The Beginning of the Story

Michelle and I conceived Christian back in late September 2008. We still argue over where he was conceived- and when- but that is neither here nor there. We were ecstatic when we found out that we were going to have a baby. It was Halloween night, and Corinne (our daughter) had already gone around trick-or-treating at my clients' offices throughout the afternoon and early evening. We decided to call it an early evening and retire to our apartment in the city, as it had had been drizzling most of the day. For the the few days prior, Michelle had been having symptoms that made me wonder..... "Is she pregnant?" One day it was vomiting and nausea, the next day it was dizzy spells and sleepiness, the next day it was an uncharacteristic short temper... I mean, i know I'm a man an mostly deserving of criticism, but this was out of the ordinary. finally, it was the cravings. Anything and everything that had to do with tomatoes. Tomato sauce, tomato soup, spaghetti, lasagna, grape tomatoes... you can make just about anything with tomatoes. She reminded me of a particular Oscar-winning movie that I'm fond of.

That evening, I told her, "Michelle, i think you're pregnant," knowing full well that I may incur her wrath for even suggesting it. Thankfully, i got a pass for it. So, I headed down 4 blocks to the Walgreens to pick up a pregnancy test. What a mess I was- I had no clue what I was looking for. this was an entirely new experience for me. All that I knew was that I didn't want to use a test that I had to interpret... Is it pink or blue? Positive or negative? Did we do it right? Etc. I followed my instincts and went straight for the ridiculously overpriced, patented, super-goomer pregnancy test. It tells one either "yes" or "no." No annoying little lines or colors to interpret. Perfect. As i head up to the counter triumphant in my safari, the 60-something year old gentleman working the cash register tells me, "Well, there's one thing I can tell you for sure. You're definitely NOT pregnant." Thank you, kind sir, for making me feel even more sheepish than when I walked in. Perfect.

I make my way home, and my wife and I anxiously tear open the box and read the instructions. She's impressed that I navigated the taboo aisle of feminine products so fluidly. Without getting down to the nitty gritty, she takes the test. She, Corinne and i anxiously surround the wand as if it's a ticking time bomb ready to explode. After 5 minutes we have the results and......... Corinne begins running around the house screaming in joy! Jumping up and down! Michelle and I are much more subdued and possible in shock, but we embrace as a family and we are excited for the miracle that has begun to grow in her body. This day will inevitably change both of our lives forever. This is the beginning.