Surprise! We're Having A Baby!

 Sean and I decided in our mid-twenties to try to have a baby.  We didn't do much before that decision to prevent it but we were ready.  After about a year of not conceiving we began to actively pursue pregnancy.  I went to the Dr., Sean did too and everything seemed to be ok.  I started with tracking my cycles, which led to basal body temperature tracking, then we tried rounds of fertility drugs, and then we did a couple rounds of inseminations. This went on for years.  Every time I would see a negative pregnancy test it was a disappointment that I just can't put into words.  I decided I needed a break and had made peace with the fact that maybe it wasn't in the cards for me to be a mom. 

Sean was back and forth getting ready for a cruise (Navy), when one evening I was out to dinner with a couple friends.  The waitress walked by with a tray full of food and I almost threw up just smelling the food.  My friend says, Jack, you are pregnant. I was like, don't joke about that.  She was like no, your cheeks have been flushed all evening. You should take a test.  Taking a test was the last thing I wanted to do because I knew it would be negative.  I reluctantly bought a test on the way home from dinner. The next morning I woke up and thought, what the heck?  It was positive. I did not believe it. I yelled for my friend to come in and look. I was in total shock. I called the Base clinic, it was a Sunday.  They were only open for a few hours. The lady I spoke with said come on in honey, we will give you a urine test.  I went in and the first thing she said to me was honey, you are pregnant.  I guess I wore it all over my face.  I went home and she said she would call me once the test results came back.  About an hour or so went by and my phone rang. I had told myself it was going to be negative as the countless tests I had taken all of those years were negative.  She says honey, are you sitting down?  I said yes, and she said you are going to be a momma.  I was in total shock.  I don't even remember if I said anything at first. I was elated!!!

At this time Sean was out to sea.  We didn't have cell phones so the best I could do was e-mail and ask him to call me the first opportunity he had.  I told him it was not an emergency but please call me.  He called me later that evening.  There was a delay in the call, meaning I would speak but it would take a few seconds to reach him and vice-versa.  I said, you are going to be a dad.  He screamed at the top of his lungs - I am going to be a dad - I am going to be a dad!!  When he came home from being out to sea he had a pair of infant white Nike's for the baby. 

My pregnancy was not an easy one.  At 11 weeks I had to go to the hospital because I was bleeding heavily. After several tests, they said the baby was fine and couldn't tell me why I was bleeding.  At 7 months, on the day of my baby shower in Delaware, we were headed home and I started bleeding heavily. I went to the hospital and they said the baby was ok but the only way they would release me was if I went straight to my Dr. in Maryland.  That's what I did and I was instantly put on bed rest.  Jacob was sitting super low, I had so much pressure down there.  I literally felt like I could high-five him or rub his head he was so low. 

They decided to induce me a week before he was born. I had family and friends coming to MD. There was a Dr. switch at the hospital and the new Dr. decided I should not have the baby that day and to wait another week so his lungs could be a bit more developed. She pulled me off of all of the machines, stopped the drugs, and said Mrs. Armstrong we will see you back on 12/12.  Sean and I were devastated. NO WORDS!  We went back on 12/12/02 and had our baby boy. I couldn't stop staring at this little peanut.  They kept telling me he was going to be this big baby well over 10 lbs. He was not! He was a bit over 6 lbs.  I thought he had his dad's beautiful brown complexion until they told me he had a pretty severe case of jaundice.  His coloring soon went away.  As I am typing this story, I am wondering if I wrote it before on this blog?  I didn't see it in any of the titles I previously wrote about.  My apologies if it is a repeat but what a great story, right?  My baby is now 21 and he has given us so much joy through the years.  He is such a good guy! He is our world! BE BOLD!  Don't give up!  What is meant to be will be!