Week 9: Can I get a Martini with that Green Olive?

Today marks 9 whole weeks and Bambino is allegedly the size of a green olive. I say "allegedly" because after December, after all I've seen my friends go through with their own fertility challenges, and last but not least, after too many hours spent on those damned message boards... I have a very difficult time getting too excited in the absence of any "proof" that all is well.

Next week after a, hopefully reassuring, doctor's appointment at 10-Weeks, I promise to be more optimistic. For now, I am tempering my enthusiasm and attempting to remain somewhat neutral.

But here we are! 9 weeks in. 9 weeks without cocktails - okay, more like 5 or 6 weeks without cocktails, not that I'm counting. I miss them sometimes, especially when we are out with friends before dinner, or the group is sharing a bottle of wine -however these days, my perpetual, non-booze-induced "hangover" has me thinking about anything but booze.

Can you believe, I still haven't told anyone! (Aside from our guests of course, who were already onto me, but that doesn't count). I wanted to tell one of my girlfriends yesterday but the words just wouldn't come out. I'm still so fearful that the second I share, it will somehow, go away. I'm still shocked that I'm even pregnant in the first place. I really did always suspect that I would die old and alone with my cat. But here I am!

I've had fun (and simultaneously overwhelmed myself) looking at all kinds of baby stuff online. I don't think I want to invest too much, despite the lure of infinite-cuteness, I also realize that logically, the kid won't be that small for that long, so splurging too much in the upfront will leave us wanting a couple of months down the road. We're going to keep things simple. In part, because we won't have a ton of space for the first couple of years and the baby's "nursery" will be doing double time as our home library - perhaps the kid will grow up to be a writer! Additionally, because it seems most of the frills you want to invest in upfront are quickly pushed to the side a couple of months later because the baby grows out of them, or new, more fun frills arise.

We will invest in a beautiful, convertible crib - the 3-in-1 kind that turns from baby crib, to toddler daybed, to child's bed.

We will invest in a great pack-n-play pen that we can pack up and bring along with us wherever we go.

I will invest in a cute designer diaper bag because I don't think it's necessary to compromise personal style when you become a mom - and because that thing is going to go everywhere with me!

A good stroller is also important. But my goal is to find just one. I don't need a shopping stroller, and a jogging stroller, and a beach stroller... just one stroller that does it all. Tall order? Perhaps.

A car seat will be critical. I'd like to get one that is convertible like the bed and will last beyond the newborn stage, but I'm open to exploring the options and finding one that has the highest ratings for safety and comfort.

As for clothes, I think this is where Old Navy, GAP, and Target come into play. No designer duds for our little Bambino just yet. There are SO MANY ridiculously cute baby clothes out there at some of the more budget-friendly shops, I'm confident we will be able to load up on lots of cute little ensembles without blowing the bank. Then when the kid grows out of them in a few weeks, it won't hurt so much!

But, I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I. Let's just wait and see how things go next week... Can you believe, by then I will be just two weeks shy of the end of my "First Trimester"! I can't believe it either. No one even knows I'm pregnant yet and by the time they do, I will be a third of the way through!