August 8, 2015. That’s the day my wife gave me the news that we were going to be parents. It was a Saturday morning. I’m off on Saturdays and she is up early to get to work by around 7 am. I’m asleep in bed and I feel her nudge me awake. She says she has found the perfect anniversary gift for me(2 year anniversary was August 10). Half asleep, I say “great, what is it?” She pulls this stick up in front of my eyes and with the greatest smile says “I’m pregnant”. I was awestruck. I smiled and we kissed and hugged while my sleepy brain tried hard to process it all. We had been trying for years even before we got married so I’m not sure my heart and brain could jump on that train so quickly. She finished getting ready for work and off she went moments later.
I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling still not sure what just happened. I thought of my dad, who died in 2011 and how he wouldn’t be here to meet our child. I thought there’s no way I’m getting too excited because we both know that some pregnancies end in miscarriage through no fault of the parents. I thought, did that just happen, is this real? There were so many thoughts and emotions in those first hours and days.
I have been told for years from the time I was a teenager that one day I would be a great dad because I helped take care of my nieces and nephews. Would I be? Everyone has a loose plan for their life. I’ve always wanted to have a kid. In my younger years, I thought it would happen in my 20’s. I was 36, on the verge of 37. Can I keep myself in good enough shape to be active with my child? Oh crap, I’m getting way ahead of myself again. I had to keep my excitement in check.
Now we have to keep the news to ourselves for awhile. We told our immediate families and maybe 1 or 2 other people. I was bursting. I wanted to scream from the rooftops that I was going to be a dad.
Stay tuned for the next post….the September scare.