Week 5: Sesame seed baby

If my due date calculations are right (and I'm about 5 weeks along), our baby is the size of a sesame seed. Last week he/she was a poppy seed. It's crazy how this little guy will turn into a full size baby by November! A full size baby that I have to push out of my body... Oh boy. We'll deal with that later :) Until then, here's a picture from BabyCenter.com:


I have my appointment with Dr. Avison tomorrow who will do some blood work, then refer me to an OB. I'm praying that everything goes well. I'm really excited for this and have a ton of questions, so I'll report back tomorrow!

Everyone in the family knows!

We got a hold of Kati today in San Diego and told her the news. Yay! So everyone in the Stenstrom and Zogas family are in the know. After my doctor appointment next week, we may tell a few friends. This is too fun :)

Telling people is fun!

Instead of waiting until today as we had originally planned, Johnny and I spilled the beans to our families last night. We just couldn't hold it in any longer! We stopped by my parent's house first, where they were home relaxing watching the Gonzaga basketball game. They were surprised to see us since we had told them we'd be coming by Saturday. We told them we just happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to say hi. We were all standing in the living room as my dad asked if we wanted to come sit down in the TV room, when John said nice and loud, "Lindsay's pregnant." Both of my parent's gasped and my mom started laughing/crying, and my dad's face grew red. I'm pretty sure I saw some tears in his eyes :) Then came the laughing and clapping and hugging. It was so great and they reacted exactly how I hoped they would. We sat down for a few and I told them the whole story, then my mom and I talked about Providence and having a baby there. It still didn't feel real but was still great :) After that it was time to move on to the Zogas house! I knew John's mom would wonder what we were doing there so the whole car ride we planned our story. We'd say we were meeting friends nearby and just wanted to drop in since we never do that. But wait, would they buy that? Maybe not. Ok, so we'll say that I had to meet with a bride who lives in the area and we thought we'd drop in. No, ok, back the original plan... Seriously, that was our conversation the whole ride. So we finally get there and John's dad opens the door. We hug him hello and he asks what the special occasion is. I think I managed to spit out "Oh we were in the area..." Irene then walks down the stairs and is looking at us both in disbelief. I just stared and her and couldn't think of anything to say! Why we were here again? Aaah I don't rememeber! I kept looking back and forth between John and his mom for what felt like an hour (but was probably 15 seconds), when John finally looked toward his dad and said, "We're pregnant." Irene screamed and said "What?! Are you serious!" John repeated, "Yep, Lindsay's pregnant." Costas grew a huge smile on his face and Irene still stood there in disbelief, asking if we were joking. I was laughing and told her that it was true! They gave us big hugs and Irene asked who she could call. It was hard to tell her to wait a little while before telling anyone! It's not fun keeping such great news inside :) Anyway, John went upstairs to tell Yiayia and she responded in Greek, "I'm so happy for you! I was expecting this." I went up there and gave her a hug and she told me how happy she was, and it was the sweetest thing ever. Val was in her room and came out after hearing all the commotion and John blurted out, "Lindsay's pregnant!! You're going to be an aunt!" She ran over and gave me a hug, and once again I was just filled with joy.

I wish we could have told Anna and Max in person but a phone call to them just had to do. Anna screamed and said over and over again that she couldn't believe and she was so excited! It was so fun telling her she's going to be Auntie Anna. John called Steve this morning (and totally woke him up at 8:45am, sorry Steve!) and told him finally after being so patient. I tried calling my sister Kati (who's on vacation in San Diego) but haven't heard back from her yet. So she will be the last family member to know!

Last night we went to sleep feeling so loved and supported. It is the best feeling and we can't wait for this baby to join such an AWESOME family!

A Word From The Father

So before I decided what I wanted to say, I thought I would introduce...nay....KILL.. this post with a witty, somewhat funny Title, much like the Blazers excited everyone with a 12-5 start against the Suns last night (amazing game by the way) to establish what would be the tempo for an incredible and much needed win...so...."A Word From The Father" is all that I could think up, and to be honest, I'm not so much concerned with being funny in this post (although it WILL happen)...as much as I care about conveying to you...the reader...how insanely happy I am that before Christmas, I will be the dad of a newborn baby!!...I know...I know...anyone who hasn't kept up with what's been going on in my life will probably think that I'm not ready, or too immature to handle something as big as this...but aside from deciding to marry Lindsay, I've never been so sure about..................................oh, sorry I was just re-watching highlights from last night's Blazer game (DID YOU SEE IT?!?!?! MY GOD WHAT A WIN!!)....so yeah....I've never been so sure about how ready I am to raise this baby, to love this baby, and to provide for this baby. As I'm sure you've already read, from older posts, Lindsay filled you in on my reaction and she did just about as good a job of painting a picture of how my face might've looked during that moment, as anyone else could have. Needless to say...yes...I felt like I had just been hit with a Mike Tyson uppercut to the face (maybe more proper...a nibble to my ear), and came back to him, fists clenched, heart pounding, sweat pouring down my face, saying "BRING IT, BITCH!! AND DON'T TRY TO ACT ALL HARD WHEN WE ALL KNOW HOW YOU SPEAK!!" The news really did catch me out of nowhere, and no one masters this better than my beautiful wife has managed to do ever since we started dating...the laptop for my birthday...the Blazer season tickets for finishing Paramedic school....and now...oh yeah my day at work was exhausting...so happy to have these next 4 days off...oh a surprise? What did you get me?...oh thisisthecutestonesieI'veseenaaawhaaaaaaOHMYGOD!!!! I don' t know if I have a gift to see things happen in slow motion, like how Neo fought Agent Smith in the first Matrix, but I swear that pregnancy test took about 10 seconds to hit the table before I saw the 2 pink lines that would forever change my life. All I remember after that was putting my hands to my face, literally shaking, so much so that I couldn't cry, and looking into Lindsay's eyes with the biggest smile on my face. We've been keeping it hush-hush for the past 6 months, but this they day that I've been waiting for, and have had several dreams (many of them weird...that'll be a different post), about how I would feel on when this day came. Lindsay, being a girl, and now pregnant, which makes her emotional to the 10th power just cried, because Lindsay cries, and we held each other in what was one of the best hugs I've ever been able to give her, and hopefully, she felt the same. It's been 2 days now and I can't believe I have to keep this from my family until Saturday, and from my friends for even longer. For those of you who know me, I'm not good with secrets, and I don't like to keep them, and I'm pretty sure I sent about 20 texts to Lindsay last night, asking if I could tell Steve....each one of them...a firm no. I find that quality incredible and yet irritating because I just wanted her to give in, but I guess it's good practice for when our cute little baby grows up into a shithead that wants everything...and I should know what that is...unfortunately being one of those kids that did that to their parents (sorry Mom and Dad). I remember one time when my mom blamed me...not Steve...not Val...only me, for every single one of her white hairs...hehehe...whoops :) Anyway, as I am typing this, on the toilet, which is where I do my best thinking...I'm so excited to be telling my family tomorrow because the secret is already eating me up inside. This feeling of euphoria deserves to be continued through the smiles, and probabe tears of my family and soon...all my friends...it's a great feeling...one that I wouldn't trade for any amount of Play Station 3 video games or continued season Blazer tickets...because I can assure you...I already have those things :)

This is one heck of a secret!

Keeping this pregnancy a secret is tough, and we've only known for a day. John hasn't even known for a full 24 hours yet and he is DYING to tell someone!! We have a plan to tell people but it's hard not to screw it all up and call everyone we know right now :) Since I'm not seeing my doctor to confirm the pregnancy until next Wednesday, I don't want to tell too many people just in case. But we are going to tell my family on Saturday, then head over to John's parents house and share the news. I want to tell as many people as we can in person. But, there is one special person that I really wanted to tell as soon as I could even though it would have to be on the phone– my brother! He's hard to track down when he's out at sea, so we called him this afternoon in hopes of getting a hold of him. He didn't answer but I left a message just saying hi, and to call me back if he had time. He called me back just a few minutes ago, tired & exhausted in Florida after working 3 weeks straight... And I told him he's going to be an Uncle! He told me that's the best news he's gotten in weeks :) I asked him to keep it secret since I haven't told mom & dad yet, and he said he feels so special being the first to know. I just really wanted him to hear it from me, and not my parents or sisters, and I didn't want to wait weeks to talk to him again. So that was totally fun and I can't wait to tell others! We'll probably tell a few friends before my first doctor appointment but not many. So for all the friends we'll be seeing over the next few weekends, I'm sorry that I may be lying to you about why I'm not drinking!! We want to scream our news from the rooftops but know it's probably best to keep it on the DL for a few more weeks. Thanks for your understanding :)

John is going to be a Daddy!

I took a second test and once again got those beautiful double pink lines. Here I am, totally excited (and tired and bloated, I might add):

Whoo hoo!!!

John got home from work and I could barely contain myself. I tried to play it cool and hugged him hello and asked how his day was. I then said, "I have a little present for you." His eyes lit up– the boy loves presents!! I gave him a small bag and said, "This is for you, I just wanted to do something since you've been working so hard lately." He took the gift and commented how nice I was, then pulled the onesie out (the pregnancy test was rolled into it). As he began to unroll it, he said "Oh wow, what is this?! How–– wait.. Are you serious?!" The test dropped out onto the counter and he stared at it. He covered his mouth and looked at me and said, "Are you serious?!?!?!" I laughed and started crying and we just stared at each other for a few minutes. His reaction was priceless because it's the same reaction he had when he first saw me on our wedding day. He covered his mouth with his hands and held back tears, all the while having the biggest smile imaginable on his face. It was so amazing and I will never forget his reaction! He gave me a huge hug and he went back and forth between "Are you serious?!" to "Yay I'm going to be a Daddy!" back to, "No way are you kidding?!" It was so incredible and I am so so SO happy I finally had that wonderful news to share with him.

Here we are (John pretending to be sad but we all know how happy this guy is!!!!)

Pregnant! Yay!!

I'm pregnant.

I'm laughing and crying right now after typing that... Yes, I'm pregnant. I am pregnant! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!! Ohmygosh, are you serious?! Yes. Yes, I am. Well, at least it seems that way according to my trusty Dollar Tree pregnancy test. I'll take another (First Response) in awhile just to confirm. But you can't tell me this is a mistake:


The picture is upside down, but it doesn't have to be right side up to see those two beautiful, crystal clear pink lines. I am ecstatic, and I can NOT wait to tell John.

The past week or so, I haven't been feeling the best. I've been really bloated, and felt like I gained back all the weight I lost not too long ago. I've also been having some weird dreams, all about taking pregnancy tests that have had positive results. Last night's dream was SO vivid though and I can't get over it. I dreamt that I took a test, and right away both pink lines showed up nice & strong. I freaked out! In the dream, when John got home from work that night, he was cleaning out his lunch box, when I came up to him. I pulled the test out of my pocket and gave it to him, and he freaked. I woke up last night at one point thinking, "Thank God I'm finally pregnant!" Quickly I realized I was just dreaming and I felt so sad. All day today, I've wondered why that dream was so strong... I checked my horoscope, and this is what it said:

Why are you doing whatever you're doing today? That might seem like a simple question, but you've actually got more to think about than usual when you're doing so -- things are different now.

So I feel kinda crappy, I'm having crazy dreams, and my horoscope says things are different... I have been wrong about being pregnant before, but I just couldn't shake that feeling in my gut that this time is different. So, I knew it was time to take a test! I went home after running some errands and whipped out one of my cheap Dollar Tree tests. I took the test then left it in the bathroom while I carried about my business. I wasn't nervous or excited about seeing the test results because I just expected to see the negative result again. I walked in the bathroom, and those two pink lines were staring back at me. I thought I was going to pass out! My whole body started shaking and I burst into tears. I cried outloud (to myself), "Are you kidding me?!!" It's real. I'm really pregnant. We are going to have a baby!!!! I got back in the car kind of laughing to myself that I'm just carrying on with life as if nothing is new! I called Dr. Avison's office and talked to Nicole who scheduled me an appointment for next Tuesday (or Wed?!) at 2pm. I told her "my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant and I got a positive test result" and she goes "Awwwww!" So, technically, she was the first person I told and it was awesome. After that I went to Presents of Mind to buy a "Made in Portland" onesie (NOT cheap, by the way!!!!) because I've always wanted to give that to John when I tell him we're going to have a baby. I'm going roll the test up in the onesie so when John pulls it out, the test will fall. It's only 5:20 and he's not home until about 9! I can't wait. He is going to be so excited.