I never had heartburn, I didn’t feel sick, but I’m pretty sure I knew I was pregnant the second it happened. I always said the only time I take a pregnancy test will be the time it comes up positive. I was right!
We were living in Florida at the time so we had to let our family know over the phone. I was so excited but there wasn’t a lot I could do but wait. We had to go to the doctor on base and they can’t see pregnant women before they’re 9 weeks along and since we’d be moving again soon there wasn’t much I could buy or do for putting together a nursery. My first appointment was a month later, on March 6th. I don’t know what I expected to see, but when I looked at the screen and saw that little jumping bean with two little legs and two tiny feet that’s when I KNEW I was going to be a mom. I’m usually a really emotional person and I have the hardest time hiding anything I’m feeling so I remember Skyler staring at me to see my reaction. Somehow, I held myself together until we were driving home before I fell apart. I remember sobbing “That’s our baby! I can cuddle it all I want and never have to give it back!”
The hardest part for me the first 4 months was waiting to find out what we were having. I had a feeling it was a boy ( so did everyone else, not a single person thought we would have a girl) but still I didn’t want to buy anything until we were absolutely sure! Luckily, I had the best friend ever who was willing to track down every baby store around Destin, Florida, with me just so we could look. I don’t know what I would have done while I was pregnant in Florida without my friends or family if it wasn’t for Sarah! She had a baby girl and I loved spending the days with them because I got so excited about having my own baby. Sky swears I somehow willed myself to get pregnant because I was so obsessed with baby Zailey.
The day finally came for the appointment I was most excited for. Unfortunately, when we got to the doctor they told us they couldn’t do an ultrasound and we wouldn’t be able to see our baby or find out what it was for another two weeks. That was really frustrating because with Sky’s training schedue it was nearly impossible for him to get time off to come to appointments with me. Since it was almost mother’s day he let me schedule an appointment at an ultrasound photo studio so we could go on a Saturday when he could be there.
Walking out after that appointment was the most excited I had been the whole time. I could finally start planning his room, and buying him clothes, and pick out a name!
The name. The first problem we encountered was that I only like names if they’re unique and I don’t know anyone who knows someone who knows someone with that name and every name Sky liked popped up on the “most popular for 2011” list. I thought of “Beckham” about a month later. Funny thing… I checked a name website to be sure it wasn’t anywhere near coming up on the most popular for 2012 list. It wasn’t, but of course, the receptionist at his first newborn check up said “There’s going to be a lot of Beckhams at school with him.” even one with his same birthday in the waiting room with us. To make myself feel better I always tell him even if you aren’t the only Beckham, always remember you’re the cutest!
By five months I spent my days googling baby related things and reading parenting magazines and books. I even signed up for a nurse to come to our house every week to teach me about caring for newborns, what to expect while being pregnant, and how to prepare for labor. I could have skipped on the last part. Those DVDs didn’t make me feel any more at ease and I’ll never get those images out of my mind.
I had barely started to get a recognizable baby bump and I’m not bragging because it’s really awkward being on the beach resting your hand on what looks to everyone else to be nothing more than your average “food baby”.
At 6 months, Sky found out he had to go to another school, in Missouri, for twelve weeks and me and my growing bean couldn’t go with him. Even better he didn’t graduate until the DAY BEFORE my due date. I remember wanting to cry because it’s common for guys in the military to be away when their babies are born and I didn’t want that. I definately know being married to someone in the army comes with sacrifices, but the birth of our little boy wasn’t something I wanted to have to tell him about over the phone. I decided I wasn’t going to worry myself. I would just pray he’d be home in time. We got a week together at home before he had to leave so I wanted to get pictures taken. I had to push really hard because my tummy still wasn’t a round pregnant belly that looks cute in pictures.
It was nice to spend my last months being pregnant at home. I got to have two amazing baby showers and share the experience with my friends and our family.
I took pictures of my belly every week and sent them with my letters to Sky.
This was when baby started to really roll and flop around and it helped me not feel lonely to lay in bed and talk to him. On sunday’s when Sky got to call I put the phone by my tummy so baby got to hear Dad’s voice too.
Sky finally got to come home, two weeks earlier than we expected, on September 21st.
My Pregnancy and Birth Story (continued)
Rachel Mikell's Blog 