My oldest sister had a baby girl a week and a half before Christmas. We were planning on coming home for Christmas just to see the baby, but then something happened the morning after a long night of worrying over the birth of my new niece...
I woke up and peed on a stick. And the damn thing told me I was knocked up.
I was floored. I had not seen this coming. We had tried a one-ditch effort to see if we would have a sort of silly happy surprise for everyone for Christmas... I never in a million years believed we would have been successful! There are people who try for years to get pregnant, and until it happened, I always kind of assumed that would be me. I have a tilted uterus which makes for more back pain during periods, and I've heard it's harder for women with tilted uteruses to conceive. Apparently, this was not my case.
One time. One little try. And bam. I was suddenly carrying the potential for human life.
I immediately wanted to call my mom, call my sisters, call my best friend, call anyone and everyone. But we had done the one-ditch effort specifically to surprise people for Christmas, so I couldn't. I couldn't waste this amazing opportunity.
I called my husband at work and he rushed home, we bought another test and I peed on that as well, and hey-ho, it too claimed I was knocked up. We went to the doctor that afternoon, and I peed in their little cup and what do you know, they also told us we were pregnant. It was such a shocking day. My new niece had seriously been born THAT morning. Just a few short hours earlier.
I didn't feel pregnant. When my best friend got pregnant, she told me that she knew the moment it happened. But I didn't have any of that. I had zero premonitions. I had promised myself the day my period was due, if I didn't wake up with it, I would pee on a pregnancy test. But I didn't think I was actually pregnant. I couldn't even fathom it.
We soon began planning how we were going to surprise my family, a thousand ideas but none of them seemed good enough. We settled on one idea: Every Christmas we give Christmas PJs on Christmas Eve. This year, Chris and I said that since we were buying a house, we would just do the PJs, and that would be our gift to everyone. So we thought, after everyone's changed into their PJs, we'll get together to do a family photo and then Chris would say, "Ok everyone, saaaay, Sarah's Pregnant!"
In theory it seemed like a great idea, but I couldn't get past the thought that everyone would think it was a joke. So as we were wrapping the Christmas PJs on Christmas eve, I suggested that we wrap the pregnancy tests with my mom's PJs and have her open them last. It was so stressful. Hoping we could pull it off without anyone thinking something was up...
Not to drag the story out, but I should mention that my oldest sister sort of guessed that I was pregnant the first night we were home. She and I were up late, talking about her labor, oohing and awwing over her perfect tiny new baby. And she said, "I don't need to tell you, because you'll experience it all soon enough." And I couldn't hide my grin and she caught it immediately and said, "Wait... REALLY??" It was a good sister moment.
And let me also say, I was there for 4 days before Christmas eve... not telling my family was nearly impossible. I wanted to blurt it out to each person any time we were alone together. But anyway... I digress...
So we take all the gifts into the living room, and it just so happens that everyone is sitting in this perfect order on the couch, where my mom is aaaaall the way down on one end. So we easily start handing them out, suggesting we open them one at a time so each person can see what everyone else has gotten and everyone agrees, none the wiser. Everyone is thrilled with their PJs, and then my mom's turn comes and she opens them perfectly and stops, when she sees what's sitting on top and it takes her a long minute before she looks up at me completely shocked and says, "You're pregnant??" My little sister gave the best face and slaps her hands over her mouth and soon everyone's hugging me and congratulating me and gushing about how no one knew, no one had any idea, everyone's so surprised! It was such a wonderful moment.
The rest of Christmas kind of pales in comparison, but it was all wonderful. We really had an amazing time. I spent lots of time with my niece, taking in all her tiny smiley perfection. I even got to see two of my best friends and tell them my exciting news by showing them the video of my mom opening her PJs. It was lovely.
So for Christmas, I got a new home. A brand new baby niece. My best friend came back to South Dakota with me to help me move into my new house... And... A baby all of my own.
It really was... THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER.
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