Last Week's Sarcasm, I Mean, Ticker

Last week was one of those weeks where there's "something" on EVERY STINKIN' NIGHT and by the time you get done with whatever thing that was, and all the house-family -maintenance business ("You need a bath? Really? How dirty could you have gotten, it's only been...wow, ok bathtime.") there was really only enough time to blog or sleep. And we all know how that contest is going to end...
This week's entry WILL get done. I swear. I gets me focused and organized on the fun task of growing another human being and the rights and privileges thereof. But for now, last week's ticker:

What? NO! Next question, please!

Seriously, explaining to Maddie why this elusive baby is still hanging out in Mommy's tummy is tricky enough.

Her: "When's the baby coming out?"
Me: "When the baby is bigger and stronger, probably in February. So not for a long time yet. "
Her: "Can the baby get bigger now and come out now?"

I have no idea what you say to a toddler when they ask you birds & bees things. Never thought about it. My inclination is to be as up front as possible and hopefully that will backfire the least when she's comparing younger sibling stories with other kids in preschool...but I'm hoping not to have to find out. For now, babies grow because God wants them to. Got it? Good, moving on.

Yes, hair and organs, all in one week! Hey, leave something to grow for another week, kid, you'll be bored in there by Christmas!

Thursday we have our Level 2 ultrasound. This is also called the "Anatomy Scan" - I'm sure I've mentioned it, seeing as there's one particular area of anatomy that is traditionally scanned at this little event. We hope to find out if Little D is a HE or a SHE. Maddie has flip-flopped twice now, and is back to insisting that this is a SISTER, thankyouverymuch. I have been asked more times than I can count if I have a "feeling" it's one or the other. ...? Apparently many mommies "just knew" their babies were what they were. Riiiiiiight.

I'm pretty sure it's a baby. That's all I've got. How in the world do you "just know" these things? That's bologna to me, if I "had a feeling" and got it right, I'd have had a 50/50 chance of being right. I'd have gotten lucky, not some premonition. I don't know - flip a coin, that's what I think I'm having.

No, not a dead president.

I still have not told the kids at school, which is a bit weird and getting more inconvenient. I have no idea why I haven't. I'm not really "showing" yet (unless you count the evermore-protruding, oddly misshapen gut that seems to say, "Meg had too many Kohr Brothers visits this summer"). I keep thinking, "I'll wait till I know when I'm going to come back." Figured that out. Then, "I'll wait till I know the sex." Well that's not necessary, it's a BABY, and it's fun to have a second announcement later, so that was dumb reason. Then it was, "I'll wait till I know the Spring concert date to tell them whether I'll be there or not." I've pretty much ruled out being there for logistical reasons, but still...I have no desire to share my secret this time. Not that it's particularly fun to have this little secret. Last time I told them (ended up having to tell them because word got out) at around 11 weeks. Oops. I'm not one to wait till 2nd trimester, but GEEZ, that was early to come out of the maternity closet to a bunch of elementary kids. But I have the matter of the spring Chorus concert, the Related Arts units that teachers seem to want to schedule these extra classes with me and not during the time a sub is here (flattered, love you guys, but the sub WILL know how to teach, I'm sure). And oh yeah, the 5th graders keep asking me about when they can start Handbell choir. I've told them, without thinking about it, "We start in February." Forgetting of course that I sure as shooting won't be the one who does it. If we get a sub who can play handbells. The odds are slightly better for bells than, say, accordion, but who knows? I couldn't just up and start a string orchestra, that's not what my training is in, so we can't expect someone to come in and just start the bell choir up. And yet these kids know that 5th grade gets to do it every year. It's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I sure don't want to get accusing little stares when I tell them why there's not going to be Handbells this year, either. I have no idea what to do about all this stuff, and I'm thinking I better figure it out. Which I should probably go start right now.