SURPRISE!

I was one day late for my period. It was so regular that the Mayans based their calendar on it. Yet, I wasn't as concerned as I should have been. I was stressed, the holidays had just passed and I was starting my last quarter of college. However, there were signs. I was exhausted, nauseous, my boobs were going to explode at the slightest brush of clothing. I felt hungover, every minute of the day.

It was a Tuesday, which had become my classmates and my "pub day" where we met at the pub and ate and occasionally drank (well, they did, I'm too cheap to drink at bars), bitched about those we excluded from our group and then left for class. I discussed my symptoms with my friend Jason who has two kids of his own. "Well we have an extra pregnancy test if you want it. Just come by and grab it, we don't need it." Nah, I'm fine. I'm sure I'll start my period soon.

All throughout my last class I was preoccupied with the nagging feeling that I should at least double check that I wasn't knocked up. On my way home I stopped by Target, grabbed a digital test along with some bagels and juice. I was greeted at home by our faithful pup, Henry. I dutifully took him on a quick walk before I figured then was a good a time as any to test. I knew that technically you were "supposed" to test with the first pee of the morning because it's the most potent but I had two tests, I was willing to try twice.

The test was to take 3 minutes to appear so I left it on the windowsill and went to sit on the couch. Within 30 seconds I thought, well, I'll just check. I could barely breathe when I read:

PREGNANT

I laughed out loud because that was the only reaction I could muster. Home alone on a Tuesday afternoon with only my dog to comfort me and I was pregnant. There was a baby in me. Pregnant. I hadn't been on birth control for 6 months but we had been careful otherwise. This wasn't real. I nervously called Thomas. He didn't answer. I called my mom. No answer. I called my BFITWWW (best friend in the whole wide world), Abby, and she didn't answer. I called my sister, Emily and finally a voice on the other line. 

"Hi, what are you doing?"

"I'm doing yoga, what's up?"

"Maybe you should sit down...I'm pregnant."

"What? Well maybe the test is wrong..."

(That seemed to be a common reaction, questioning the validity of the test.)

Within a few minutes Thomas called me back. I think my tone gave me away when I said, "I need you to come home for lunch." His only response was, "Okay, it was positive, wasn't it?" I hadn't even told him that I was going to test. He can read me too well.

When he got home he quickly said hi and sat at his computer. I knew he would need time to process everything but I quietly said, congratulations. He stood up, hugged me and said the same. 

That's how we found out that we were expecting a tiny poppy seed of a baby. One year ago today, January 18, 2011. And how that year has flown by.