I told my students

"Are you pregnant Mrs. Shupe? Because someone said you're pregnant." This is what I was asked while we were at library last Friday and I didn't know how to answer because I didn't want that to be the way I announced it. So I said, "Wouldn't I tell you something like that?!"Another girl walks over and says, "You look like maybe you're pregnant." I got a nervous feeling in my stomach and decided, 4th graders aren't as naive as I must have thought.. especially considering most of my students have a pregnant mother or a new baby in their homes. 

I decided then and there, I would tell them the following Monday. Originally I was going to wear the previously mentioned shirt with the skeleton and baby skeleton to announce the news to my kiddos. Well, that wouldn't fly because it would be a week before Halloween and no one is wearing skeleton shirts on random days in October. 

So I decided I would introduce the game "Hang Man" to my students. To my delight, they knew the game (some didn't last year and being that they're mostly newcomers to the country, you never know what games they may or may not know.) So I put up the following: 

___ ____ ___       _____ ____ _____ _____ ____    

____ ____       ______ ____ _____ _____ _____ _____

____     _____ _____ _____ _____

They're guessing and finally they had something like Mrs Shupe is    ___a___ing    a    ___a___y. 

I start hearing whispers, "Is she having a baby?"   "Do you think she's having a baby?"  "I think Mrs. Shupe is having a baby." Then they solved it! 

They bursted with questions! What is it!? are you really having a baby?! What's it's name?! Can we name it? When is it coming?! 

And my three favorite questions: 

3. "Aren't you supposed to be big and fat?" (Love this kid forever for making me feel good lol) 

2. "So can we really have a class baby?" 

and the number 1 question that still makes me giggle now....

1. "Does Mr. Shupe know?" 

LOL!!! ... He does. 

They're super cute and are asking me questions about the baby already and giving me name suggestions as well as suggesting a name suggestion jar that they can add to whenever they think of names. There has also been a request that Mr. Shupe please come in and let them know when the baby comes so they can find out if it's a boy or girl. 

Oh and my nerves were settled when the only controversial question that was asked was, "How did you know you were pregnant? Like, how did you actually know a baby is in there?" A simple, "The doctor told me," solved that one and the questions were done! Thank God! 

...Now I'm off to my most visited place, the bathroom. At least I made it through typing this whole thing out!

just an update

I feel weird to admit that at this point in my life, I love going to the doctor's office! I hate the fact that Derek can't get off work to join me at all of the appointments, but the fact that he was there to hear the first heartbeat and see the first ultrasound at 8 weeks makes me happy. The 16 week appointment was wonderful. I was in and out in about 30 minutes. The heartbeat was in the 150s and the doctor said he could hear the baby moving and kicking. I don't now exactly what that sounds like, but since I was hearing the same thing as him, I must have heard him/her kicking, too! 

I can't wait until November 10. It's the 20 week appointment which includes and ultrasound! Yay! Derek is also getting off work to come to that one. I can't wait to see that little bean again. This time he/she probably won't look as much like a derby car like last time. 

My dad bought me the Halloween shirt I wanted. It has a skeleton torso and in the belly area, there's a baby skeleton. It's too funny! I love my daddio, he still spoils me. I'm so lucky to have such a great family... including Derek's family. I know not everyone is so lucky to have wonderful in-laws, but mine are fantastic! This baby will be so loved! 

16 weeks

Helloooo 2nd trimester and hellooo baby bump! Well, you can't exactly see it yet unless I'm laying flat on the ground, but I can feel it really good when I'm laying there, too! Each night, I lay on the floor and feel the bump.

A few nights ago, I was sitting on the couch with Derek and I felt this feeling in my low stomach like bubbles fluttering around in one spot. I thought, I wonder if this is the baby?! It continued to happen for about 20 minutes and of course, I googled it, and it seems that it likely was the baby moving around! Wahoo!

We've chosen a girl's name that we're set on and finally decided on the middle name for the girl. It was between two and we've got the right one now. We have a boy's middle name picked, but no first name. Derek and I can't find one that we agree on... or I find names and Derek doesn't like them. He's only come up with one contender for a boy and I grew out of it. So this baby's name with be Gunther if we don't come up with a boy name since that's what we've been calling it lately. We're being big stinkers and not telling anyone our baby names because we want them to be a surprise AND there's always someone who knew someone who had that name and they killed the whole city or something horrible like that. So we're keeping the names to ourselves and if people dislike it after the baby is here, too bad! Because it's going to be a super cute baby and no one makes fun of a super cute baby's name!

funny memories

I have some memories I don't want to forget... 

My students love to get into my personal life and find out everything about me. They asked me in the beginning of the year if I have kids, but recently, they asked if I have babies and I told them not yet. One girl raised her hand and asked, "Well maybe if you do have a baby this year, if it gets old enough, could you bring it in and we could have a class baby instead of a class pet?" LOL 

A few days later, three of my girls were talking to me and said, "I hope you have babies soon. But I hope you don't have a baby this year because last year a teacher had a baby and she was gone for the last month of school and we don't want a sub!" Aww... how sweet. Sorry girls! 

I don't know when to tell them, yet. When is too early? I was thinking of wearing this shirt for Halloween and see what they say.

I have some that it would go completely over their head, but others would probably get it. I just don't know if that's too early to tell them? I'll be 19 weeks I think? I guess that's a good time to tell. 

Anyway, another funny story... 

I'm starting to lose my mind already. Derek was showering the other day. I went in to use the bathroom, washed my hands and left. He finished his shower and I hear, "Are you kidding me?!" and I also heard a weird noise coming from the bathroom. Well... it turns out I left the faucet on after washing my hands... and turned the light off! I totally blame him for not telling me to turn the light back on, but WOW, how did I forget to turn the water off?! haha... this baby is eating my brain already! It's ok. I'll let him/her eat my brain.

zombie-itis

I'm a total zombie today. I'm tired, I guess, but mostly I'm too drained to do anything today. I had an awesome teaching day. My students were great and I just feel accomplished on that part of my life. However, I was no social butterfly. At lunch, I may have said 5 words in total. I hope this goes away!

It's been a while since I've written, so I'll catch up on the pregnancy front.

I am no longer getting queasy as often, or really at all. I still can't believe I never actually got sick. I thought I'd be one of those unlucky ones who had horrible morning sickness. The dishwasher is still nasty and meat isn't great, but I've eaten some.

I'm 14 weeks 5 days today and I can feel a little bump in my lower belly. :o) That makes be super happy. I can't wait until it's visible. I have a belly up higher, but it's not baby. I wondered what it was because it's not soft, so I didn't think it was just fat. I found out it is most likely my organs that have been pushed upward because of the growing baby in there. Interesting! I will definitely be posting belly pictures once this belly looks more like a baby belly. I want to remember all of this and I think this blog is a great way to keep record of it.

Well, I guess I better go stalk all the blogs I love since I'm finally on the computer again. :o)

it's official

We're Facebook Official

On September 15, I posted a new album called, "1,2,3... say Emily's Pregnant!" And I posted the photos we took of our family members when we announced to them and put the ultrasound picture in there too. Wow! The comments came in quickly! It was so exciting and sure made everything official because now everyone knows. We aren't hiding it anymore and it feels good!

I did find out that there's nothing like announcing a pregnancy to give you body issues. LOL. I've had many teachers at school say to me, "I wondered if you were. I kept looking at you and thinking, I think I see a belly." ....I've gained 4 lbs and I think it's all in my boobs, so I must have just stopped sucking it in lately! Oh well, I'm only going to get a bigger belly.

The question I've gotten most is, "How are you feeling?" and I almost feel bad to answer. I haven't thrown up once. I have felt sick and queasy, but no puking, thank God! I could forget I'm pregnant if I didn't think about it all the time.

The other day I did squat down to put some books away at work and my pants pushed up against my lower stomach and I felt them pressing on something I haven't felt before. Baby?! I think so! :o) I almost ran across the hall to tell the teacher over there that I think my pants hit my baby. I held it together.

Now... how and when will I tell my students!?! I think I'm more nervous and excited about that than I was about telling all the adults in my life!

I just haven't met you yet

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

Promise you, kid, I'll give so much more than I get,I just haven't met you yet

I just keep singing this song in my head over and over again.

I had my 12 week appointment today and heard my baby's heartbeat... 160 bpm. I think I fell in love today! It's seemed so unreal for the most part until today, it just clicked!

My appointment was less than thrilling for 90% of the time I spent there. I waited in the room for about a half hour reading Us Magazine. Thank God they had magazines in the room. The doctor came in and asked if I had questions then felt my belly and said, "Yep! That's a baby." Then he took out his heart listening thing (technical term) and started to listen. I looked at him for cues that was I was listening to was, indeed, a heartbeat. He just looked at me with a straight face. I tried prompting him to tell me what I was hearing by giving him a big smile and he FINALLY said, "That's your baby! 160 beats a minute. I'm guessing girl, but I'm wrong 50% of the time." Good odds. ha!

I left the office and called Derek to tell him about our little Gunther, as he has lovingly named the baby for the pregnancy. When I hung up, I changed the stations on the radio and heard the Michael Buble song I quoted earlier. I was thinking, "I love how fun this song is!" Then, about 20 seconds later, I was crying in the car thinking about how the song was for my baby! I love him/her already, I just haven't met the little one yet! If anyone saw me, they probably would have thought I was crazy, singing, laughing and crying in the car. Oh well! I'm in love.