I'm a bit superstitious. Blame it on being raised in rural Vermont. Blame it on years working in the theatre. Whatever the cause, I toss salt over my shoulder, pick up pennies, and avoid the Scottish play to such a degree that I've never actually read it (quite the accomplishment for an English major with a background in theatre). All that said: I wanted to wait three months to tell anyone we were pregnant. That went completely out the window on the drive home from Planned Parenthood.
Annie, Bryn's mom, called while Bryn was in the waiting room awaiting me to be done with the official test. He told her that he was waiting for me in the doctor's office and he'd call her back. Needing to explain why we were both at my doctor's appointment necessitated telling her what we were really up to. She was thrilled, apparently started crying, and swore she wouldn't tell my mother. Since I finally had an explanation for my fatigue and nausea, I was thrilled to have someone to talk to about it other than Bryn.
This was Monday, December 19th. I was not going to see my mother until the 24th. Bryn, Alex, and I were visiting friends on the 22nd, and on the 23rd, we would be visiting my father. Bryn's sister, her husband, and their sons were coming on the 25th. There were lots of people we would get to tell in person, but it would have to wait a few days. I'm not good with surprises. Bryn frequently gets his Christmas presents for his birthday (in November) and his birthday presents ... the day I get them.
We live with Alex, the six year-old. Keeping it from her was nearly impossible. It was also important to me that she be aware that Bryn and I were discussing moving. The move would affect her the most: she would need to change schools. Alex was terribly excited about the pregnancy and completely at ease with the idea of moving and changing schools. I'm a bit torn about this. I wanted her to have a sense of stability at least for the couple of years that I'm a UVM, so the idea of moving upsets me more than it does her, apparently. That and living in Colchester is the elementary school jackpot. Moving 300 yards down the street changes everything for her. Anyway, this is a topic for another post. Needless to say, my pregnancy was the topic of Circle Time on Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening's Daisy meeting. Most of Colchester knew I was pregnant before my parents did.
Bryn told his best friend, Ed, Monday night. He could not wait until he saw Ed on Thursday. At least Ed hadn't told his wife by the time I saw her. Joann and Ed have three kids. In the time I have known them I have not known Joann to not be either pregnant or nursing. I told her that I was pregnant this Christmas so she didn't have to be. The smile and hug were epic!
The next day Bryn and Alex and I set off for my father's house. Dad was so excited about Alex that I was hoping for more excitement for the new baby. I prefaced the announcement by saying that we had news. Dad looked happy and excited and said, "You're getting married?" at the same time Alex said that we were having a baby. Dad's face fell, "Oh". I know my dad is old fashioned and if I explained the money side of our decision he might understand, but I was just kind of hoping he would match his mood to the ones we were projecting and complain about it after we had left. My relationship with my father is not really relevant to this post or this blog, but his general disapproval of my life makes me less inclined to call or visit him which tends to make him less approving of me, so he may not show up in this blog nearly as frequently as my mother. I just wish he had been happier about our news. Kathy, my step-mother, and Aunt Barbara, my father's sister, seemed happy, so there's that.
Christmas Eve. I wanted Mom to be comfy and settled in before I told her. Telling her while she's hauling boxes and we're setting up dinner and stuffing our faces seemed imprudent. Mom brought her dear friend Kathleen with her to celebrate the holiday with us. Kathleen is a nurse midwife. Once we were all settled and fed, I was pooped. I told Mom and she practically squealed with joy! I then collapsed into the comfy chair and Mom and Kathleen doted on me. It was nice to have someone around to take care of me. Don't get me wrong, Bryn takes excellent care of me, but the sympathy given by women who have been there and witness it all the time is much different. They did all the dishes! They brewed tea and gave me sour candies! They sent me to bed!
Christmas Day was sort of anti-climactic. Four extra people were coming, but when Phil asked what was new, and Bryn said we had news, Beky squealed from the bathroom, "I knew it!" and that was pretty much the end of it. Eva, Bryn and Beky's stepmother called, and we told her too. Everyone was very happy. But we were done with the personal, face-to-face news telling.
A few people got texts from me on New Years. Bryn made an announcement on Facebook. I made an announcement on Facebook. Bryn told his boss - she is in charge of determining graduate housing so she was going to find out when we applied for a three-bedroom anyway. And she told everyone else.
Guess that's it. The news is out. So much for waiting three months.
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