That was then.

I’ve been dealing with some, ahem, “health issues” the last few months…. The missed miscarriage (maybe… why is that “maybe” so important to me?), chronic sinus stuff, exhaustion… anyway after yet another round of keflex (reminds me of k-pax… I liked that movie) the doc did a thyroid test and a pregnancy blood test on May 6th. Both came back negative.. or normal… or whatever. So imagine my surprise when several weeks passed and still no period. Now, I might have challenges in the getting-and-keeping portion of birthin’ babies but my cycle? She is regular. So we headed to the dollar store. What? You DON’T buy your pregnancy tests at the dollar store? Then you are a crazy-hearted fool. So we got two. You know. And I peed. And, well, ran out of the bathroom. And made Hot Stuff go back and read the test. Because, honestly, I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t. We don’t have a cat now so I don’t have the I-can-smell-wet-cat-food-at-500-yards test anymore.

And it was pink.

And we rejoiced.

And I only had one cup of coffee.

And I thought, “Damn, another ski season ruined.”

And I thought, “Hey! A winter baby. Maybe I will get to wear that gorgeous red maternity sweater yet….”

And I thought, “I need to go for a walk. I gotta get in shape.”

And I thought, “How will we fit three car seats in the Subie?”

And I thought, “I should shop for clever sheets for the twin beds…. We will put the two big kids in a room with the cute twin beds once the babe is out of our room.”

And I thought, “I better eat some ice cream. I need the dairy.”

And I thought, “Damn, my maternity clothes are in Colorado.”

And I thought, “Wow, an LMP of April 7 and a negative test on May 6 is going to make for an interesting due date.”

And I thought, “What are we going to name you? Are you a boy or a girl? Are you twins? Because third-babies-as-twins run in my family.”

And I thought, “Where are all those baby books?”

And I thought, “I think I’m having a craving.”

And I thought, “I should give all my tampons to my sister. I won’t need them for a while.”

And I thought, “Someone is going to have to surgically remove the smile from Hot Stuff’s face.”

And I thought, “I’m so glad I didn’t get rid of all those diaper rash samples. And now I can finally throw away that ovulation predictor kit that never worked for me and expired in 2004.”

And I thought, “I better burn those candles on the dresser in the bathroom so I can put the changing pad back on there.”

And I was happy.