The big blog entry

The secret is out. We are expecting an addition to Team Schwartz in March!

Dave and I decided to err on the side of caution and wait to spread any word until after the three month mark. Then, we decided it might be nice to tell our families, if we could, in person about the first grandchild or the first-in-a-long-time grandchild. I don't think we actually sat back and realized this would be 5 months into the pregnancy, but we waited to share the good news in person and it was well worth the wait.

I told my family when I went home for Karen's wedding at the beginning of October. I generally don't like big announcements and the attention associated with it, so I told different people at different times. For me, it was nice treasuring each person's reaction and well wishes in private and I wouldn't have it any other way. Most knew I'd gained weight, and it was nice to supply them with a good reason why.

For Dave's family, we told them when we went to New Jersey this past weekend. Coincidentially, the wedding guests were staying in the same hotel where the New Jersey Professional Wrestling Association was also holding their convention. Every washed-up, puffed-up, over-dyed, tattooed and over-tanned wrestler of local fame was there. Some national big names were there too. Several had bald spots combined with the long ponytails. Several women had one enhancement too many. What did they do? Besides congregate around the entrances smoking a minimum of four packs a day, I really don't know.

But anyway. This was the setting for telling Dave's parents, already named Pop Pop and Meemaw by Jake, about their grandchild-to-be. Needless to say, they were excited.

After spreading the news gradually over the past several months, I've learned the basic baby questions. If I don't see you in person to answer your questions, I bet this gets it done:

1. My due date is March 12. That means right now I'm right at the halfway mark.

2. No, we're not finding out if we are having a boy or a girl. According to my doctor, more and more people are doing this too. You don't get many happy surprises in life, so why not? And, after seeing countless friends have babies, I've come to two realizations:

i.) It's much more fun for everyone involved not knowing. Otherwise, the only payoff at delivery is either how much the baby weighed or how long the mom is in labor. After we started taking out bets in my last newsroom on what the sex of the anchor's baby would be and seeing everyone so excited to spread the news when she had the baby, I decided this was definitely the best way to do it.

ii.) Besides, you get far fewer baby clothes at showers if the sex is unknown and more practical items instead. If grandma-to-be-gone-wild can't buy girl or boy clothes, chances are they will buy something you really need. And, they'll buy clothes after he or she is born too, I'm certain. (If grandmas-to-be are reading this, please know we fully expect and hope for the barrage of baby goodies! :) )

There's no right or wrong decision with finding out sex and I think everyone should be free to make their own decision here, but from my standpoint, this not knowing has been really fun so far. It's a daily guessing game with Dave and me, and we've laughed about it a lot.

3. No, we don't have names picked out yet. We go back and forth daily over a small list of 5-6 names, but we don't have anything set in stone now.

4. Girl or boy, we want a healthy child. And we mean that. Dave worked in high school with developmentally challenged children, and I've done several stories, especially up here, on autistic children. We've seen meltdowns, challenges, and the stress these parents face firsthand. So when we say we just want a healthy kid, we really mean that.

On a side note, Dave really wanted a boy when we first got pregnant. Then he started thinking. A few days later he said maybe we should hope for girls.... after all, they are the ones who usually take care of the parents later in life. So, we should have lots of girls so we are well taken care of. We don't get much choice, but we'll be happy with both.

5. Yes, I'm feeling fine right now. I did have the morning yucks for the first three months and felt like I could've slept 15 hours a day every day... but now I feel fine. I'm just gaining weight, but at least it's for a good cause. That still doesn't make it easy to get dressed everyday.

6. Yes, I'm wearing some maternity clothes. Having clothes in your closet that actually snap does boost your self esteem a bit.

7. No, I am not posting any fat belly pictures on here. I refuse to email fat belly pictures too. I don't trust the internet THAT much. The last thing I want a potential employer to see is fat belly pictures.

8. Yes, I'm taking off the maximum I can from work. It's not paid, but I figure it's one of the few times I can take a long stretch off from work.... and from what I hear, I'll need it.

9. Yes, I'm planning on registering at Babies r Us and (gulp) Target. But I haven't done it yet.

10. Yes, we are investigating day cares and nannies and the like. It's going to be tricky finding a place to keep a child until 10 pm at night.

I think that's the 10 most common questions answered. But stay tuned for more stuff, including an ultrasound that resembles frog legs.