March, 1989

March, 1989

I stopped at the Carter's outlet store on the way home and chose a white onesie with little blue sail boats, thinking it would be fine for either a boy or a girl. I was on the way home from the clinic appointment where I had just found out that I was definately pregnant. I was nearly four months along, but had not been sure of my pregnancy before, because the home-test I had taken back in December, when I first suspected, had shown up negative. Then there had been some spotting.

When I got home ( a one bedroom, basement apartment near an interstate in West Chicago), I found Jasper sitting at the table working on homework for College of DuPage. I told him I had a present for him and held out the onesie. He was very happy. This was the result we had both been hoping for ever since I had taken that negative pregnancy test and we had both realized how "let down" we felt afterwards.

Later that evening, I kissed Jasper good-night and went skipping into our bedroom. I took a running start and leaped onto the waterbed. The waterbed was not wave free and the impact of my jump caused a tsunami that lifted me into the air and threw me from the bed. I had enough time in the air to realize what was happening and turn my body so I wouldn't land on my head and not hurt the baby.

The crash as my head hit the floor was loud enough to bring Jasper running from the livingroom. "what happened?!" He gasped as he came through the door.

I explained how I had landed on my head on purpose, so I wouldn't land on the baby. "I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard," He said smiling, with glistening eyes.