We're Gonna Have a Baby

After being married for 4 years, I figured it was time to add a baby into the mix.  Actually, I’m pretty sure if you had asked me the day after I was married (call me old fashioned), I would have told you I was ready for a baby right then, HOWEVER, we had too much going on and just weren’t ready.    Immediately following high school, I started going to college at Ohio State. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right time for me.  My grandmother had just been diagnosed with cancer (I remember sitting on the floor in my room that night crying, sobbing while Andy held and tried to comfort me).  I had no one in my family to help me.  Sometimes I almost feel as if they didn’t want me to go to college (whole other story, I may tell later).  So, with that being said, as soon as we were married, I moved out of the house I grew up in for the first and last time.   College didn’t last long…Actually, just a quarter.  Andy and I settled into our little townhouse apartment and we got our first pup, Sam.  Sam is an absolutely hilarious Puggle.  If any of you have ever owned a pug or a beagle you can understand, we got the best of both breeds.  During our time in that apartment, I went to the local community college off and on while I tried to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with my life.  I worked at various restaurant jobs until I found a great job at an office (where I work now).  During that time, we also got our wonderful kitty, Lucy. She is a beautiful, petite domestic short hair with A LOT of personality.  She had SO much personality that we almost got rid of her (which I normally would NEVER consider).  She personaliteed (peed) all over our apartment.  It wasn’t until we started letting her outside (which I didn’t like the idea of either) that she became the sweetest cat ever.  She apparently just wanted to go outside.  *I do want to note ALL of our animals are spayed and neutered.  Keep the pet population down!!!    While in our apartment we decided we were going to wait to have kids until we purchased a house.  Of course, not long after that discussion I started looking for a house.  I wanted babies.  After looking at a billion houses (ok, it was really only like 30, which is still a lot to me), I found our house.  It is a cute cape cod that was built in the 1950s.  4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, perfect for kids.   We were only in our house for a few short months when I started to get bored.  Andy still wasn’t quite ready to have kids so I felt I needed to do something with my life in the meantime. That’s when I chose to go to college to become a vet tech.  I chose a private college and got my associates in 18 months instead of the traditional two years. I will honestly tell you, I’m not sure if that was the best decision.  I still question whether I made the right choice, especially now since I don’t even use my degree.  It’s one of those degrees with skills you lose if you don’t use (i.e. drawing blood, remembering blood chemistry values, etc).    Sometime in between owning our house and me finishing college, we took in two more fur babies.  Mojo, a quirky French Bulldog who insists on being on top of or next to you at all times and our beautiful Bullmastiff Hera.  We fostered for the American Bullmastiff Association for a while until we fostered her.  We had her for two days and adopted her.  We ALSO adopted a cute grey kitten named Boots (white feet).    While at school, I left the office job so that I could work in a veterinary clinic part-time to gain experience.  It was the most high stress job I have ever worked (more about that later).  In October 2009 (not quite finished with college), we decided we were going to start trying for a little one.  We had a “preconception” meeting with my OB at the time (we’ve since switched practices) to discuss what to expect etc.  I remember the OB asking, “Well, what are you waiting for?  Go for it.”  That’s all I needed to hear!   In December 2009, I graduated college.  I found out Christmas night that I was indeed pregnant.  I was, well, in shock.  Who wouldn’t be?  It only took us a few months to conceive.  I was also at that moment terrified.  A whole rush of emotions hit me and I wasn’t sure what to feel (how was I going to tell Andy?, my boss?, my family?, what was going to happen to my body? Do we have enough money? etc).  I was very nervous so I called one of my friends and told her first.  She convinced me to tell Andy that night.  I put the test in tissue paper, wrapped it up and gave it to him as a gift.  He opened his gift and then looked at me.  I was shaking at this point.  The look on his face said it all; he was ecstatic.  He smiled and hugged me.  That night we talked about our plans and relished in the moment.  We were going to be parents.