I conceived on December 20, 2001. That’s the day I knew I ovulated. However, at the time, I thought it was impossible because I was still breastfeeding my 14 month-old daughter. She nurses about 6 times a day and all through the night. I figured since I didn’t conceive while breastfeeding my first 2 children, I surely would this time either. So we didn’t actually “try” nor did we actively prevent it. And to top it off, we had sex on the 18th – 2 days before. I knew that sperm can live in fertile cervical fluid for up to 5 days, but I honestly didn’t see any on that particular day.

As I look back, I realize that I had signs and symptoms all along. At about 5 days post-ovulation, on Christmas night, I had these cramps. It hit me at bedtime and lasted about an hour. I knew something was going on “down there”, just not sure what. That is when implantation occurred. Only at the time, I had no idea.

I woke up the day after Christmas with an incredible craving for a burger and fries. Mind you, I always love a good cheeseburger, but I have never really been a “fries” person. When my sweet husband went out to get me some, I devoured them like they were the only burger and fries out there. And, oh, the fries were so good!

It was on December 27 that my husband cooked supper. He served green beans, which are pretty much a side dish staple with us. I usually don’t care for green beans; I eat them out of obligation, knowing they are good for me. I hastily plunged a forkful of green beans into my mouth and was delighted with how good they tasted. I even told my 6 year old son, Tad, and 4 year old daughter, Bri to try them. Phillip thought that was rather odd. This happened the next 2 nights, as I actually requested for Phillip to cook green beans. Can you imagine?

I was due to start my period on Sunday, December 30. That Saturday, Phillip commented to me how nice and sweet I was, because usually I’m a bear with PMS by that time of the month. I attributed it to the natural progesterone cream I was using, because one of the things it does is to help alleviate PMS. So I woke up on Sunday morning with a drop in my basal body temperature and thought, Yes, my period is on its way.

By that evening, with no sign of my cycle, I just assumed that the progesterone cream was doing a great job at lengthening my luteal phase (the time from ovulation to menstruation). On Monday morning, at dawn, I popped the thermometer into my mouth and then squinted to see the reading. Phillip asked about my temperature. 98.1 °F only. Above my cover line was what I could see in the dim room. I told him my period would show that day. Yet, for some reason, I carried the thermometer into the bathroom. I clicked it on just for one more peek before I did anything else. The thermometer read 98.7, not 98.1. I ran out to tell Phillip. I told him I was going to test.

I was only 11 days past ovulation. I grabbed an Aimstick® from my cabinet and carefully read the instructions. After urinating in a disposable cup, I carefully dipped the cardboard stick into the urine. One Mississippi-Two Mississippi-Three Mississippi-Four Mississippi-Five Mississippi. Then I gingerly laid the little stick on the counter and watched as the urine soaked past the test area and watched as the control line faintly appeared. So far, nothing has appeared in the test area. The Aimstick® instructions said that hCG levels lower than 20mIU would appear closer to 5 or 10 minutes; the lower the concentration, the longer it took. I couldn’t take the suspense, so I went to get dressed.

I watched the clock. After 5 minutes, I went back into the bathroom and looked at the stick. I saw a faint line in the test area. “Phillip!” I screamed. “Phillip! Phillip!”

He came running into the bathroom. I thrust the little cardboard stick into his hand and asked him what he saw. “Two lines,” he grinned. It was an exhilarating moment. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“We’re pregnant.” I kept saying it over and over. What a way to celebrate New Year’s Eve!

I had the pregnancy confirmed at my local health department on Wednesday, January 2. I could hear the nurses talking about the test as the minutes clicked by. At first, they didn’t see a line; then a faint line appeared, and yes, I am pregnant!

I made my first prenatal appointment for next week. My doctor will be surprised to see me again so soon.