Where to begin...let's document this journey!
Earlier this year, Sam and I decided it was getting about that time for us to expand the family. We love cuddling with our cats and all, but they just don't look that cute in booties (they also don't enjoy wearing them). One more trip across the ocean was in store before we embarked on our new adventure. So, we scheduled a trip to Ireland for August, and I began charting my cycle in July. For those of you familiar with it, I won't bore you with the details, and for those of you who don't know about it, I won't embarrass you with too much detail. To say it simply, I started tracking my ovulation. Coincidentally, my ovulation for August was delayed a week... until the day we returned from Ireland. I guess the body really does have a difficult time adjusting to different time zones... To skip ahead, and let you put two and two together, we found out we were pregnant on August 19th, the Monday before my fall classes started. We were a little awestruck as we had not anticipated it all to progress so quickly. As I rushed to Sam in disbelief with the first test, I stubbed my toe on his shoe and bent my pinky toenail backwards. It is to this day still bruised, but almost grown out. I guess it was my way of pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I took two pregnancy tests, one right after another, because we were so dumbfounded and wanted confirmation. They are a little faded, but both gave us the same results: positively preggers! There it was. Sam went off to work, and I spent the day before classes started with my three nieces who were visiting. Going to see The Smurfs 2 was just the reality escape I needed. As my classes are only on Tuesday and Thursday, and my Wednesday/Friday clinic placement wasn't to begin yet, I had agreed to go to Dollywood with my brother and three nieces that Wednesday. Dollywood + Pregnant seemed like a very bad idea. I couldn't ride the rides, and I had never been one to be afraid of roller coasters, so what was my excuse going to be? I texted my brother, who was conveniently staying with my parents/neighbors, to come over that morning. I had no choice but to unload the news on him, and he looked like he wanted to go back to bed and pretend he hadn't heard what I had just said. It is hard to accept your little sister growing up! Once the news sunk in, it was decided I would still go to Dollywood, but I would just hang back with the youngest girl who couldn't ride the bigger rides. So, our baby has already been to Dollywood, rode a merry-go-round, and a Ferris wheel. Hmmm...Dolly...that's a good name if it is a girl.
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With that week being such a busy week, we decided to wait to tell our family. Labor day, we decided would be the perfect/ironic/Summers' style day to depart with the news. Even more than the day, we needed a clever delivery. It was all perfect. My parents were going to join Sam and I at his parents for dinner. However, my dad got sick, so my parents couldn't make it. Needless to say, the show must go on! At the end of the blessing that Sam's dad always says before each meal, Sam chimed in: "and thank you for the new addition to the family." It took a minute for the additional thanks to sink in, and I have never seen two people turn white in disbelief so quickly. Surprise!.JPG)
Later that evening, we went to my parents, and I told them that I hadn't wanted to go on my brother's 40th birthday class V rafting trip so badly (not true) that I got pregnant. They were also surprised, but I don't think nearly as surprised as Sam's parents. We then called my other two brothers and dispersed the news.
And so began the first trimester, and here I am at five weeks...the starting point of the belly photodocumentary. I will speak to the rest of the first trimester when enough time has passed to reflect on it fondly :)
