History

I was 23 when I peed on the little stick. I remember that night so well. I was working at my retail job, feeling just a bit off. So I called my fiance, Dexter, (now hubby) and said it would be a good idea to pick up a pregnancy test on his way over to my place. Now I know that he was cheering for joy on the inside while trying to maintain a calm demeanor. So I got home and went straight for the bathroom. As soon as my pee hit the little stick the color changed to show the blue plus sign. Whoa, wait…that cant be right. So I reread the directions again and again trying to see that they said the plus sign could mean “go on honey and get you a margarita—you’re in the clear.” I was to distraught to locate that page of the directions. The pregnancy test was a two pack, so I went to bed next to my grinning fiance and told myself that the test would show a blue minus sign in the morning or that missing page about getting the margarita would be found.

As it turns out, no pregnancy test kit comes with directions for a good margarita; which is exactly what I needed at the time. I was pregnant—very pregnant. I even had the obgyn retest me on my first appointment. They came to me with a knowing smile and confirmed for the third time I was indeed with child. To top that fun experience off, I decided to tell my very strict, overprotective parents that I was pregnant and not married. Joy!

I was in Las Vegas for my shotgun wedding when the morning sickness started. There is no better way to spend your honeymoon than puking—oh so sexy. But that was just the beginning. I went from working 40+ hours at my retail job to 20-25 for the next few months. If I made it to work I usually laid out in the back, close to the toilet. I took 2 ½ hour lunch breaks so I could nap and grew what I thought were the biggest boobs of my life. My sweet husband was working on the other side of Atlanta at the time and so I kept my apartment while he stayed at his parents’ house (another story entirely). So he never really saw how bad I got till one weekend when I came to his parents place and spent the entire time in bed, lifeless and pitiful. Y’all remember those days don’t ya?

By my 4^th month I was free of nausea and started eating like champ; which I continued until the last week or so of my pregnancy. Besides the ridiculous amount of weight gained and the 5 or 6 really bad weeks of morning sickness I had a pretty easy time the first go around. I was so doped up on my own hormones that I attempted a natural birth—HA! I finally got the epidural after 14 hrs of excruciating pain. If you had a natural birth then give yourself a little pat on the back, just think twice about bragging about it—nobody likes a showoff.

Flip joined us on April 17, 2006. He was a precious little baby who rarely cried. Dexter and I were thrilled. I survived and Dexter had the first player of his future soccer team. Flip is now a rambunctious little boy who is enthusiastically making up for those first few quiet months.