It is still only day two and since Adam was so gung-ho yesterday about doing what I asked him to do (looking up our insurance policy), I decided I would make the preconception doctor's appointment, as I said I would, just to make sure everything was in good working order.
Now, I'll be honest. I'm not sure most women do all this planning. But then again, I'd be willing to bet that many pregnancies are not planned at all! I am a super over-planner. I love organization and order. Therefore, having a baby must be planned, predictable, and by the book. I always worried I'd have a baby unplanned, before we were ready. But, I made it this far without an "accident." So, now this is my opportunity to start something brand new, from scratch, with a clean slate.
According to "What to Expect When You're Expecting," I was to make a preconception appointment with my OB-GYN. Oh, how I always love calling their office. They are always so successful in making me feel dumb. Today was no exception. I had to call and leave a message. It said they would respond before the end of the business day. I waited and waited, carrying my phone and calendar with me everywhere (even to the aforementioned gym). No call. Finally, after 4:00pm, they returned my call. Somehow, amazingly, the doctor could get me in July 14th! Wow! I was expecting she would be booked until 2012, which would have been the case if I was calling to schedule my annual exam. Still, July 14th wasn't as soon as I would have liked, but I had to take what I could get.
I asked if there were some vitamins I should start taking, but the nurse told me I will get samples when I come in. But, I don't want to wait a month to start taking them. I was hoping to start trying for a baby after mid-July. She said I should call my insurance provider to see what types of vitamins they cover because some can be over $150 a month! What??? Why do I have to be so plan-ful? It would be cheaper and easier to just wing it! Okay, I told her, I'd do my research.
So, now I will wait and look forward to that day. It's only 3 weeks from tomorrow. That's the day when this "Let's have a baby!" game will end and the reality of "Oh wow, we're going to have a baby" will set in. But, until then, I will feel satisfied with my over-planning because as my father-in-law says, "The outcome of your project is determined by the quality of your planning." Let's hope this works as well for babies as it does for floor tiling projects.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
$14.43
This baby thing is already getting way out of hand! Already, on day two, it's inspired me to go to the gym and focus on eating smaller portions and healthier options. Maybe this is all just one big trick for myself to lose those last few pounds since nothing else is working. Really, if only I could lose 7 more pounds, then I'd be just out of the "obese" category on the very warped BMI index. Can I do that in two months? Is that really too much to ask of myself? I think so.
So today's baby adventure began at Barnes and Nobles. Again, I think I tricked myself into going there so I'd be close to the gym and have no excuse not to work out. I wanted to find a good read for myself about what to do before you have a baby, despite the fact that I don't read books. I guess I suddenly felt inspired to be a "book reader" again. When I pulled into the parking lot, I felt sick and almost turned right around. Since when did going into a Barnes and Nobles strike fear in people?? It's not like it was a maternity ward at the hospital or a Lamaze class. It was a bookstore!! I parked the car, took a deep breath, and headed in. I decided I was going to be the "casual browser" customer when I went in, mainly because I had no idea where the pregnancy books were in the two-level store and I didn't intend on asking either! So, I casually browsed the entire store for about 30 minutes before I started getting frustrated. After a sweep around the store, I went back to the "Love and Sex" section, the only section that seemed semi-related to pregnancy... could they be mixed in here somewhere? I had to give it a closer look. No... my husband is not cheating on me. No... we don't need to put the spark back in our marriage. No... I don't wonder why that he's dating "that stupid bitch." Oh lord... I hope no one can see me. No pregnancy books here!
This was enough. I was leaving, minus a baby book. As I was heading for the escalator to go down and out, I saw one of the little computer kiosk book look-up stations. Eureka! I rushed over and typed in the title of the specific book I'd heard about: "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It was in stock! It even showed me a little map of where the section was located. How could I have missed it? I glanced over my shoulder to see that the map was pointing me right across from the escalators to the giant, overly colorful, cartoon-character infested children's section. Great. Very inconspicuous.
I decided to suck it up and go with the "that's right, I'm looking at pregnancy books" attitude. That is, all until the salesgirl who had been asking to help me for the past 30 minutes thought she should ask me one... more... time. "Can I help you find anything?" "NO!! Go away!!" my mind was saying. "No, I'm good, thanks," I said in a tone that indicated that I was a professional baby book purchaser.
I wanted to buy every book, of course. That's how I roll when it comes to shopping. There were cute little journals to mark every step of your pregnancy, and "The Belly Book." I want it! I want it now! But wait... I wasn't even pregnant yet. Okay, I'll wait on that for a little while, I told myself. Finally, I ended up just leaving with what I came for - "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It has a few introductory chapters that relate to preconception, so I thought those would give me something to read for now.
So, it was time for the next difficult step - checking out at the cash register without having to have a baby conversation with the cashier. Why doesn't Barnes and Nobles have the self-checkout lane like at the grocery? I guess a baby book wasn't as bad as purchasing the "that stupid bitch" book. I hid the cover as I waited in the line. I stepped up to the cashier to pay and all was going really well until she asked, "Are you a Barnes and Nobles member?" Technically no, but I always use my Dad's phone number to get his discount. But I'd already thought this through... I don't want to use the discount because what if he can see my purchases?? "Umm... umm... yes, can I give you the phone number?" Drats... too late, the words slipped out of my mouth. Whew... in the clear. Then she says, "Do you need a gift receipt?" "Um, no thanks," I responded. And then the worst thing she could say... "Oh, this is for you? Congratulations!!" No, no, no, no, no... "No, not yet," I assured her. Then she goes on to tell me about how she bought the book "What to Expect Before You're Expecting" and how she left it on her coffee table and freaked out her husband. She could show me where that book is too if I wanted! "No, thanks. I think this will be enough for now."
"14.43 is your total." There it was... my shopping addiction meets baby (aka. my new reason to shop). Start the running total - $14.43 towards a baby. This is going to add up quickly. I've made my first baby purchase. This is scary. But it's exciting too. I'm not sure how to feel about it. But I'm looking forward to telling my husband all about my adventure when he gets home.
So today's baby adventure began at Barnes and Nobles. Again, I think I tricked myself into going there so I'd be close to the gym and have no excuse not to work out. I wanted to find a good read for myself about what to do before you have a baby, despite the fact that I don't read books. I guess I suddenly felt inspired to be a "book reader" again. When I pulled into the parking lot, I felt sick and almost turned right around. Since when did going into a Barnes and Nobles strike fear in people?? It's not like it was a maternity ward at the hospital or a Lamaze class. It was a bookstore!! I parked the car, took a deep breath, and headed in. I decided I was going to be the "casual browser" customer when I went in, mainly because I had no idea where the pregnancy books were in the two-level store and I didn't intend on asking either! So, I casually browsed the entire store for about 30 minutes before I started getting frustrated. After a sweep around the store, I went back to the "Love and Sex" section, the only section that seemed semi-related to pregnancy... could they be mixed in here somewhere? I had to give it a closer look. No... my husband is not cheating on me. No... we don't need to put the spark back in our marriage. No... I don't wonder why that he's dating "that stupid bitch." Oh lord... I hope no one can see me. No pregnancy books here!
This was enough. I was leaving, minus a baby book. As I was heading for the escalator to go down and out, I saw one of the little computer kiosk book look-up stations. Eureka! I rushed over and typed in the title of the specific book I'd heard about: "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It was in stock! It even showed me a little map of where the section was located. How could I have missed it? I glanced over my shoulder to see that the map was pointing me right across from the escalators to the giant, overly colorful, cartoon-character infested children's section. Great. Very inconspicuous.
I decided to suck it up and go with the "that's right, I'm looking at pregnancy books" attitude. That is, all until the salesgirl who had been asking to help me for the past 30 minutes thought she should ask me one... more... time. "Can I help you find anything?" "NO!! Go away!!" my mind was saying. "No, I'm good, thanks," I said in a tone that indicated that I was a professional baby book purchaser.
I wanted to buy every book, of course. That's how I roll when it comes to shopping. There were cute little journals to mark every step of your pregnancy, and "The Belly Book." I want it! I want it now! But wait... I wasn't even pregnant yet. Okay, I'll wait on that for a little while, I told myself. Finally, I ended up just leaving with what I came for - "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It has a few introductory chapters that relate to preconception, so I thought those would give me something to read for now.
So, it was time for the next difficult step - checking out at the cash register without having to have a baby conversation with the cashier. Why doesn't Barnes and Nobles have the self-checkout lane like at the grocery? I guess a baby book wasn't as bad as purchasing the "that stupid bitch" book. I hid the cover as I waited in the line. I stepped up to the cashier to pay and all was going really well until she asked, "Are you a Barnes and Nobles member?" Technically no, but I always use my Dad's phone number to get his discount. But I'd already thought this through... I don't want to use the discount because what if he can see my purchases?? "Umm... umm... yes, can I give you the phone number?" Drats... too late, the words slipped out of my mouth. Whew... in the clear. Then she says, "Do you need a gift receipt?" "Um, no thanks," I responded. And then the worst thing she could say... "Oh, this is for you? Congratulations!!" No, no, no, no, no... "No, not yet," I assured her. Then she goes on to tell me about how she bought the book "What to Expect Before You're Expecting" and how she left it on her coffee table and freaked out her husband. She could show me where that book is too if I wanted! "No, thanks. I think this will be enough for now."
"14.43 is your total." There it was... my shopping addiction meets baby (aka. my new reason to shop). Start the running total - $14.43 towards a baby. This is going to add up quickly. I've made my first baby purchase. This is scary. But it's exciting too. I'm not sure how to feel about it. But I'm looking forward to telling my husband all about my adventure when he gets home.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Day One
We just made the biggest decision of our lives. All in the matter of about a 2-minute conversation, we decided it was time to take the plunge as all of our other friends were beginning to do, and have children. The conversation went something like this:
Me: "So... question of the night... should I start my new pack of pills?"
Adam's response: "YES."
Me: "Really? Do you want to have a baby sometime?"
Adam: "Okay then don't start them." And, there it was, our decision.
So, today, I am pill free! I reminded him that it didn't mean that we had to start trying NOW. It just meant we were in the preparation stages. I think we're more ready now than ever, though. Most of my "criteria" have been met: saving up money, timing it as to not interrupt my wedding photography season, remodeling our house, and achieving half of my losing weight goal (which will never be fully accomplished anyway). And all of his "criteria" have been met: being a wild college-aged guy who could do whatever he wanted. He said he's over that phase of his life. His other criteria is that he wouldn't be old and die by the time the kid's 15 year old. So, therefore, that actually reinforced the need to start planning sooner!
So, here we are. I've had baby on the brain ALL day. Everything I do makes me think of babies. I'm one of those instant gratification-type people, so it's challenging to think in maybe a few months we will start "trying" to have a baby, then we have to wait at least 9 more months to have one. What if I just want one NOW!? I may change my mind a year from now!!
So, after thinking about babies at work all day, and receiving several baby-related e-mails from Adam (i.e. rules for traveling on cruise ships while pregnant and our insurance coverage for maternity care and children), I think we're going to go forward with this plan.
So, if you're reading this blog right now it's either 1) because you stumbled across it on the web, or 2) late fall or almost winter 2010 and we've announced that we're having a baby and would like you to follow along on our journey, or 3) sooner than that because we're not as good at keeping a secret as we'd like to plan to be. In the case of any of the three scenarios above... Welcome!! :)
This is how you can remember the Harringtons from 2010 and prior. As for 2011, I hope we'll have a new family member in our holiday photos. Preferably, one without fur.
Me: "So... question of the night... should I start my new pack of pills?"
Adam's response: "YES."
Me: "Really? Do you want to have a baby sometime?"
Adam: "Okay then don't start them." And, there it was, our decision.
So, today, I am pill free! I reminded him that it didn't mean that we had to start trying NOW. It just meant we were in the preparation stages. I think we're more ready now than ever, though. Most of my "criteria" have been met: saving up money, timing it as to not interrupt my wedding photography season, remodeling our house, and achieving half of my losing weight goal (which will never be fully accomplished anyway). And all of his "criteria" have been met: being a wild college-aged guy who could do whatever he wanted. He said he's over that phase of his life. His other criteria is that he wouldn't be old and die by the time the kid's 15 year old. So, therefore, that actually reinforced the need to start planning sooner!
So, here we are. I've had baby on the brain ALL day. Everything I do makes me think of babies. I'm one of those instant gratification-type people, so it's challenging to think in maybe a few months we will start "trying" to have a baby, then we have to wait at least 9 more months to have one. What if I just want one NOW!? I may change my mind a year from now!!
So, after thinking about babies at work all day, and receiving several baby-related e-mails from Adam (i.e. rules for traveling on cruise ships while pregnant and our insurance coverage for maternity care and children), I think we're going to go forward with this plan.
So, if you're reading this blog right now it's either 1) because you stumbled across it on the web, or 2) late fall or almost winter 2010 and we've announced that we're having a baby and would like you to follow along on our journey, or 3) sooner than that because we're not as good at keeping a secret as we'd like to plan to be. In the case of any of the three scenarios above... Welcome!! :)
This is how you can remember the Harringtons from 2010 and prior. As for 2011, I hope we'll have a new family member in our holiday photos. Preferably, one without fur.
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