Because it took us so long to get a medical confirmation that we really were pregnant, Adam and I decided to wait to tell our family and friends. Besides, the majority of miscarriages happen in the first trimester. And Thanksgiving, when we would be seeing Adam's parents in person anyway, seemed like a great occasion to tell our family in person.
It turns out that keeping pregnancy a secret is surprisingly difficult, even for a few weeks.
First, we had to break down and tell my mother soon after the positive pee test. She thought some of my early pregnancy symptoms might be a sign of a deadly disease.
Then, of course, we had to tell my in-laws. It wouldn't be fair to only tell my parents. And I was so sick by the time we got to their house for Thanksgiving there would have been no way to hide that something was going on.
As my morning sickness got worse, I had to tell my boss and the school secretary. There were some mornings I was too busy getting sick to make it to school on time.
We didn't tell anyone else, but it soon became clear that everyone knew. My students said I kept unconsciously rubbing my belly. And my ginger chews made them very suspicious. My best friend noticed a change in my shape pretty quickly. The list goes on and on...
At first, I was pretty disappointed. I thought I'd missed out on some of the excitement of telling the people I cared about that we were having a baby. But, as it turns out, I have an entire community of friends and family who have loved our baby since the day Adam and I got married--before he or she was even conceived. They continue to surprise and delight me with the concern for me, interest in my health, and love for the baby.
So what if I failed to keep a secret? I'm not sure you're supposed to keep secrets about something so exciting anyway.
Well, I was completely surprised and pleased when you told me. Don't you remember my high-pitched scream? BABY!
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