How Did This Happen?

The first 3 tests

The 4th test...just to be sure!

A plus sign??? Really??? How did this happen? Don't get me wrong I know all about the birds and the bees, but Danny and I were shocked (and thrilled) when we learned that we were pregnant. As many of you may know we have gone back and forth about whether or not it was the "right time" for us to start a family. After turning 35 last year I secretly started to panic because I swear I could actually hear my biological clock ticking. Even though I still feel like I am "young", I slowly began to realize that my window for conception was getting smaller. Everything I read about pregnancy over 35 was depressing - infertility issues, higher risk for babies with genetic abnormalities, and the overall toll it takes on your body. As each month passed I felt like my eggs were rotting and having a baby felt more and more out of reach. Of course Danny didn't share my same sense of urgency because he is 4.5 years younger than me (no, that doesn't make me a cougar). Plus men don't have to worry about an expiration date on their goods. One of the many things about conception and pregnancy that is not fair (I will cover more on this later).

Anyway, in early December, after the loss of someone very special in our lives, we started to reevaluate where our lives were going. We decided that if having a baby was God's will then we were ready to see if a baby was in our future. In other words, we pulled the goalie. :) Yep...that's right...we decided at the beginning of the month to let nature takes it course and by the end of the month we were pregnant. I guess it was meant to be. :)

Of course when I took the pregnancy test in mid-January I was in total shock and disbelief. I actually took 4 tests just to be sure. I took three the first day and then followed up with a fourth a week later because I wanted to be certain that this was really happening. Of course all 4 tests were positive...2 tests with bright blue plus signs & 2 tests with the word "Pregnant" in the display window. Yes, I made Danny buy two different brands to make sure the first brand wasn't defective.

My first reaction was a mixture of panic and joy. I know we said we were ready to put this in God's hands...but I didn't really think it would happen so fast. Everything I had read said that it takes most people up to a year to conceive. We were in the process of planning a trip to Europe, I was going strong in my 2nd week of my new weight loss program (give me a break...it was after the holidays and I was up about 7 pounds from all of the delicious treats and cocktails I had indulged in over the past two months), and I had just agreed to participate in a 5K mud run with my girlfriends in June (I know a 5K is not anything to brag about but let's remember that I don't like to run even if I am being chased. Plus if we are being perfectly honest here I only agreed to do it in the first place because there was a huge party after the event that included lots of beer) . Needless to say all of my current plans changed in an instant. Of course after the shock wore off then postponing the trip to Europe (we are currently taking volunteers for future babysitters because Danny has promised to take me after the baby turns 2) and tossing the diet out the window, along with the mud run and the booze didn't seem like such a big deal after all. As a matter of fact, within 24 hours of realizing I was pregnant everything in my world changed to "all things baby". Pregnancy, babies, nurseries, and a healthy lifestyle (think vegetables, yoga, no caffeine - yes, I gave up Diet Coke immediately - and stress-free days) consumed my every thought. Of course at this point I was only a few weeks pregnant so I had no idea what was lurking around the corner.