Two stories for the price of one

A few posts ago I promised to rehash the story of the day I discovered I was pregnant. Perhaps you were hoping I had forgotten this promise, but unfortunately for you (and sometimes Tobe) I have the memory of an elephant. It was a year ago November 29th that I came home from work and took a home pregnancy test. Tobe and I had been hoping for a positive pregnancy test for months and months. Because we are very proactive people and not getting any younger, we had been to different doctors and had some tests to make sure we could have a child on our own. My doctor, being proactive herself, had written me a prescription for Clomid to fill if I did not get pregnant in November (by the way, my OBGYN is WONDERFUL. If you live in my area and need a doctor, please let me know and I will pass along her name). So this cold November day I drove home, thinking of babies, and decided to just take the stupid pregnancy test, see another negative, and go fill the prescription for Clomid. I decided to do all of this because I was attending a baby shower that night and did not want to sit there saying, "What if....." I would have my Clomid and we would be good to go the next month.

I came home and went through the "delicate" process of taking a home pregnancy test. Before I could even put the test down and wait the suggested three minutes, it turned positive. Thankfully I had already emptied my bladder, because I might have had an accident right there. I remember running through the house just saying "oh my" over and over again. Then the phone rang and the caller ID said it was my mom. Of course I could not answer it because she would know something was different about my voice. I realized that Tobe would be home soon and I needed a cleaver way to share this wonderful news with him. That morning we discovered our schedules would not really meet up until after I got home from the baby shower later that evening. Fearful he would run off to the gym while I was out thinking of a creative "Your a daddy now" gift, I left a note telling him I had something important to talk to him about that happened at school that day and to hold off on the gym until I got home. I jumped in the car and rushed to Main Street. Since we live in a wine-producing city, I figured I would get him a bottle of wine that read "Don't Open Until August 2005". I went to the first winery on Main Street and inquired if they did personalized labels for wine bottles. The owner said they did and asked me what I wanted the label to read. He then informed me that you must buy a "batch" of wine with this label. A batch was 200 bottles. Knowing we didn't need 200 bottles of wine, I left the store dejected. I walked up and down Main Street, attempting to come up with something creative. As I was becoming desperate and had started looking for a "Baby on Board" sign from the 80's, I stumbled upon Devine Wine Winery. I went inside, inquired about the personalized label, and about buying individual bottles. The wonderful shop owner told me they could do a personalized label on an individual bottle. She then helped me select a tasty wine and a cute label. As I was about to pay for my purchase, she told me I could stop by the next day to pick up my wine. Apparently they were about to have their grand opening in twenty minutes and were closing early that day. She must have sensed something was wrong by the expression on my face and decided that they would make the label for me right then. I left the store skipping, grasping my prized purchase in my hand.

Tobe was in his study when I got home. He looked at me with a confused expression when I entered the room, since I was in my work clothes and my note told him I was at the gym. I handed him the gift bag and said, "Look what I got at school today." He opened it, read the bottle, and a huge smile lit up his face. Much laughter and celebration followed. I then realized that I could not attend the baby shower that night because it would be so hard to keep this marvelous secret. I called my friend Kelli, making up some excuse as to why I would not be in attendance (in case you are keeping track, that is three little lies I told that day: 1. the gym 2. someone had given me a present at school 3. excuse for not being at baby shower---OOPS!).

Now for the second story. Tobe and I decided not to tell any friends about the pregnancy until we had told our parents. He was graduating with his PhD in a few weeks and my parents were coming down for the ceremony and celebration. We decided that would be the perfect time to tell them the exciting news. My parents were set to arrive in from Arkansas around 4pm on that Thursday afternoon. The plan was for them to come to our house, then we would all drive up together to the restaurant where Tobe's dad worked and eat dinner together. My parents were a little early, so the four of us sat around the living room chatting until time to leave for dinner. My mom kept asking me what was wrong, because I was talking very excessively and rapidly due to this exciting news we were about to share. Tobe told her I just loved the holidays (we were a week away from Christmas by this point) and that was why I was so hyper. Tobe's parents called and said they would have to take a raincheck on dinner due to some scheduling conflicts. Fortunately Tobe figured something out and reworked our dinner plans so the six of us could still eat together. Finally we arrived at the restaurant and ordered our meal. Tobe left to "go to the bathroom" and came back to the table with a present for each of our parents. He told them he wanted to give them something out of appreciation for supporting him during all of his years of education. They opened their presents and just starred at the contents. Inside my mother's box was a stuffed yellow lion and inside Tobe's mom's box was a stuffed purple elephant. My dad was shocked to find the book "The Bernstein Bears Visit the Doctor" as his present, while my father-in-law discovered the book, "My First Hammer" in his box. The four of them sat quietly at the table for a minute, wondering why Tobe had given them such bizarre gifts as a token of appreciation. Then Tobe's dad figured out the connection as did my mom. When Tobe's mom understood what all the gifts meant and who they really were for--the future grandchild--she burst into tears. It was a wonderful moment of celebration.

And now a year later we have sweet little Isaac to kiss and hold. Sweet little Isaac who only cried once during church yesterday---except that "once" happened to be during his blessing/dedication in front of the congregation. Sweet little Isaac who smiles at some strangers who stick their face into his stroller and cries at others like he did a few hours ago at Barnes and Noble. Sweet little Isaac who kicks his legs like a madman in the bathtub when I sing "Splish Splash I was taking a bath..." Sweet little Isaac who now cries when we start our naptime routine because he hates going to sleep. Sweet little Isaac who jumps out of terror at the Dragon on the Baby Einstein videos every time he watches it.

These are my precious stories to share in this season of joy and happiness. Feel free to print them off your computer and read them around the fireplace on Christmas Eve instead of "The Night Before Christmas." Happy Holidays!