I've Always Been So Good at Tests....

Yes, I am typically a good test taker. Here's the deal though, most tests you can study for. Our pregnancy test was more of a "pop quiz", because I hadn't planned to take it for another 3 days. Here's how test day went down:

We went on a tour of the New Birth Company today. I found out that they were covered by both of our insurances and I NEARLY cried on the phone to the insurance company. I actually DID tell the operator that I loved her. One would think that this would be a pretty good indicator that maybe I was pregnant. Unfortunately, no, I am normally this crazy.
Here's the video that first made me form this unhealthy love for a birth center:

As we were sitting in the waiting room, both feeling a little like we were playing "big kids", they instructed us to break into groups.
If you were expecting a baby, go in this group. If you were just here as a family member or simply to see what New Birth Company had to offer, go to the other group. I froze. I looked at Rico with that look in my eye that said, "Where do we go?". Clearly, subtlety is not my strong point, and the sweet representative looked at me and said, "Honey, you look confused."
The whole room turned to look at me.

"I don't know which group to go in....but I can tell you in 3 days" (the pregnancy test kit told us this was our earliest accurate test date).
Everyone chuckled, and she said something like, "Well, lets assume you are, and we'll go from there." So we toured. I ate it all up. It seemed to be exactly what I had been hoping for in a birth experience.

Mid-way through the tour it became perfectly clear to me. We were walking down the hall from seeing one of the beautiful birthing suites, past another suite with the door closed. As we were hearing about the communal kitchen space, we all heard a scream. This wasn't a shriek, it was more of a deep, guttural moan. Rico squeezed my hand tightly.

The reaction of the tour guide was what made my night. As soon as SHE heard the moan, she smiled broadly and got so excited that I thought she might jump up and down. "This is SO exciting, if any of you have labored before- you know that noise- she is crowning! We're about to have another birth day!" She then moved us on, so we could respect the privacy of the birthing woman, but I just kept thinking-

Yes! THAT is the reaction I want someone to have in that moment. Not fear. Not embarrassment. Not cringing, but EXCITEMENT.

As we left, I didn't say a word to Rico- not wanting to influence him.
"So, what did you think?"
"Alli, that place was amazing. It is exactly what you've been looking for, right?"
"You really liked it?"
"How could I not?!"
Whew.

We spent the rest of the drive home talking about our favorite parts, baby fever came on full force! Erik asked me to take a pregnancy test when we got home. I told him that I didn't want to waste a test, that we should just wait the 3 days so we wouldn't have to risk a false positive. He said he didn't care, "Let's just take one!"

Now, if you know me, you know that I love an event. I love a theme. I love secrets and surprises. I had asked Erik very early on if he wanted to be there while I took the test or if I could surprise him. He insisted on being there for "the thrill of those 2 minutes of waiting." Clearly, this was a disappointment to me, as I had all SORTS of ideas about how I wanted to tell him I was pregnant. My favorite involved re-creating the meal Aunt Becky made for Uncle Jesse on Full House- baby carrots, baby corn,  and baby back ribs. I had even begun Pinteresting baby back rib recipes! But, if he wants to be there for the big test- I can't take that away from him.

I was CONVINCED that it was going to say negative. I wasn't convinced that I wasn't pregnant. In fact, I was having all sorts of pregnancy symptoms already. I DID, however, think that it was too early to detect. I was down right cocky. "Erik, these are expensive, are you sure you want to waste $6 just to have to test again?" "YES! Let's do it!" So, we got ready for bed. I put the test up on a shelf in the medicine cabinet where neither of us would accidentally see it early. Make-up off, pj's on, teeth brushed.

If I had known what kind of information I was about to get, I certainly would have stayed cute. I HATE feeling nasty at big moments in life (again, I love an event.) 

I took the test stick to bed and put it on the side table. Erik stared at me, just waiting. I picked up the test nonchalantly.
Then I gasped. I ACTUALLY gasped. "Oh my God!"

Rico: "What? What? Are we pregnant? Are you kidding? Let me see!"
I handed him the stick. There it was, clear and easy, just as promised. I'm not sure that I've smiled that long and large since sorority recruitment days in college. My mouth ached, but I couldn't stop smiling. It didn't help that Rico was doing the same thing as he stared at the test stick.
We sat there in bed, smiling and staring. Staring and smiling. Like idiots. Our child had already made us look like idiots- boy, that was fast.
"I've got to get to work on another spreadsheet!" Rico joked...although I would put money on the fact that he did.

After about 10 minutes, he looked up at me as he cradled the test and said, "I realize this isn't how it works, but I feel like the baby is IN HERE and I have to be careful with it". We laughed and then he said, "I've got more reading to do- fast!" and pulled this book out.

"Alli, we are going to be parents. Oh my God."

It was clear that his brain was racing FAR too fast to actually get any reading done, but it was a cute effort none the less.
Somehow, we did eventually go to sleep that night. That may have been my last night of sleeping through the night...my pregnancy bladder was in action VERY quickly.