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Christmas Comes Early

12.21.2006

The results are in.

And they are good. Very very very very good.

(Here I squeal. And I’m not a squealer, not really. But if ever one was going to squeal in one’s life, I think it would be now.)

I want to say that I knew it, I knew it all along. I felt it. I sensed it. Mother’s instinct, don’t you know? But I didn’t. I needed a call from my doctor’s office yesterday to confirm, as I clutched my cell phone breathlessly, that yes, this baby girl is healthy; that the wretched toxoplasmosis a couple of stray kittens bestowed upon me twenty weeks ago had never crossed the placenta; that all signs point to carry on, mama.

“The test is negative,” said the voice. I didn’t even ask another question. I just sobbed, “thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh, thank you, thank you,” over and over again.

I hung up, clutched the phone to my chest for a brief moment, and exhaled the longest, most cathartic breath perhaps in my life.

I’m excited to get on with the business of being pregnant. To stop the self torment about what I might have done to deserve this hell, and get on with the complaining about the spreading ass, and the enormoboobs, and the sciatica and the God-awful maternity wardrobe. To freak out about college funds and childcare. To refuse to budge in the seemingly unresolvable battle over baby names that has already begun. To wring my hands about loving the second when the first has already staked her claim over the entirety of my heart.

In other words, I look forward to feeling like a regular old hormonal, bitchy, cynical, whiny, tired, and occasionally freaking-the-hell-out pregnant woman.

And while you will no doubt find me here in the coming weeks, complaining about each and every one of these things as if none of this heinousness ever hung over my head, I will never lose sight of just how lucky I am to be able to do so.

Overwhelm: 1. To give too much of a thing (to someone); inundate 2. Have a strong emotional effect on

I have to add, once again, thank you. I know it seems so cliche and mommybloggy and just a little….ick to keep thanking online friends and readers and friends I didn’t even know I had as readers for the overwhelming (see above) support and good wishes. But tough. I have to believe that the collective goodwill had some small or not so small part in this all and for that I will be forever indebted.

In fact we’d name the baby after all of you if we could. Well, at least I would. Nate would nixe every one of them unless he came up with it himself.

123 shards of brilliance… read them below or add one

kgirl December 21, 2006 at 4:57 pm

Penelope is a lovely name. So very very happy and relieved for you.

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Johnathan December 21, 2006 at 5:22 pm

GOOD!!!

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Michele December 21, 2006 at 5:31 pm

That is wonderful news and must bring you so much peace. Let the unfettered excitement begin!

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Fraulein December 21, 2006 at 5:38 pm

Yay! Yay! I’ve been checking the blog for days now, hoping the news would be good. (I have zero time to do my own blogging anymore, but I still try to read a few others during lunch…) Congrats on the wonderful news, and enjoy the holidays and the exciting anticipation of the new baby-to-be!

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Nancy December 21, 2006 at 5:45 pm

YES!!! So glad to hear the wonderful news. I hope you and baby get to relax and enjoy the holidays now. :-)

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B December 21, 2006 at 5:46 pm

Congratulations.

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mothergoosemouse December 21, 2006 at 5:56 pm

I can’t squeal through all the tears.Very very very happy for you. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy – start celebrating by sitting on selfish dipshits on the A train.

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Susan December 21, 2006 at 5:59 pm

This is fabulous news! Congratulations!

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Lady M December 21, 2006 at 6:02 pm

Blessings, blessings, blessings. I’m so happy for you and your soon to be family of four!Glad I’m not at work now so I don’t have to explain why I have tears on my face.

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Mitzi Green December 21, 2006 at 6:05 pm

great news.i know what you’ve been going through. 3 weeks before bob was due, i got a call that one of my old dear friends–with whom i’d been intimate–had just died of AIDS. talk about an “oh, shit” moment. luckily we were, and are, fine, but for a good week or so, the world stopped moving.

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Anonymous December 21, 2006 at 6:12 pm

I’ve been stalking your blog all week waiting for the good news – congratulations! Sounds like a perfect Christmas present to me :)

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Kymba December 21, 2006 at 6:19 pm

I’m doing a celebratory jig over here, Riverdance style, in happiness and joy for you and your family.Blessings indeed.Let the name game begin!

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Fresh Mommy December 21, 2006 at 6:26 pm

Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Cheery Kwanzaa! and every other happy holiday out there! I am so very relieved and happy for you. Now, on to the business of pregnancy aches and pains. My favorite part was when I couldn’t get my arm under my belly to wipe myself after I peed. There’s nothing like damp underwear in your 9th month. Good times. Can’t wait to read about more about your sciatica and spreading ass!

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s@bd December 21, 2006 at 6:36 pm

Thrilled for you.THRILLED!

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Kyla December 21, 2006 at 6:41 pm

FINALLY!!! HOORAY!!!!

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Amy Jo December 21, 2006 at 6:50 pm

Phew! I think you might not have been the only gal holding her breath! I couldn’t be happier for you!Also, I’ll be glad to read all your bitching about maternity clothes and whatnot, ’cause I’ll be doing the same thing!

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Mel December 21, 2006 at 6:50 pm

Oh, YAY!!! WOOHOO!!!! Man, oh man, Liz, I am so glad to hear that.And you will be pleased to know that I almost (ALMOST) sniveled out loud.And finally, WHEW!May I suggest ‘Melanie’? ;)

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pixie sticks December 21, 2006 at 6:52 pm

oh yay! r e a l l y & t r u l y YAY!

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pixie sticks December 21, 2006 at 6:52 pm

oh yay! r e a l l y & t r u l y YAY!

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Asha December 21, 2006 at 6:53 pm

The post I’ve been waiting for!!! Congrats and thank goodness.

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Christina December 21, 2006 at 6:54 pm

Whew! And YAY! I’m all ready for you to join the ranks of the regular cranky, bitchy, hormonal, tired women! Because that’s the best news I’ve heard all day.

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Wood December 21, 2006 at 6:58 pm

So happy for you. What a relief. Can’t wait to see what a hormonal, bitchy, cynical, whiny, tired, and occassionally freaking-the-hell-out pregnant woman is like when she writes as well as you do.Did I at least say hello when I stopped by your dream? I hope so.

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Amy December 21, 2006 at 7:10 pm

WAHOO!!! So glad you finally got to breathe that big sigh of relief.

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NG December 21, 2006 at 7:13 pm

Perhaps you can just name the baby “Internet”. It’s new, it’s different. There’ll be no one in the baby’s second grade class with the same name. Think about it. So so happy for you. I know how awful the waiting is… so… just… yay!

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Lara December 21, 2006 at 7:17 pm

honestly, i just exhaled a huge sigh of relief as well. i realize it’s strange, but even though we’ve never met, i would literally walk around thinking, “i wonder if she got the results back yet. i wonder if everything’s okay.” i’m soooo glad for you! whee! i feel like squealing too! :)

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Vikki December 21, 2006 at 7:22 pm

I have been checking back frequently and was starting to feel a little panicky. CONGRATULATIONS!

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Melissa December 21, 2006 at 7:22 pm

Yay. Yay for healthy baby girls. I knew it too…I did I swear. ;) I’m so happy for you guys. Bring on the preggo talk. Dude, this is what I tell people…if you can’t agree on a name, tell Nate that when he pushes a big ole baby out of his penis then he gets too name it…until then, he needs to be more flexable, or you’re coming up with the name.

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MetroDad December 21, 2006 at 7:24 pm

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT NEWS, LIZ! Thank God everything came back ok. So happy for you. Woo hoo!

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Deliciously_Naughty December 21, 2006 at 7:28 pm

That’s so great!!! I’ve been checking your site constantly for the last few days, and I’m so relieved for you.

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PDX Mama December 21, 2006 at 7:30 pm

I sit here with tears welling up in my eyes, but trying to stop them so the coworkers don’t see. Congratulations! What a relief. I DID know it, but that’s easy for me b/c it’s not happening to me. I am so happy for you and Nate and Thalia and that blessed little babe in your womb. Thalia is getting a little sister!!! You are going to be a mama to two daughters!!! Two little daugthers who will have their papa wrapped tightly around their chubby little fingers!!! Now bring on the sap and make me jealous about how you can rub your buddha belly and feel movement. Merry Christmas to you!!!

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Brianna December 21, 2006 at 7:34 pm

de-lurking to say “yay!” : )Merry Christmas!

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Lena December 21, 2006 at 8:02 pm

I too knew it. Call it “momblogger’s instinct”.I am so so so so so happy for you to have this – the BEST Christmas gift of all. Now ENJOY YOUR PREGNANCY! ((hugs))

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Mir December 21, 2006 at 8:05 pm

I never doubted it for a minute. :) Still, good to hear!

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Mojo December 21, 2006 at 8:10 pm

Congratulations! I’m so glad the little one is ok and you can get on w/the pregnancy w/only the normal worries and complaints!

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Bea December 21, 2006 at 8:12 pm

Oh, I’m so glad.I’ve had a horrible feeling these last few days that you had already heard the news, and were so devastated that you couldn’t bring yourself to blog about, and so were writing chipper posts on unrelated matters.I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear this news.Have a happy, happy pregnancy, lady!

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SuperWife December 21, 2006 at 8:23 pm

Very happy yours news was so good. I can’t imagine the fear you’ve been holding inside for such a long time now. How wonderful to finally be able to let it all go. I, too, have been watching for updates. Scared that you may not be updating because the news had been bad. But now, I find I was exhaling with you. This kid is gonna owe you some fabu Mother’s Day gifts!! For life!! (I know, I’ve got one at my house that put me through it when I was pregnant with her!!)

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Kelly Wolfe December 21, 2006 at 8:39 pm

I am so relieved and happy for you. I have been checking your site every day to make sure all went well with the test. Now I look forward to reading about run of the mill pregnant lady stuff that you will make moving and funny, I’m sure.Yessssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lisa

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the weirdgirl December 21, 2006 at 8:43 pm

Oh, THANK goodness! And Merry Merry Merry Christmas to you, too.

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Colleen December 21, 2006 at 8:46 pm

Thank goodness! I’ve been thinking of you and your family and hoping and praying for good news. I’m so glad you got it. What a wonderful, sweet relief.As for names? I wanted to name our baby Django if it was a boy. We had a girl instead (Delaney). If we’d had a boy my husband would have NEVER let me name him Django so that name? It’s all yours. Maybe it will suit a girl better anyway. Oh, and you can thank me later. LOL.

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FishyGirl December 21, 2006 at 8:49 pm

Wooo Hooo! Congratulations, and Merry Merry Christmas to you. May the rest of the journey be eventful in only ordinary ways.

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chelle December 21, 2006 at 8:57 pm

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!What a wonderful gift for the holidays!!!!!

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GIRL'S GONE CHILD December 21, 2006 at 9:07 pm

I’m so happy. I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my cheeks because, just WOW. Life is wonderful.

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nonlineargirl December 21, 2006 at 9:28 pm

Thanks for sharing the good news. Your joy pulses through the screen, and it feels good!

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Mocha December 21, 2006 at 9:33 pm

That is <>wonderful<> news. I’m quite relieved and happy for you. I’d be happier if you named that baby “Mocha” – see how unisex it is? Hmm?

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Jill December 21, 2006 at 9:34 pm

YAY!!!!I say name her Kat, just to spite that damn feline. Or Jill. Jill’s good too. ;-)

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Cristina December 21, 2006 at 9:52 pm

I am soooo happy for you! I have been thinking about you and wishing for this news to come. Merry Christmas indeed!

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Fairly Odd Mother December 21, 2006 at 9:56 pm

OH. . .YES!!!! I’m so glad to hear this—I’ve been checking your blog so much lately and feel so relieved to read this. What a nice Christmas gift, or Hannukah gift, or whatever you guys are celebrating! How about Dalia? Thalia and Dalia, or TD for short (you know, Touchdown, which I think Nate would appreciate)!Big internet hugs to you my friend. I’m so very happy for you.

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mamatulip December 21, 2006 at 10:30 pm

YYYYYYAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!

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dorothy December 21, 2006 at 10:32 pm

Who knew “negative” could be such a great word until they became pregnant?

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J at www.jellyjules.com December 21, 2006 at 10:43 pm

Oh god, I’m tearing up right here on my conference call, I’m so damned relieved for you! I just SO did not want you to have to deal with this if the news were bad. Thalia is SO going to be an AWESOME big sister. Best wishes, and thanks for making my Christmas a bit brighter, in a secret little way. (secret because I won’t have that sadness for you in the back of my head while I’m receiving gifts and love…)You can name the baby J if you want. It’s neither masculine nor feminine, and gosh, wouldn’t it be cool? “Hello, this is my child, J. Yes, adore him/her.” :)

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