Bumps #2 (and Angels)

B     M     S

   U       P       #2

• A student said, "Mrs. Pear has a seed growing in her orange." What??? Apparently a group of third graders have made up a language they call Foodly. When guessing the gender, the boys guessed blueberry and the girls guessed raspberry. Now they ask how my blueberry is doing all the time. 
• A sweet little girl was looking at a picture on my desk of Brant and me from 5 years ago and she said, "You were pretty when you were young." Ha! Great, just what the 34-year-old first time pregnant gal wants to hear! I laughed pretty hard though. 
• The kids keep suggesting the name Toby. I gather that it is from some Nickelodeon or Disney show they watch. Tons of them have given me this suggestion. Strange. I like the name Justin, don't they like the Beebs? (No, we haven't decided on any names.)
• Being overwhelmed and stressed, I have found the following 2 activities each day keeps me sane AND they are good for the baby: 1. upon arrival, instead of the first graders gathering in the library and reading on their own from book boxes, I read stories out loud. It is what I was meant to do. They tell me how much they love the voices, love the books and always leave talking about the books. Once about 30 or 40 kids gather, I switch to the microphone. Several years ago when asked, "If you could do anything for a job, what would it be," my reply was, "Read aloud to kids all day." Gotta cling to it! 2. Making the most of cafeteria duty, (spreading frozen peanut butter, cutting hundreds of salisbury steaks, opening milks, etc. take a toll, yes, this is what I went to college for,)-while waiting for the kinder teachers to pick their kids up, we sing/recite holiday songs and poems together. Right now 5 Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate and If You're a Monster and You Know It are the most popular. Get to be silly and have some fun with them.
• 3rd grade boy, "What happened to Mrs. B's stomach?" Another teacher, "She's going to have a baby." Boy gasps, "OOOooohhh, she's going to have a baby." I guess he's never been around a pregnant lady before!
• I have some groupies after school while waiting for the second bus round to pick them up. They hug on my belly each day. Today they read books to the baby. Monday we planned our Red Ribbon Week attire, (theme days.) One little girl rested her head on my belly and swirled her finger around my bellybutton over and over for like a minute. I was a little afraid that this might look strange to other adults around, so I told her that she was going to make me fall asleep and she stopped. Sweet kids. 
• One of the little older ladies that has always worked at my school asked if it seemed like the kids were closer to me this year. I told her yes, definitely. She said it is because they are innocent little angels that can sense what is going on inside me. With all the love I feel from them, I believe it.
• Another of the sweet older Mexican ladies I work with visited a church/misson while on vacation south of here. She prayed for our baby and brought me a gods eye pin and a ring with Jesus and Mary on it. She was hesitant to give me the ring. Although we have had great talks about religion, family and our beliefs, she told me that she didn't know how I felt about Mary or Catholicism. I told her I believe in Mary, that she is the mother of Jesus, I just don't pray to her. She was relieved and gave me the ring. I have been proud to wear that ring everyday since. It reminds me who is in charge and gives me peace. This is the same lady who told me I had to visit the Oblate priesthood campus last spring, that it has become a refuge and place for her to pray and sort out her thoughts. I finally went to this beautiful place this summer...coincidence? Hmm... She has given me some of the best advice throughout this entire "process/adventure."
• I miss Brant AND Lacey when they are hunting. This weekend is the last weekend of dove season. I normally go a lot. Shoot a little, then just have fun drinking beer and talking with the guys, but not this year. Gotta rest! Each day of the week, I feel myself get more and more run down. I NEED my weekends to recharge!

Saturday morning lounging with Lacey

Lacey-11months old

• Charlie likes to take naps with me. There's a nook in between my pregnancy pillow and my body that has become her sweet spot. Someday soon my big belly will take over that resting place!    

                                                 

• I'm reading that I should feel the baby anytime now. I have felt flutters for a couple of weeks, but I cannot be sure of what it is! It feels more like finger tips to me. It amazes (and sometimes worries) me that the baby is about 9 inches from head to toe, (5 inches from head to rump, according to one of my books,) and that I cannot feel it. I know it's coming!

18 weeks!

Celebrated 18 weeks by going to bed at 7:00 on Thursday!