Primigravida

Primigravida: a woman who is pregnant for the first time or has been pregnant one time.


Also known as: A bun in the oven. Preggo. Pregs. With child. In the family way. Wearing the apron high. Knocked up. Expecting. On stork watch. Baby on board.


That's me!
Kyle and I are having a baby--we are so excited to share the news. 

Here's the scoop in the fun form of FAQ:

Q. How did this happen?
A. When a man and a woman really love each other....hehehehe just kidding.

Q. How far along are you?
A. 12 Weeks, just finishing the first trimester.

Q. When is the baby due?
A. May 17, 2011. 

Q. Are you sure it's just "one bun?"
A. Yes!

Q. Do you know what it is?
A. Yes. It is a baby.

Q. Will you learn the gender before the birth?
A. No. We think we're going to wait.

Q. Do you have a prediction on the gender?
A. Kyle thinks it is a boy. I don't have a sense. I get now why people say they don't care as long as it is healthy. We just want a healthy baby. 

Q. Do you have names picked out?
A. Some, but for now we're keeping them under our bonnet.

Q. Will you have the baby in Korea?
A. Yes. Fingers crossed that everything continues to progress smoothly, we'll deliver at Yongsei Severance Hospital, which is about 20 minutes from our house.

Q. Will the baby have duel citizenship?
A. No, that apparently is only a rule in the States.

Q. Are you excited? Scared?
A. Pretty much over the moon, and not scared YET. So excited, in fact, that I started the "draft" of this blog entry in mid October.

Q. When did you find out/know for sure?
A. September 11, 2010 (Sandy Crockett's birthday!)

Q. How many pregnancy tests did you take? 
A. Two.  Both Positive.  One in English and one in Korean :).  On Saturday morning (9/11), I took the one test we brought with us from the States. I sat on the edge of the bed to wait my two minutes and Kyle was like, "Well...?!" He apparently wasn't aware that you have to give it a spell before it gives you the results, and thought I was keeping a secret!  The second one was "in Korean" on Sunday morning (9/12). Since the directions were in Korean, we first confirmed with the pharmacist (after making the "international" sign for pregnant by pantomiming a big belly) that "Two line--you pregnant. One line--you no pregnant."

Q. What did you say when you saw the results?
A. Kyle, "YES!" 
    Shelby, "No way. No way. Holy shit." (Classy, I know, but I just couldn't believe it). 
    Then we kissed and laughed a lot. 

Q. Who was the first person you told.
A. My momma.  

Q. What did she say?
A. "Oh Shelby!" About 100 times.

Q. How do you feel?
A. Not going to lie, weeks five through nine were brutal. BRUTAL. Lots of foreign smells (kimchi is just the beginning) around here--not my strong suit. We have four bathrooms and I "visited" each and every one. I stopped walking the trail and I stopped preparing meals because I just couldn't handle food/food prep/eating.  Now I feel fine most of the day and go downhill fast after 5pm.

Q. Cravings?
A. Not really. Saltines.

Q. Can we post messages about this on your Facebook?
A. Absolutely--feel free! We just thought the blog was a fun way to share initially.

Q. What is the hardest part so far?
A. Not being able to tell people why I am not myself, for sure. And waiting a little longer to tell Kyle's mom (she has known since week 10). He wanted to wait just in case, and I totally get that. And there was also one really bad day, when I just was overwhelmed by the previous 14 hours vomiting and headaches that I cried really hard and begged Kyle to move home and he kept saying, "We can't." I regret that, even though I know he knows I was out of my mind.

Q. What is the best part so far?
A. Three things: 
One, If you request it, they do an ultra sound with every visit. So, at eight weeks, we got to see (basically a dangling blueberry) and to hear the heartbeat. We were totally not expecting/counting on hearing the heartbeat--my sister Jess even cautioned me, "Do not panic if you they can't find the heartbeat, it is very early, so don't worry if it doesn't happen." But the tech cranked up the audio and there it was: 155 beautiful beats a minute. I just lost it--laughed and cried simultaneously, while Kyle grinned from ear to ear. 
Two, when I emailed the "picture of the blueberry" to my parents, I mentioned that it didn't look like much. My dad responded with, "It is very apparent to me, after viewing both "photographs" of our newest grandchild that he/she is photogenic, active, intelligent, charismatic and much more than advertised!  You see, it is the perspective that determines what one sees. Love, Dad."
Three, Kyle whispers to my lower abdomen trying to convince the baby to like him the best.

Q. When you come to Michigan for the holidays, how pregnant will you be?
A. I will be home during my second trimester, weeks 17, 18 and 19 and part of 20 (December 7-28).

Q. Are you excited about your US visit over the holidays?
A. On a scale of 1-10, I'm about a 36. YES.

Q. What else are you thinking?
A. We are astounded, truly, thinking about how lucky and fortunate we are (so far). I am also thinking about friends that are trying to conceive and wondering/hoping if their announcement is right around the corner/due around the same time. That would be fun.

Q. Did you know that, TECHNICALLY, the term for your condition is "Elderly Primigravida" since you are 35?
A. Yes, and I choose to ignore that ugly prefix to my otherwise lovely status. 

Q. What sign covers your due date (May 17)?
A. Taurus.

Q. (Added October 17, 2010) Did you lie to anyone about being pregnant?
A. Sort of. I am sorry, Jen Geer! When you asked over Facebook chat if I had any news, I technically did not lie when I said that "Nothing to announce yet." I read your question aloud to Kyle, who reminded me that I promised him we would wait until he told his mom!

Q. Do you have a nickname for the baby?
A. No, nothing has stuck so far. 

Q. Does your doctor speak English?
A. Yes, very well. Dr. Kwon is very nice and we like her a lot so far. 

Baby Crockett, 11 1/2 weeks

:)sbc