Syncing iPad after several months of use

I got a new iPad 2 for Christmas (yay me!), and thanks to iOS 5, there's no immediate need to sync it in order for it to work. So, I've basically been using it for the past few months without syncing. But, I want to get some music from my MacBook now, but when I connect it, iTunes warns me that it will delete any content on my iPad before syncing. Does that mean it will delete all of my content? Including several months worth of notes, calendar entries, writings, photos, etc.? Is iTunes gonna reformat my iPad just so I can transfer a few songs?? I hope not. But if so, is there a workaround, so that I can keep my stuff and have music too?

Using iPad 2, iOS 5.1, 13" Aluminum Unibody MacBook, Mac OS X 10.6.8

Do you use the same Apple ID on your iPad as you do on iTunes on your Mac?

I ask because I do, and I connected my iPad to my iMac - I've been using my iPad completely independantly of my Mac - but the iTunes library just accepted this new iPad, backed it up and synced it..... even though they have never 'met'. I'd suggest this worked because they both have the same Apple ID and so were tied and identified by that.

Worth checking......