Comments on: Baby on Board!

Question: Baby on Board!

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:14:18 -0800

Looking for fun ways to tell my SO that the baby we have been trying to make is on the way!

My SO and I have been trying to conceive the old-fashioned way and my home pregnancy test turned up positive today. Great news!! I want to tell him in a fun way but can't wait too long because (1) he will know on New Year's Eve if I pass on the cocktail and (2) I just can't wait to tell him!!!

Does the hive mind have any suggestions? Here are some facts that might help.

Neither of us has ever had a child.
This child will be due on or about Labor Day (pun not intended, but always welcomed)
He and I are not spring chickens and our respective ages and lifestyles would have suggested that this baby would have been harder to conceive.

Help me have some fun with this!!!

By: phunniemee

phunniemee — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:20:54 -0800

You could bake a baby into his food. (Delicious...)

By: zizzle

zizzle — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:23:53 -0800

I bought Mr. Zizzle a newborn size Red Sox onesie.

There are onesies for everything these days. I'm sure you could find one that has to do with something that is a favorite if his.

By: Ostara

Ostara — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:24:36 -0800

A framed picture of the positive pregnancy test, with an attached note saying "Your boys can swim!"

By: avocet

avocet — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:24:55 -0800

Anonymous because you're both on MeFi? Un-anonymize it! Has MeFi ever been used to break the news to people before?

By: shmegegge

shmegegge — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:27:34 -0800

YOU'RE NOT STERILE!

By: Effigy2000

Effigy2000 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:30:52 -0800

I like this idea.

By: GuyZero

GuyZero — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:38:54 -0800

Come back from the grocery store with only "baby" foods: baby carrots, cans of baby corn, baby bok choy... and leave them all out on the kitchen table. Maybe buy a jar of actual baby food in case he misses it although it will have expired by the time the baby is old enough to eat it.

By: shesbookish

shesbookish — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:40:43 -0800

It might be nice just to get him a card and write out the news on the inside. That way you don't have to worry about tripping over words in your excitement and you'll have the fun of watching him catch on as he reads it.

This video shows parents being informed that they're going to be grandparents by card. It's so sweet and I think it would be even more special for the father-to-be.

By: chihiro

chihiro — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:40:56 -0800

Nthing the "baby" foods idea - my mother gave my Dad a Baby Ruth. He understood because neither of them ever ate Baby Ruths. :-)

Congratulations!

By: Forktine

Forktine — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:41:47 -0800

He comes home, says "wow, that smells great, what are you cooking?"

"Oh, I've got a bun in the oven."

By: mattdidthat

mattdidthat — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:48:45 -0800

You could set the table for three and wait for him to ask, "Are we expecting someone for dinner?"

Or, you could say you have something special planned for Labor Day. When he asks, you could just smile and say, "Labor."

By: theora55

theora55 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:57:56 -0800

Start knitting a baby blanket

By: janepanic

janepanic — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:58:45 -0800

someone i went to school with announced her pregnancy to her husband this way: she placed a hamburger bun inside the oven and told her husband that the oven was broken, and could he have a look and see if he could fix it? meanwhile, she held the positive test behind her back, and waited for him to ask her why there was a bun in the oven.

By: kanemano

kanemano — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:07:17 -0800

organize a Pictionary or Charades night where the answer to every question is "We're having a baby" or some other baby themed song or movie

By: mattdidthat

mattdidthat — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:08:25 -0800

Please let us know how you wind up telling him! Also, congratulations!

By: peachfuzz

peachfuzz — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:16:13 -0800

Having cinnamon buns baking one morning would be cutesy (but delicious!).

Or you could send an early Father's Day card in the mail to him at the house with something simple and sweet written by way of explanation, and then watch as he opens it up, gets confused, and finally realizes what's going on.

By: MonkeyToes

MonkeyToes — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:31:31 -0800

Get him a huge, saccharine card of the "This is just to say..." variety and then put a "Baby on Board" sticker inside it.

Make a rabbit dish. When he asks why, tell him it's because the rabbit died.

Slip a baby-themed CD mix in his car stereo. Perhaps lead off with REM's "It's the End of the World as We Know It." (I say this as a parent.)

Leave him a shopping list. On it, put pickles, salt and vinegar chips, ice cream and something odd and exotic.

Pick up a small trophy (preferably for swimming) at a secondhand shop. Attach your own note: "Congratulations! They won!"

And hey--congratulations. Best wishes for a smooth pregnancy and a healthy, happy baby!

By: Rendus

Rendus — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:48:16 -0800

While I don't have anything to add to the above, I might suggest a second test (and a third?) in case of false positive, just to be sure.

By: dancinglamb

dancinglamb — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:57:45 -0800

Ask him to grab your shoes for you as you're on your way out the door on New Year's Eve. When he asks which ones, direct him to this pair.

Congrats and best wishes for a safe and healthy pregnancy!

By: Tufa

Tufa — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:37:03 -0800

I like the idea of King Cake, but make use of the festive timing upon you. Save the announcement for New Year's--at midnight, bring him a flute of champagne with the small plastic baby at the bottom.

By: schroedinger

schroedinger — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:38:19 -0800

Watch Alien. When it gets to the first part where the alien is bursting out of the dude's stomach, say "That reminds me . . ."

By: big open mouth

big open mouth — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:38:52 -0800

If you can wait until New Years you should simply refuse a drink, and when he asks you can casually explain why. Have fun!

By: yeti

yeti — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:47:28 -0800

"First of all, let me preface this by saying that I'm almost certain you're the father..."

By: spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints

spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:11:43 -0800

Go out for dinner and a movie. Cut through a back alley on the way to your car. Have a pre-arranged male friend of yours (who has never met your husband) pop out of the shadows and mug you (he needs to wear a poorly-conceived disguise, like a mustache and glasses). As you give him your wallet, you struggle for the gun and knock off his disguise. Now that you've seen his face, he tells you that he has to kill you.

No! Please! I'm pregnant! You plead. He shouts "Congratulations!" and then you all go out for dessert.

By: judith

judith — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:32:59 -0800

Make him a card with today's Zooborn featured baby, Amani the Baby Aardvark, and write something inside about yours hopefully being cute in a very different way. [But OMG! Amani the Baby Aardvark!]

By: bondcliff

bondcliff — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:41:06 -0800

On your way out to the party on NYE, ask him if he has any resolutions. Naturally, he'll then ask you if you have any of your own.

Tell him you resolve to get a few new hobbies: Sleeping less, making milk, learning a few lullabies, etc.

By: ostranenie

ostranenie — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:13:49 -0800

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Your offspring, and very soon at that!

By: girlgeeknz

girlgeeknz — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:56:48 -0800

I don't understand why this awesome news has to be dressed up with a joke or a gag. Wh not just make a nice dinner tell him you've got good news?

By: orange swan

orange swan — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:29:04 -0800

I'd knit booties (or a bootie if I was really impatient) and do something cute with it, such as hiding it in his sock drawer or his pocket or brief case, or making him shut his eyes, and then slipping it into his hand.

By: tk

tk — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:37:43 -0800

I know this is going to come across as being a downer, but as a recently pregnant person who is now a mother, I felt (and feel) superstitious about emphatic enthusiasm about BABY! BABY! when you are only a few weeks pregnant. I would announce the pregnancy, not the baby. There is still a lot to be excited about, and also a lot to cross your fingers about. I don't know about you and your husband, but onesies and little toys just made me nervous before the second trimester.

Some suggestions (somewhat lame, but emphasize pregnancy and not actual baby):
--Do you have a calender for 2009 up yet? Put one up, then ask him if he can check what day of the week labor day is. You'll have circled it in advance, with "baby due" written on the date.
--Wrap up a bottle of prenatal vitamins and tell him you are giving him a late Xmas or Channukah present. Tell him his "present" is that he gets to remind you to take one every day for the next 9 months.
--Text him a message on his/your way home from work: Bring home ice cream and pickles please.

Anyway, GOOD LUCK with everything! What an exciting time for the two of you.

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:02:06 -0800

Both times my wife was pregnant, she sprung it on me in the middle of an argument. "Don't yell like that, I'm pregnant!" And of course, after that, the argument was completely forgotten and we both got all lovely dovey. Not exactly cute or sweet, but if you pick the right argument, it's indispensable. "I backed into your car." YOU DID WHAT? "I'm pregnant."

Congrats.

By: eritain

eritain — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:05:15 -0800

ask him if he can check what day of the week labor day is

It's Monday, same as every year. Maybe ask him if he can check what day of the month it is.

By: brujita

brujita — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:28:49 -0800

The daughter of friends of the family let her parents know by bringing out a dish of ice cream with pickles stuck in it.

By: susanbeeswax

susanbeeswax — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:25:17 -0800

Congratulations!

I have no clever recommendations as both times I was pregnant, I came running out of the bathroom waving the stick & probably flinging specklets of pregnant lady pee all over everything while squeeing about 'THE LINE! THE LINE! There's gonna be a BAYBEEEEEEE!' Which is really just a super long way to say I *really* admire your restraint & ability to take the time to clearly think through how you would like to present this information!

By: chunking express

chunking express — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:00:49 -0800

You could probably just tell him and it would be awesome. Like asking someone to marry you, sometimes it doesn't need to be a big production. The news is exciting and life changing in and of itself.

By: chunking express

chunking express — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:01:13 -0800

But, if you want to do something, please, please, please do the faux-robbery up thread.

By: Forktine

Forktine — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:56:08 -0800

But, if you want to do something, please, please, please do the faux-robbery up thread.

Jeez, think twice before doing that -- people get shot that way, you know? If some dude in a mask jumped out at my wife, I'm going to be figuring out the details later, and "dude, wait, it's just a joke!" will not get the attention it should in that moment.

By: pyjammy

pyjammy — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:51:58 -0800

Like susanbeeswax said. I had a cute onesie all made (for when I did get the positive test) but once I saw that line, I freaked out, ran downstairs, and, hands shaking, showed him the test.

I also admire your restraint. :D

(As it turned out, I had to make two more onesies anyway, when we found out there were three in there, not just one, so it was just as well.)

By: ostranenie

ostranenie — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:43:12 -0800

do the faux-robbery up thread

Don't. This isn't television. Even if nobody gets hurt, many other problems could arise from this. Plus it's not even that funny unless you have a sick sense of humor.

By: murrey

murrey — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:38:40 -0800

Well, the deed has been done and my anonymity is now blown! I decided to post the due date on our shared iPhone calendars! It is kind of a geeky way to go, but we worked hard at finding out a way to share a calendar. And yes, he is also on Metafilter---it would have been fun to make the announcement that way but he does not go to Askme very often.

Anyway, my 40th birthday is in early October and we had discussed going to Italy for the birthday celebration. I suggested that perhaps early September might be better due to the weather and the extra day off for Labor Day weekend.

Due to his work schedule, I asked him to look to see if it would be a good week to go. He looked and was perplexed to see "Don't make plans....DUE DATE". After a moment of confusion, it sunk in and he asked if I was pregnant. Sheepish grin by me followed.

It was wonderful! Now on to the less fun parts of being pregnant, including the dilemma as to what to do with the great Christmas gift card to the best sushi restaurant I have ever been to, in Austin or otherwise! Oh yeah... and accepting that my 40th will be spent here at home nursing a baby and not in Italy with me nursing a bottle of Barolo.

Thanks for all of the great and funny suggestions. I threw in a few more after the deed was done...including the congrats on having good swimmers, saying that I am almost certain he is the dad (which was funny because it was so preposterous), and telling him about my new year's resolutions (i.e. to learn to live on less sleep, quit drinking, etc.) and that Labor Day has a whole new meaning now. And given that I recently posted about a hooded man approaching me in my back yard at night and our subsequent high alert, the faux robbery idea seemed ill-advised (but really funny).

Thanks again and happy new year!

By: chunking express

chunking express — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:20:01 -0800

People need to chill out. I think the faux-robbery thing was (obviously) a joke.

By: chunking express

chunking express — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:22:30 -0800

Also subtle and geeky is very cool.