Spin Cycle: Tricks and Treats

This week's Spin Cycle, as hosted by the Keeper of Sprite over at http://www.spriteskeeper.typepad.com/ is about tricks. Either tricks we've played or tricks we've had played on us. Well, I don't play tricks on people because I am way too good at imagining how I would feel if someone was doing whatever it was to me. Hmmm. I suspect that's part of my problem with uncomfortable moments in sitcoms. Anyway, I just can't can't play tricks. And I feel the need to get all preachy for a minute and say: Don't be mean, people! It's just not nice and nothing good comes with it!

So, I don't play tricks, but I'm fully aware that other people do, and the biggest trick that was ever played on me was played by Mother Nature.

Oh- err...due to the...open nature...of this post, if you don't want to know anything about my biological history (this means you dad!) or nobody has told you how babies are made, this might be a good post to skip. Consider yourself warned. I'll give you a moment to decide...

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OK! If you're still with me, let me give you some history. I'm married to a delightful guy who happens to not believe in birth control. We'd been married for almost three years with no sign of babies, and while we weren't trying to make one, we certainly weren't preventing it from occurring if you get my drift. I was getting a little antsy to start mothering something but just figured that I couldn't get pregnant for whatever reason, and since I'm adopted and super pro spreading the practice I just figured we'd go that direction. But I wanted to give things an official try first. So we decided to go for it. For months I swore off my favorite beverage- Pepsi- since I'd heard that too much caffeine can prevent pregnancy. We ate healthy, we got ovulation predictor kits, we did some crazy things we'd heard about that I'll spare you the details of. Eventually I started taking a baby aspirin every day because that seemed to be the thing that had worked for one of my friends.

Nothing worked.

If you've ever struggled or thought you were struggling with infertility, you know how upsetting it is to see a negative pregnancy test every month. So I wasn't happy about that, but we had decided to try for a full year before pursuing adoption and we were only 5 or 6 months into it.

So while all this was going on, we figured we were done with apartment living and that it was time to start looking into buying a house. One of my friends told me about the place she worked and how much she liked it and that she wasn't sure they were hiring, but I should put in my resume. Well, I was working as an aesthetician at the time (skin care therapist? facialist? whatever, I worked at a spa), which can bring in the big bucks, but not on any regular schedule. Your income can fluctuate majorly, which is really not so good for home buying. So I put in a resume and then proceeded to hear nothing for a while.

Eventually they called me to come in for an interview and it went very well. So well, that when I left I pretty certain I had the position. I got home and told the hubby how well things went and for the first time we considered things like maternity leave. And how you don't qualify for it until you been someplace for a year. So in the midst of feeling pretty confident I would be working there, we decided to stop trying for a baby until I had been at the new place for 6 months or so and I chucked the ovulation predictor kits.

The next week my in laws came to visit. When they visit we pretty much eat out at every meal. And since I was no longer trying for a baby I re-united with my true love- cola products. I must have drank gallons of the stuff. Many months of abstinence hadn't cured me of my addiction. I treasured every drop of each unlimited refill. I practically cleaned the glasses out with my finger. And I really, and truly must have drank gallons of the stuff.

Later that week I got the call saying I had the job and was able to tell David that we were going to be able to qualify for a mortgage. In the frenzy of celebrating that followed, one well-caffeinated ovum must have come out of hiding...

The day before I was due to start my new job I took a pregnancy test. I'd been miserably crampy the day before and since I was about to start my "time" I figured I'd take the test because that had always seemed to magically start things going all the other times. So I took it (a handy Clear Blue Easy digital test that I'd recommend to anyone for ease of use) and left it on the counter to cook while I got dressed. Eventually I turned around to pick it up and throw it away, expecting it to say "Not Pregnant" like always. And when it didn't, I literally did a double take. And I may have burst into tears out of pure shock.

So. After months of living healthy, avoiding caffeine and spending way to much time peeing on sticks, all it took was some happiness and a whole lot of cola. And I started a brand new job with a brand new pregnancy.

The biggest and best trick that I have ever been a part of was played on me by Mother Nature.

Thank you Mother Nature, she's lovely.