And it begins…

My dad’s birthday was this past Monday. We originally decided that we were going to tell my parents face-to-face this weekend. Since we weren’t going to be able to see Elise’s parents’ faces when we told them, we thought it would be a fun surprise to tell Steve and Joanne the news on Steve’s birthday this past Tuesday over the phone.

So my mom and dad were the second to hear the news. I wanted the news to be a surprise for my parents but was having a hard time figuring out how to break it to them. See, my parents are already grandparents – I have four older siblings, three of which already have kids, so being grandparents isn’t anything new to my parents.

I went to Wal-Mart today and bought a bag of diapers. I don’t know the brand or size – I just picked up the thing of diapers that had the “1″ printed on them. I know “1″ from previous diaper buying experiences for Jack.

Picking up a bag of diapers for my own child suddenly turned me into Fatherly Manly Man. It was honestly quite weird and invigorating. My chest expanded, I could breathe clearly and I walked in a rhythmic and determined strut. I was proud. Prouder than I’ve ever been. I felt like Godzilla – Like I could crush anything in my path as I had now become an indestructable protector.

So Godzilla Father walked to the check out line with a bag of diapers and a pack of watermelon bubble gum.

Before heading out to my parents’ house I boxed and gift wrapped the bag of diapers. We got to my parents’ house at 7:30, said our hellos and went to Crossroads for catfish. Dinner was great. We sat next to a couple and talked about the weather, cattle, shooting people, horses, etc. etc.

We went back to the house and I presented dad with his belated birthday present. He carefully unwrapped the wrapping paper and genly opened the taped box. He pulled out the bag of diapers and chuckled slightly. I think he was trying to come up with something witty to say and I chimed in and asked how my dad and mom felt about about being grandparents again. Mom grinned her big grin and said, “You’re pregnant?!?!?” Elise took over and told them about the pregnancy tests, that we have our first doctor’s appointment on September 1st and everything else girls talk about when their pregnant.

So my parents are excited. We’re more excited now that both sets of parents know. I’m really excited because I look at my wife now and know that we have a part of both of us growing inside of her and grandparents that are going to play such an important role in our child’s life.

I’m really excited about our first visit to the doctor. I know Elise and the baby will do fine and am anxious to ask questions, gain knowledge and eventually let family and friends in on the news.

It’s hard to not tell people that you’re pregnant. Elise had to tell her Weight Watchers group because she won’t be attending her monthly meetings for a year. That’s okay, we don’t know any of those people.

Elise is telling her parents

Today was Steve’s (Elise’s dad) birthday. We had originally planned to tell my parents the news of their new grandbaby this weekend because we’re going down there to celebrate my dad’s birthday (which was yesterday). We talked about it and decided to give Steve a surprise birthday present by telling him that he was going to be a grandpa.

Steve and Joanne were excited. After Elise “babbled” and we eventually told them (I say babbled because Elise was very nervous – it was funny…) I talked to Steve for a while. He said they had been nervous recently, wondering if we were ever going to have a child. I didn’t know this but Joanne’s side of the family has a history of having problems carrying a child to term.

I think they have just been anxiously waiting for news of their first grandbaby. I’m happy someone finally knows!

I’m starting to have questions. I went to WebMD.com and started reading up on what to expect when expecting. I’m not going to inundate myself with too much information. I’ll limit myself to the basics in my own time. I’m sure I’ll learn plenty from Elise.

I’m so excited. Josh and I are expecting a baby! I told Josh that I was going to wait until Thursday, August 11th to take a pregnancy test, but while picking up some items at Wal-Mart on Wednesday evening my curiosity got the better of me and I bought a pregnancy test to take that night. I came home and headed straight for the bathroom. I decided to heed the advice of that old cliché “a watched pot never boils” and left the room for the 3 minutes it takes for the results. On my way back to the bathroom I said a silent prayer and resolved that it would be okay if it wasn’t positive. Sure enough, it was faint, but the second line was there. I grabbed the instructions (even though I already knew them cover to cover) and scanned for the “pregnant, not pregnant” section. No matter how faint the test line is two lines equal a positive. I even read the instructions in Spanish just to make sure they weren’t leaving something out. I couldn’t wait to tell Josh. I knew he would be skeptical, but I also knew I had the evidence to support the case. I can’t wait for the doctor’s appointment on Sept. 1st to confirm everything. It seems like the days can’t go fast enough.

I’ve been so excited anticipating getting pregnant that I never considered the feelings I would have of fear and sadness right after finding out. Of course I felt excited and relieved, but I also felt fear and sadness. Fear of how our lives will change and knowing that we’re responsible 24/7 of another little being. Sadness because I realize that Josh and I will no longer be alone. It’s not a bad thing because we’ve already decided that our marriage will come first and that we’ll make every effort to have a regular “date night,” but no matter what we do we’ll always have another person on our minds. Those feelings are so minute though compared to the feelings of joy. In all honesty I know I’ll have a lot more emotions running through my mind the next 8 1/2 months, heck for the rest of my life, but I know that’s part of becoming a parent and a family.

mmm… Steak

Elise is pregnant with our first child. We found out last Wednesday. I was in the kitchen, wrapping filet mignons to be grilled and Elise walked into the kitchen, set something on the bar and said, “How do you feel about celebrating an April or May birthday?”

I didn’t know what the hell she was asking. My brain was going a mile a minute, “Hmmm… Elise’s birthday is in February… mine’s in January. I don’t understand what…”

Then I saw what she put on the bar. It was a pregnancy test. She walked around the bar and put her arms around me. I had her show me how to read the test. It’s a very complicated procedure: one stripe = not pregnant, two stripes = pregnant.

Two stripes

The second stripe wasn’t very dark so I maintained subtle skepticism. Elise immediately went online and found a wealth of websites that state that no matter how light in color the second line is, you’re pregnant.

I was excited but I wasn’t totally convinced because that second line wasn’t very dark. I needed solid evidence.

We talked while sitting on the couch that evening. We were both excited that we were going to have a child.

Elise called her OB/Gyn the next morning to see when she could get in. They scheduled her for an appointment on September 1st. The nurse told Elise to wait until Monday and take another pregnancy test. At that time her hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin or pregnancy hormone) will have doubled.

I got up for work as usual this morning and Elise came into the kitchen shortly after. She hugged me and told me that I was going to be a dad. She showed me the most recent pregnancy test and there they were, both lines, plain as day.

So Elise asked me how I felt. I told her I was excited.

“But how do you feel?”

“eh?”

I am excited but things are pretty much the same for me right now. I know it’s exciting for Elise because the physical changes are beginning to happen to her.

I guess it just hasn’t really set in that we’re going to have a child next Spring. Perhaps that will change after our first visit to the doctor.