fellow band mates.  I met everyone after work.  The wives asked if we had any news to tell.  I was screaming the news in my head, but decided to leave it in there since technically your dad didn’t know about the second test.  Your dad and I talked on the phone on the way home (we were in separate cars).  I told him about the second test, and he became silent.  Like, very silent.  He didn’t believe in the test and needed more proof.  It’s not that he didn’t want us to be pregnant- he just wasn’t expecting it to come this soon.  He wondered where we went from here, he didn’t believe the tests were completely accurate, and at one point I think he asked me where you would live.

I love your father and how he reacts to things unplanned.  Tomorrow I’m going to get a digital test that reads loud and clear that I’m pregnant so that your dad has “proof” that I’m pregnant.

"Date Night In" Gift Basket

We have two weddings in two weeks! I love weddings! I also love coming up with creative gift ideas. This time around I'm making "date night in" gift baskets. The baskets cost around $25 each to make. They include:
Wine
Pasta Sauce
Bread Mix
Pasta
Movie
Colander

It's so important to continue to date after you're married. Congratulations to the happy couples!