The Test: January 29th, 2011

Ashley had already taken the test once, maybe a couple weeks before, and it was negative. So we just assumed it wasn't meant to be, we were a little depressed but I guess the time just wasn't right. But during this week, Ashley kept saying she didn't feel right, she had some stomach pain and would get random headaches. So the night of January 28th she told me that she was going to take the test in the morning, I said, "Ok. Whatever you want to do, you already took one and it was negative, why would it change now?"

Now before we get to the next morning let me give you a little background on myself. I work 40 hours a week, sometimes more, and I am a full time student at Old Dominion University. This is my 6th year and I am finally graduating, so you can call me a super duper senior. Each week my two scheduled days off are Tuesday and Thursday where I am in class from 10am to 9pm. So really I do not have a day off and I never get to sleep in. I work in the hotel business and January/February is not exactly the most popular travel months, so my hours had just been cut down to 32 a week. So this Saturday morning that she plans to take this test is my first day to sleep in for the past couple of months.

Now back to the next morning. Ashley decides she is going to wake up at 8am and go to the bathroom. She kind of woke me up when she got out of bed but I just fell back asleep. She comes back out of the bathroom and just sits next to me on the bed and is staring at me. Now here I am asleep and I open my eyes to her staring at me with a grin on her face. I look at her and say, "It's 8am what the hell are you so happy about." she says, "It's positive." and I reply, "And I'm positive that if you don't leave me alone I'm gonna push you off the bed... wait, what is positive?" I had forgot all about the test she was going to take, I was just trying to sleep in for once. When I finally realized what she was talking about I looked at her and grinned and said, "Are you serious? Because I swear to God if you are just joking I will again push you off the bed." Of course she was telling the truth, we hugged and cherished that moment, I was really surprised I didn't cry. I then looked at her and said, "Now what?"

Tip #3: Remember everything!

And this is when I realized that the plane left without me on my journey to, destination... dad.

The Deed: December 26th, 2011

This is the morning our little TBD baby was conceived. Of course we didn't know this at the time, we found this out at our first visit to the OBGYN, which will be covered in a later post. Ashley and I didn't detect her ovulation or download any apps, we just winged it. We took the man's mentality and decided to build without using any instructions, glad we didn't have any left over parts. We agreed that we would keep trying until the beginning of the new year and if it happens then it is meant to be. Ashley and I woke up the day after Christmas to what ended up being more than 12 inches of snow fall. I know God made this winter storm so we could have our TBD baby, there is no other explanation, it never snows like that in Virginia. If we would have had Virginia's normal weather of 40 degrees yesterday and 80 degrees today, then Ashley and I would have went to work as normal, we wouldn't have gotten bored that morning, and who knows if we would be having this baby. Who knows if you would be reading this blog! So thank God my little swimmers were feeling like Michael Phelps at the 2008 Summer Olympics. I knew I ate 5,000 calories on Christmas day for a reason.

Tip #2: If you get lucky one morning when you were not supposed too, and a natural phenomenon is the reason, it is not luck.

And this is when I actually started my journey to, destination... dad.

The Agreement: December 16th, 2010

When Ashley and I decided to try for a baby I had some stipulations she had to agree with before I would agree. I am a huge sports fan and played many sports while growing up, so of course I want a son. I think that is every heterosexual man’s wish when trying for a baby. I never made it to the professional level in any sport, hell I didn’t even make it to the college level, but hopefully my son can make it further than I did in whatever sport he decides as long as it doesn’t involve wearing a leotard or figure skates. But on the other hand I want a girl because I helped raise my niece and I know exactly what I am doing when it comes to a girl. So in a nutshell, I want one of each. So I told Ashley that after we have two kids, if they are the same gender then we will have a third. She was hesitant at first but then she agreed. She might have just agreed to it so I would agree to trying for a baby when she is really thinking, “This dumbass doesn’t know that I have control as to whether we have a kid or not.

Tip #1: If she wants to have a baby and you are telling her now is not the right time, but eventually you do decide you want one, and there is something you want. Use this agreement to try for a baby as the bargaining chip. I used it for something far down the road that I want to make sure happens, but you could use it for the new Madden game coming out if you want.

And this is when I planned to set off on my journey to, destination… dad.

The Beginning: February 20th, 2010

My name is Rickey and I am engaged to a beautiful woman named Ashley. We worked with each other at a hotel for a couple of years and we absolutely hated each other. Now when I say hate I don't mean the 4th-grade-don't-touch-me-because-you-have-cuties hate, I mean the Ashton-Kutcher-and-Cameron-Diaz-in-What-Happens-in-Vegas-I-want-to-ruin-your-life hate. Little did we both know that it would turn out like the movie and we would fall in love. Ashley and I were on the fast track of love, we moved in with each other after three months of dating, we got a puppy together after four months, I proposed to her after 11 months, and we are now planning on getting married after two years. Oh, and we decided to have a baby after 10 months.

I believe Ashley and I are further along in our relatonship than the actual count of days we have been dating. After knowing someone for so long, and then starting to date them, you automatically jump into the relationship with what feels like years together already under your belt.