Battling For Baby~ Telling people

 A real, candid, personal story of my ongoing battle with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

Part 2

Ideally, I wanted to wait until 8-12 weeks before we started telling people our great news, including our close family and friends.  My sister, brother in-law, and family were all heartbroken with my sister's miscarriage a year and half earlier, and it had taught me to be cautious.  I knew miscarriages were common, but that doesn't make them any less heartbreaking.  I also had all of these cutesy ideas in my head of how we would let people know and couldn't wait to implement them.  Sadly, those plans quickly dissipated within a week of us finding out.  I guess with anything in motherhood...one must learn to be flexible, and this was going to be my first tutorial.


The first person I told... was my hairdresser Amber.  We had been planning all summer to color my hair right  before school began.  I had my appointment Thursday before Labor Day weekend.   I sat down in the chair and we talked about what we were going to be doing with my hair.  Right before she left to mix the color I just blurted it out... "I'm pregnant."  She was very excited for me and told me that she would 'paint' the bleach on for my highlights so that it wouldn't even come close to my scalp...but that overall, I wouldn't have to worry, it is mostly just a caution for women who religiously bleach and color their hair.  While she was working on my hair we discussed the pregnancy among other things.  She asked me how I was feeling and if I noticed anything that had changed.  I told her that I felt great.  I didn't feel differently at all, with exception to a slightly sore chest area.  Little did I know... this would soon all change.

Labor Day weekend came and we headed out on our annual trip to the Packwood flea market.  The girls left early Friday so we could get a one day head start on the guys.  We would spend the day in Packwood, and meet up with them at the cabin later that night.  On our way there, I started to not feel so well.  This was not out of character for me, as I get extreme motion sickness (little did I know at the time, motion sickness outside of pregnancy can be an indicator of developing Hyperemesis during pregnancy.  Along with sensitivity to prenatals and multi-vitamins, and sensitivity to birth control.  ALL which I had.)... but this did feel somewhat different than the usual.  Usually I can handle it to some extent, but instead I laid my head against the window and tears rolled down my face.  I didn't really want my mom or sister to notice because I didn't want to feel the slightest bit tempted to tell them my 'news', not like this.  When they did notice, I rightfully brushed it off as being carsick and they understood.  Finally, after stopping at a gas station I found some SeaBands in my backpack left in there from our trip to Hawaii and put those on.  I felt much better the rest of the day.

I wore my SeaBands the entire weekend!  They helped a little, but I still found myself hot and exhausted much of the time.  Luckily the Packwood flea market was kind of a bust overall, and nobody was really feeling it the second day.  We left early and headed back to my Grandma's property for dinner and then back to the cabin.  We spent most of the day Sunday at the cabin.  I was thoroughly tired and continued to not feel well, I slept and hung out in the bathroom all afternoon, while everyone else hung out outside.  J and I headed home later that night, thankful that I still had Monday to try to recover and recoup.

Monday came and I continued to feel nauseous.  I did NOTHING the entire day.  We had a family Bbq to attend at my brother and sister in-laws later that evening.  I was not up for it...but felt I needed to go.  We got  to their house and upon walking into their kitchen was a huge baby balloon with Dahl written on the baby's diaper and pink and blue cupcakes galore.  Guess what?!  They were pregnant!  How exciting!  Even more so when I found out their due date was just TWO days before ours!  We would be pregnant together.  Justin and I just smiled at each other, with knowing glances upon hearing the news.  Other family members slowly trickled in, and it took some of them FOREVER (and by forever, I mean 10+ minutes!) to notice the balloon and what it meant.  Funny to watch, but I thought this was crazy since I noticed it right away... must be my mother's instinct kicking in. LOL

Justin kept asking if I wanted to share also.  At first I said no.  I wanted to stick to 'the plan', and this was their 'day'.  Then I said sure, but he wasn't feeling it.  Then as his dad got on the phone to call Grammy in Minnesota he just couldn't keep it in anymore.  His dad, Ken (yes...Ken Dahl, named before Ken, from Barbie and Ken, was ever popular), was in the middle of saying "you are going to have a great grand-baby..." when Justin interrupted "two great grand-babies".  At first everyone was confused... I think they thought maybe Kaylyn was having twins.  But soon they realized that we meant US.  Everyone was in shock but also very excited.  Before I knew it, his Dad was calling anyone and everyone in his phone to share the good news.  I loved his excitement... but everything was happening so fast, and I did not want ANYONE especially my own parents finding out from somebody he knew congratulating us on Facebook.  Ahhhh Facebook...how you have changed the world.  We immediately did damage control and ran up to Andy and Kaylyn's computer to take down our FB walls.  I told Justin "No wall until 12 weeks!"  Do you know what this did to him???  It would be like telling a little kid no TV for 12 weeks.

After dinner, J and I both decided we needed to go up and tell my Mom and Bill, especially after their concern for me feeling so sick the entire weekend.  We stopped by and got an ice cream cake and headed up that way.  It really worked out perfect since my sister and Phil were up there for dinner. We sat in the driveway trying to come up with a plan.  We didn't come up with one.  Well... the only plan we came up with was that I would tell them, and if I couldn't, I was supposed to squeeze Justin's hand under the table.  We are the King and Queen of the secret signals, I think. 

Once we got inside everyone was just getting ready to dish up.  My mom offered Justin and I a plate.  Justin graciously accepted a small plate, while I kindly turned it down.  I told her we had just eaten at A & K's and I still wasn't really feeling well.  "You still aren't feeling well?" she said.  "Yes... I am sure it is just the morning sickness" I casually replied.  Pure silence and stares all around, followed by overwhelming excitement!  Of course the most excited was my niece Leighton because she was going to be a BIG cousin AGAIN!  {*Disclaimer*~ Do not drink out of the water glasses of the Seston or Dahl girl's... clearly there is something in their water.}

One last set of parents to tell... My Dad and Susan.  We didn't get over to their house that evening, as it was already getting late and we were stuffed with 'celebratory' food.  But made it a point to do so the following weekend... and the next weekend... and the next weekend... and some week nights... and some texts of "Where are you".  They are never home.  Finally, my Dad had called Justin on the phone and was talking to him.  My Dad had asked J how I was doing, and J replied that I was 'sick'.  The first thing out of my Dad's mouth was "Pregnant"?  "Yep" replied Justin. 

Oh the creativity... where did you go?
And that is how we told our immediate families...
All because of stupid 'Morning' Sickness.

To be continued...