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Still remember me? Cause I got NEWS!
I have to admit, I have been back to some boards lately...and I was found by a few of our ladies on the January 2011 bump board- cause Jer and I got a little surprise a month ago!
Turns out, it's not a good idea to get out of practice of taking your BC pills when you husband is in the army and always gone. I got lazy and felt like it was pointless taking it while he was gone for 8 months, but started about two months before he came home. Then finals got to me in April, and I kept forgetting to pick up my refill. So...now we have a little one coming! We are scared and excited! I feel kind of dumb, I do sex education as a job, yet I got pregnant on accident! 
But we had acknowledged that it was a possibility and decided to leave it to chance. I was good and avoided all the bad things, and took a test after the dreaded two week wait- and it was negative. So I assummed it just wasn't the right time for us. Went on with life, picked up my BC and waited for my period so that I could re-start it. A month went by...and I looking in my night stand drawer and realized I never started my period and never started my BC. Took another test...and hello positive!
It's been a rollercoaster ride already- I was taking medications that are not allowed during pregnancy, and while my OB doesn't think I did any damage taking them before I knew, he recommended doing a cold turkey withdraw, which knocked me out for about a week. I am still dealing with the mental aspects of withdraw, but the physical is over. I have always struggled with anxiety, and have to learn to keep myself from getting too anxious and use all those great coping skills I tell others to use.
Unfortunately, on the day of my first ultrasound, we also learned that Jeremy will be leaving again very soon with the army. We still don't have a date, but the latest he will leave is in five weeks- and he will be gone until a week or two after my due date. No one will give us a straight answer on him being allowed to leave training to come for the birth- but he's a 10 hour drive away, so it's doubtful that he will be present for the birth period. He has also been notified (but no orders yet) that he will deploy overseas in 2012. So I know that for at least a year he will be gone at some point after Baby's first birthday. It was a lot to take in for one day, and it has been a struggle for me to stay positive about the unexpected pregnancy, and unexpected "single mom" status. It has kept from sharing with a lot of people that I am pregnant because I feel awful telling people and not feeling excited yet.
But my friends and family have really rallied around me, and are starting to build the excitement for me. I have a very close friend who Jeremy and I have asked to my "partner" for the whole thing. She was a huge help the last time Jeremy was gone with the army, and she is going to come help me weekly with chores around the house, and be my person to go to the doctor's appointments and register and everything. She is also the person I have choosen to be there with me for the birth and takes classes with me- and I told my doctor's office that she will be my substitute husband. So having someone who is excitedily stepping up to the plate and saying she will do all the "daddy" things for me and with me is great. Plus, she is a lisenced massage therapist, and is already planning my weekly massage nights. I have a feeling she will be more useful in this role than Jeremy could ever be!!
But now at 9 weeks and one day pregnant, I am finally feeling like this is a gift, and that even though it's not ideal timing- Jeremy and I (and my hetero-life-partner Ruth) are going to be amazing parents. I just hope the next time around, he gets to be there and do the Daddy thing the whole way through!
Re: Still remember me? Cause I got NEWS!
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Thats sad about him having to miss so much tho. :-( But it sounds like you have a great sub. What a great friend she is!!
Congrats! Sorry that your hubby will be missing so much but at least you will have someone that is dedicated!
So, where ya been hiding?
~~~MARRIED BIO~~~
Wow! I'm so glad you came over here to share! Congrats on your little bundle. I'm sorry about the potential plans for your husband to be gone, but I'm sure it will turn out okay. Please keep us updated and don't forget to visit every now and then!
Congratulations!!!
Congrats Ellen! You'll get more excited as time passes and it's great that Ruth will be there to fill in for Jeremy.
One of my good friends lives in Columbus (if I remember correctly you're in NKY) and went through a similar situation. He's been in and out of training all through his daugher's life and he just left for Afghanistan. He'll be gone for 12 months. Let me know if you want to talk to his wife about how she handles being a "single" working mom.
Congratulations to you and your hubby! You are going to be a great mommy!
Come by more often !!!!
HEY!! Glad you came over here to share your exciting news with us! We miss you around here, you should come by more often!
And congrats on the baby!! That's really exciting!! I'm sorry Jeremy will be gone for most of your pregnancy and that you already know he'll be deploying. That's a real bummer, but at least you have your hetero-life-partner and your supportive friends and family!
Congrats and welcome back!! You should hang out here more often.
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wow, congratulations! what an exciting time for you!
it stinks that jeremy won't be around as much as you had hoped....i'm facing a similar thing with my dad, he missed the last 2 months of my pregnancy, the birth and will miss the first year and a half of my baby's life. (i know its a LOT different for a grandfather than a daddy, but i thought i'd share what we do anyway).
we take 20 pictures a week and i narrate on the back of the pictures whats going on and send them to my dad. he loves getting all the pictures and it is sort of a baby book for me too! he says he can see all the changes, and he'll compare earlier pictures just to see how big she's getting.
anyway, best of luck to you! how wonderful that you have an amazing friend to help you when jeremy isn't around.