Oh baby baby!!

 Baby's first photo :D

As most of you know.... we're having a baby!!!!  That's right we're expecting our first child at the beginning of June.  As of now the due date is June 2.  This is our very first ultrasound of our cute little bean!  It was taken at 8 weeks.  We are now 10 weeks and a few days along. 

So many of my friends have asked me how I told Danny... so here's what happened.

I had been trying to figure out for a couple of months how I would tell Danny when we were pregnant.  I saw a lot of cute/ extravagant ways of telling husbands, friends and family but I knew that if he thought anything unusual was up he would know before I even got to revealing it in some special way.  I had decided that I would just hand him a grain of rice... (unlike blindfolds and balloons he would be dumbfounded, it was brilliant!) and tell him that was how  big his baby was.  SO what REALLY happened?

 HE found out first!

Ok, ok. So I had "a feeling" I may be pregnant and had taken the last test we had.  It was negative but I still thought I may be and was having strange food aversions (apples, cucumber) so I decided it was just too early and I would wait- it wasn't an early response test anyway.  Five days later I was begging Danny that we go get another test! We had just finished a military photo shoot and I really really really wanted to know! (I have a history of just taking a test every day and wasting them just so I don't have to wonder. haha) He kept saying we should just wait but I won so we went and got the test!  We got home- I peed on the stick, no classy way to say this peeps, and he shoved me out of the bathroom.  Then made me stay in the living room until the full three minutes had passed.  Then Danny books it into the bathroom and cups his hands over the test so only he could see!!!!! He kept saying "Oh you don't want to see this sweetie!" What a tease.  I tickled him till he let me see and was shocked to see a positive for once.  I was like- wait, let me see the instructions again, that means positive right? I've never seen it look like that before!" Danny said "Ya well, you've never been pregnant before so...." Then we laughed and hugged and stuff.

Ever since I had the feeling I was pregnant I have also had the feeling it is a girl.  I was trying to fall asleep one night and was thinking about the deployment when I realized I was thinking "we" and "us" and "she" while he is gone. I was so strange.  If it turns out to be a boy we will be overjoyed idiots. We already have a girl name we're pretty set on.... Every name I suggest to Danny, boy or girl he says "I just like Eden." 

To answer that question that's been itching at you- YES Danny will be deployed when I have the baby.  NO, he will most likely not be there for the birth.  Baby will be five months old when he gets home.  He will be gone for 9 months. I am moving back in with my parents in Idaho while he is gone, having baby in Idaho.

 While we're on the topic I'd like to say something about this whole deployment thing.  Specifically about how I feel it is appropriate to speak to a wife whose husband is gone.  Be kind. Don't tell us "well you chose it." I chose my husband because I was supposed to be with him and I love him.  Don't tell me you couldn't do it, how you can't even handle being away from your husband for a week.  Cause I can't either, but I will.  Don't tell me how you totally understand because your husband went away for a week, or how those nine months will just fly by! Don't lecture me on staying positive or tell me how I should feel or act.  What I NEED you to do is actually be there.  When I am sad, lonely and down and say it's hard acknowledge that YES it is, and that I can do it and that you will be there to support me through it.  And I mean actually be there.  It surprises me how I can tell a friend how I am struggling but she still can't even bring herself to make a phone call or a visit.  Danny is my whole life.  Especially because I have no one here in Georgia.  Only Danny.  It IS going to be hard, but I can do hard things and I need your support.  That's it.  Acknowledge the pain. Tell me I can do it. Be there.  By the way some of you have already done a phenomenal job of this, even from a distance.  You are much appreciated. :D 

Anyway :) When it comes to babies or military everyone has advice they share freely without being asked.  It makes me crazy sometimes lol

So far the pregnancy has been a little rocky.  I struggle with interstitial cystitis (bladder inflammation, spasms, swelling and pain) quite frequently and the symptoms can be very painful and uncomfortable including swelling in my abdomen and pain. At the beginning of the pregnancy I also had a cough I had had for a few months turn into bronchitis... then ear infections and sinus infection.  Then when they put me on an antibiotic.. it gave me some more problems *cough* *cough*.  So take that and add all day morning sickness and the regular pregnancy issues and I was a bit of a mess.  I have had morning sickness, been sensitive to smells, no appetite and thrown up pretty regularly for the entire pregnancy so far.  This week I finally got some zofran and am doing better! I don't think I have lost a meal for TWO WHOLE DAYS! Yaaaay!  I am gradually doing more (before moving around a lot made me throw up) and am able to be in the kitchen more as well.

Danny has been absolutely wonderful.  He is always willing to help me in any way I need.  He is constantly supportive and positive and holds me while I cry because I hurt or am so frustrated and down from being sick.  He comes home from work, gets me something to eat, cleans up, holds my hair, takes the bucket when I lose the lunch and is all around the very best husband he could possibly be.  So patient, so kind, so loving.  Ladies, I really got the best husband ever!!

We're so excited for a little baby to come.  It's an odd situation to have to set up baby stuff in my old bedroom but we'll make the best of it.  I wish I could start collecting baby things and putting together a nursery here but it will all have to wait.  We plan on getting most of what the baby will need when we get to Idaho.  I would like Danny to be there and play a part in picking everything out.  We hope that he will get to see the gender before he leaves- keep your fingers crossed!

The ultrasound was a great experience for both of us! I only got to see the screen for a second before the doc turned it away but Danny watched that little heart beat the whole time.  :) He was in awe, and kept saying how cool that was.  It became much more real for him and it was fun to see him get so excited!   Anyway, we have another appointment at the end of November, so I will hopefully update again!