Spreading the News
Apologies in advance - this is a long post!
If you would prefer to go straight to my summary, (!) rather than reading through some of the individual stories, please scroll down to where I have indicated :-)
So like many people, we said we would share our news if all looked okay after our First Trimester Scan. Yeeeay - can't wait to tell our loved ones! Since we found out quite early in our pregnancy, we have been waiting for this day for like 10 weeks! Waiting the additional 3-4 hours for our family to wake up in the UK feels like forever as I keep checking Watsapp to see when they were 'last seen'. Now I know what stalkers feel like - how do they get anything else done??!!
Mum & Dad
So I finally can see that my dad is awake so I message him straight away to tell him I want to Skype him and Mum before they leave for work - I don't want to panic him with the urgency first thing so say it is because I want to see him before he leaves for his trip. Sorted - or so I think!
When he messages to say that they are ready, I'm expecting them to answer sat having their breakfast or something, so I have them in one place, but no, he's messing around with his tie walking around and mum is at the cooker making a hot indian breakfast for him before he goes on his trip! I literally have to say 'I want to speak to you both together - I have something to show you'! i hold the latest scan picture up to the camera and I can see that my mum knows straight away by the smile on her face. Dad on the other hand looks a bit confused as to what it is and I need to go on explain that it is his grandchild lol!
The smiles on their faces make me melt - I can tell it's a mix of emotions. The happiness of the news but also the emotion of relief that the heartache from our miscarriage last year can be lifted, even just a tiny bit. My mum has tears rolling down her face and dad, well he is rubbing his eye so he must have something in there ;-)
I'm in tears at this point, partly because I've waited for this moment for a long time now and partly because I know that in this moment, even though I'm this old, they can't believe their baby is having a baby. The fact that I am so far away doesn't help I guess. I'm very close to both my parents and to be able to finally share this news with them is hands down one of the most emotional moments of my life (so far!) - it's just a shame that it had to be over Skype :-(
Brother
The most relaxed response as I think he was still half asleep! Obviously expressed that it was fantastic news that he was going to be an uncle, but went on to tell me that one of his friends had actually asked him a couple of weeks ago if I was pregnant, after seeing a photo on Facebook - WHAT?!! Was his friend saying that I had put on weight? Well!! Anyway, after calming down a little bit lol, he showed me the photo he was referring to and fair enough, I did look a bit puffy in my new coat (that I don't think I will be wearing anymore!), and a bit rough due to the constant nausea throughout this period - obviously lol!
He called back a couple of hours later after fully waking up, and I think the realisation hitting him of what I had told him! He is already asking what the plans are and when he should be booking flights over! I think the excitement is only just beginning :-)
Mother in Law
After messaging and stalking when she had looked at her Watsapp, she replied saying that she was getting late for work and asked if we could call later! Jay was having none of that as he couldn't wait any longer, so we made the skype call anyway!
We showed her the scan picture and you could tell she wasn't expecting it! The shock turned into a big grin very quickly to follow! Here comes the bombshell - telling her that we are due 5.5 weeks after my sister-in-law - which would usually be fine, but we are thousands of miles apart! 'How can I be in 2 places at once?' is the message we are reading, but we decide to keep with the happy thoughts for now and look at reality later lol!
What a crazy bit of information to digest for her though - from mum to grandma of 2 in such a short space of time. That takes some time to get your head around I'm sure!
Sister-in-Law
Now we had just found out a month ago that she was expecting herself and it was soooo hard not to just say 'snap!' right there and then! It was too early for us though, and that was her moment so I'm glad we waited a little while until the time was right.
Again, not the easiest person to get hold of as she had overslept and we only managed to hold of her when she was already on the Underground. We showed her the scan and her eyes immediately lit up, and she had the biggest smile! We can tell that if she was in public, she would be screaming out right now!
How exciting to be pregnant at the same time, but yet difficult to be apart and not sharing in the milestone moments. I really want to be a part of their pregnancy, and her of ours - we will have to find a way!
It's all very exciting, but I think the reality of just how far we all are will kick in soon and prove to be quite difficult for us all...
A couple of weeks later....
Nan
This one was the one I was the most nervous about. Not because she wouldn't be happy - I already knew she was going to be totally over the moon - but because I wanted to try and leave it as late as possible just in case something were to happen. Just being protective I guess, but maybe overly so. I know why - I just can't help it.
I couldn't tell her without crying, and what was so funny was that she didn't believe me! She kept asking me if I'm telling the truth and saying 'you wouldn't lie to me would you?' Why would I lie about it lol??!! After about 5 minutes of that same back and forth, she believed me and quickly moved on to tell me that she will definitely be coming to Australia and she is happy to sleep anywhere (we are in a one-bedroom right now!). Bless her - she said we made her year. I know she has been waiting for this since I got married 4 years ago!
I always thought that I would want to tell people the great news in some weird and wonderful way, but living so far away and with a crazy time difference wouldn't allow for that really. When it came to it, it didn't really matter - the expression on their faces told me that they couldn't be happier either way :-)
Our friends in Sydney on the other hand - we did drop it to them quite casually while taking a group photo on a weekend away. 'Say Cheese!' Okay now say 'Baby Doshi due December!'
It was a mixed bag of confusion and not really knowing whether they should continue to pose for the photo lol!! See the photo below!
Following this came the realisation of what had just been said and the emotion - I think when you live so far away from your families, your friends do become your family away from family, and that's exactly what we are so lucky to have become.
Summary!
The experience of delivering our news has been everything I always thought it would be - a mix of excitement and emotion - there is something about sharing the news that there is a baby on the way, that brings out a deep genuine side of everyone. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there are too many times that anyone is ever going to say 'oh that's horrible news' or 'I'm really not happy for you both', and so I think everyone is genuine on saying that they are pleased for you, but it's just a softer side of people you don't always see on a day to day basis.
I do like to be able to trigger a tear or two when delivering news, but I must say, I wasn't expecting it from so many people! There are some people I never though that I would witness a watery eye from, but there it was - that just fills me with emotion because it re-iterates the strength in the relationships I, and we, have built - both old and new. To have these people in our lives is a blessing that I don't take for granted. To know that they will be a part of our child's life, near or far, is even more of a blessing, and something that he/she will quickly learn I'm very sure... :-)
