I don’t *want* to drink, I just want to *pretend* to…

SO! I’m newly pregnant and no one knows! This presents few problems, except for wanting to yell from a mountaintop: “I AM FERTILE, HERE ME ROAR!”

Ahem.

The other main problem is when we have plans to do something with friends.  Do you know what plans with thirty-somethings always seem to include? That’s right, alcohol.  I’m lucky I haven’t missed drinking at all, since I’m a lightweight and don’t drink a lot, anyway.  Really, the only time I would drink before getting pregnant was in social situations and rarely did I have more than one or two in one sitting (I've grown up - and more responsible - over the past few years: SHOCKING!!).  Still, it’s quite obvious to my friends when I don’t drink now, since I’m always known to bring a six-pack over to share when we get invited to a gathering or order a glass of wine or beer during a dinner out.  Therefore, I’ve been shirking plans and telling people I’m busy when asked to have a drink after work, which really stinks!  Just because I can’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t want and miss the social interaction.  I’ve even ignored several email invites from a few friends asking me/us to get together for dinner and drinks.  And that’s just plain RUDE.

Some would say to lie, but I’m not a good liar and I honestly feel like lying would be jinxing things.  And since there are several people who know we were trying to get pregnant, I would feel wrong telling them I’m not if they were to ask if I am.  If I say ”no?” JINX!  I know that sounds silly to some, but it honestly stresses me out to think about.  Lying leads to bad things, folks.

I have plans this weekend to go home to Grand Rapids to have drinks with my older sister, Alicia, and my cousins Kimberly and Julie.  Julie sent an email early this month asking when would work for us to all get together for drinks, since it’s been waaaaaay too long, so we decided on January 30th.  That would be tomorrow.  When we made the plans, I didn’t know I was pregnant and as I mentioned before, I honestly didn’t think it would be this easy for us to conceive.  I’m NOT COMPLAINING, obviously, but it does put me in a slightly sticky situation if I’m not quite ready to share our great news yet.

I think I might arrive early to the restaurant and have a little chat with the waiter, asking them to bring whatever I order (daiquiri, margarita, etc.) to me, only WITHOUT the requisite alcohol in it.  That could work, right?  BUT, the idea of sharing this news with a stranger just so it isn’t shared with the people who have known and loved me my whole life seems so…wrong.

This secret pregnancy thing is so confusing, it could almost drive me to drink. ;o)

2/1/10 UPDATE:
I survived the dinner/drinks with my sister and cousins!  I only had to fib a little (and I'm SURE they saw right through it, anyway...) when I ordered Soda and Lime and got a funny look.  I simply said I was dealing with drainage from a cold & wasn’t feeling great and no one pressed.  No one wants to talk about your phlegm, yo.  I can live with this, especially knowing I will soon be able to admit the fib once we’ve been to the doctor and feel more comfortable sharing this news.  I’m not condoning lying, kids, but if you plan to tell the truth later?  I SAY GO FOR IT.