Keeping a secret is not my forte. Ask any of my friends. You shouldn’t tell me anything. Ever. So this has been a big deal for me, to keep this baby news under wraps. Especially as the typical over-sharer blogger. I am constantly balancing the line between what I share in my digital world to what is in my real-life everyday world. There’s a whole lot of overlap.
Here is what’s been going down in secret pregnant-lady town, one of the biggest and hardest secrets I’ve ever kept…
:: Although I wanted to reach for my fifteenth helping at the Thai banquet that night, I refrained. “Why you eat so much, Emma?!” I usually eat like a bird. Now I’m pregnant I eat like a horse (well sort of, just more frequently, smaller meals). It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to put two and two together.
:: Not raising my voice three octaves when sitting next to my sister, literally 36 hours after seeing those two lines on the pregnancy test, she turns to me and snorts “God, you aren’t pregnant are you – ha!” Awkward.
:: When another blogger puts on Facebook about her drunk husband eating microwaved cashews covered in cheese, I refrained from typing “Sounds delicious!” and actually meaning it. Dead giveaway.
:: Shoveling a face full of food into me just before the bride was set to leave for the church at a wedding I was shooting. The bride’s dad offered, I was so flipping hungry, and knew if I didn’t eat soon things were going south fast. Real professional.
:: My friend Ange sending me messages saying she dreamed vividly of me being pregnant last night. Me replying noncommittally and all casual like.
:: Posting a photo to Instagram with a very obvious ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’ book in the background on the coffee table. Promptly deleting.
:: Literally being face down on the floor with morning sickness only to have the phone ring, my mum asking casually how I’m doing. Great, just great.
:: Creating a secret Pinterest board for baby things, but also still pinning to my Baby Boy and Baby Girl boards as I’ve had them going for years. It’s hard work equally spreading the pinning love.
I am still undecided as to whether I will do a weekly ‘bump’ photo and post on She Sows Seeds. One post a week seems an awful lot? I might just keep taking the photos and do a post every few weeks with a couple of images. I have also been taking photos with whichever fruit the baby is the size of that week – starting with ‘Blueberry’, which is now what we call the baby!
Katie says
The fruit photos are very cute. My daughter was born in early October and so we had fun visualizing her as a pumpkin. Luckily for me she was a small one!
Heiress Emma says
I was undecided about photos also, and now at almost 35 weeks, I think I probably should have taken a couple more. I am looking forward to your fruit photos when you get up to pumpkin etc – this week mine is “a large canteloupe” !
Anne says
oh wow sorry for the double , now triple comment … guess that comment that I thought didn’t go through due to silly internet with a mind of it’s own did go through.
Anne says
Wow you did so well keeping the baby secret then. I love baby bump pics so post away … actually maybe I’ll become a baby bump stalker. That suggestion of cashews and cheese sounds tasty … hmmm. Love hearing about your secret keeping problems some definitely made me smile. Look after yourself!
Amor says
Congratulations Emma 🙂
I’ve been a reader since your camping days. I’m so happy for you both!
So sneaky of you. haha
Greetings from the tropics of Kuala Lumpur 🙂
Alli @ Ducks on the dam says
Love the collage pics. Very cool. First time round was really hard to keep secret for me. Second time was easy – pregnancy was REALLY long (for me) and I couldnt fathom talking about it longer than I had to! Made it to 17 weeks before we told most people. Helps that I had no bump at all that time. First time – different story. Enjoy. This is a great time
Anne says
I love the fruit comparison of baby size … maybe keep doing for yourself so you can show little bub how much they grew and how fast. I love seeing baby bump photos so I will look at as many as you show … maybe I’ll become a baby bump stalker. Love you little list of near misses. You did so well to keep the secret. Actually those cashews with cheese sounds good …
Ainsley says
Lovely picture of you under the tree Emma. I know I have next to no photos of myself pregnant …. Your photographic progress will be such a beautiful keepsake. Am just so excited for you …..
Showed my husband your blog last night …. he smiled knowingly at the title “She sows seeds” xx
Lisa Barton-Collins says
I’ve kept my 3 pregnancies a secret for the first 3 months, including the ones where I was working full time! It was so hard, I feel your frustration. Congratulations by the way!
xx
Helen says
Love all the fruit pics! Such a clever idea 🙂
Edwina says
Congratulations! You’ve done a stellar job keeping it a secret for so long. Very excited to watch the bump grow! x
Kathy says
I agree “Up the Duff” is a funny but down to earth book and a total must. It is so hard to contain your excitement with your very first pregnancy but now it’s out their and you can let that belly be, no more breathing in, in front of your friends. Make sure you are taking a folate tablets for spina bifa very important and keep the mix of sultanas, pumpkin seeds and almonds in a container in your handbag at all times. Lots of fun things to discover. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
Emma says
Yes am dosing up on folate, have been since three months pre-conception, or more possibly? Luckily I have actually been craving lots of nuts and dried fruits, clever body telling me something, so I keep a little bowl on my desk to snack on.
Sharon says
ps. Up The Duff is MUCH better than what to expect when youre expecting. I used that one as a door stop and just read up the duff. Bonus: its HILARIOUS
Emma says
I know! Already reading Up the Duff and Kidwrangling – love them! Read WTEWYE for about two weeks, general overview and went meh! I do have the app though.
I think in this photo I look smaller than actual though?! Alarming. You should see me after dinner!!!!!!!!
Sharon says
Make sure you take the photos. I didn’t take ANY. Love the fruit comparison one. How on earth are you going to find a small watermelon in winter?!!!
You are getting round pretty quick! Fun times. Thanks for sharing. I say keep em coming in amongst all of the other great stuff you post, you know we are enjoying your joy and are along for the ride with you!!
Emma says
Good point… I followed another blogger in the US that did this fruit/veg thing and she could not for the life of her find a turnip?! I think she used something comparable…I have already missed weeks, but I’m ok with that, the blueberry to the lime was a bit of a jump though, missed raspberry and prune I think? I’m actually a turnip this week! And that’s a bit of a small avocado…
Danielle says
You know. I should have guessed. You stopped talking about being clucky!
Emma says
I tried to make a conscious effort to keep up the talk! Apparently not enough. One of my posts just before our pregnancy announcement I mention ‘trying to get Matt on the baby bandwagon’ lol
Ali says
oh man! I do no know how you kept it a secret for that long (especially your mum)! good effort – and love reading about these little snippets! 🙂
Emma says
Living so far away definitely helped, except we had an unexpected trip home for my aunty’s funeral when I was about 10 weeks which was tricky!