Ik ben zwanger!!! (Dutch for...)

Translated: I AM PREGNANT!!!!!

We found out this morning that our first round of inseminations worked and I am now 4 weeks and 4 days along! We are absolutely ELATED. Just thrilled. So happy. Over the moon. Doing cartwheels! Overjoyed. Flabbergasted! There's not even a word to describe how freaking McHappy we are! Baby .02 will be arriving sometime around July 24th 2008!

I woke up bright and early with a nice full bladder this morning and took a "line" test where if two lines show up you're pregnant if only one line shows you're not. Well that line was there. It was weak as hell but it was there. I needed further convincing before doing my happy dance though. Marco had bought a digital test (actually a three pack) the night before because I just knew I wouldn't believe just one test.

I dipped it in my collected specimen (I've gotten VERY good at aiming... I don't even get my hand anymore!) and laid it on the counter covering it with paper so I couldn't sneak a peak. I came in and set the timer for three minutes. When those 3 years... oh wait... minutes... were up Marco and I met at the bathroom door, held hands and prepared for whatever it was we were about to see. On the count of three we lifted the paper.

One.

Two.

Three.

LIFT! Oh my GOD! It says "zwanger (pregnant)". Not "niet zwanger (not pregnant)" but ZWANGER!!!!! I reacted a bit differently than I expected. I'm a bit of a weeper and expected the tears to automatically start flowing but instead I started jumping up and down screaming "YAY! YAY! YAY!" in a pitch that I'm pretty sure only bats and werewolves can hear. As I jumped I also hugged Marco and continued to yell "can you believe it? can you believe it?". He was too busy grinning from ear to ear to really answer. It was the most exciting moment we've had in a very very long time. The screeching of yay continued for a while longer before the tears came but of course eventually they came.

I've spent the rest of the day planning cutsie ways of telling our parents. I had a little lamb candle and pink and blue balloons sent to my mom at work and called her right after to talk to her. We bawled. I told you... we're weepers in my family. She is in charge of telling my dad, who will also be thrilled for us.

We bought Marco's parent a build-a-bear gift card and attached it to pink and blue helium balloons and took it over when we had dinner with them tonight. The card said something along the lines of "here is a gift card to make me a stuffed animal to snuggle with when I arrive in July 2008" or something like that. His mom just kept saying "echt? echt? echt?" (really, really, really). She even jumped up and down a little even though she has bad legs which was totally cute. It was a wonderful moment to share with them. I am so glad we got to tell at least one set of parents face to face.

Since telling our parents we've shared the news with all of our friends and family and now I'm sharing it with you all as well. You all have been so sweet and supportive every time I have posted about our fertility problems and I really appreciate it more than you will ever truly understand.

I'm feeling absolutely perfect right now. No "symptoms" to speak of with the exception of some sore breasts that seem to be the slightest big larger already. WOOHOO! I always wanted big boobs! I hope to continue this "feel great" path on through the rest of the time but won't be surprised if it's not all smooth sailing. I'm ready for it. Dare I say "bring it on?" Nah.. I won't tempt the pregnancy gods.

So what happens to my blog now? I'm obviously not going to try to lose weight anymore by "dieting" but I am going to try to lead the healthiest lifestyle possible to ensure I don't gain unnecessary weight. Actually all along I haven't really been "dieting" I've just been eating healthier. Pregnancy isn't a reason to get lazy or slip back into my old habits of comfort food, elation eating, boredom eating etc. A pregnant woman only needs an extra 500 calories per day so there's really no "eating for two". I'm willing to take any suggestions that you ladies (and men) who have been through this have for me. I'm going to try mostly to just roll with the punches and do what I can when I can.

So that's that! I'm going to be a mommy! Marco's going to be a daddy! We're going to be parents!!! YAY!!!!!!!!

(And before anybody warns me that it's a bit early to be blurting it out on my blog please first know... We have been through infertility hell for the past 2.5 year (36 cycles). We have had disappointment after disappointment after disappointment. We have had scare after scare after scare. I want this one moment to be worry free and to be absolutely elated... so please... I know the risks...I know what "could" happen... I think everybody does... I just ask that you please don't make it your duty to warn me (or any pg woman for that matter) that I may miscarry. I just want to be happy for a while. And I think I deserve it. Should something go wrong I would need your support more than ever so it's all the better I share this news. My life has been an open book to my readers and I don't want that to stop here. Thank you so much for understanding.*stepping off of soap box*)