Not All School Stories Are Cute Ones

Before I get to the embarrassingly naughty school story, let me tell you what we did in Science today...

We candled our eggs! We turned out all the lights, took each egg out of the incubator and held a flashlight up to it so we could see the shadow of the embryo inside. This is the sixth year I've done it and this day always amazes me. Two of our eggs are unfertilized, but four of them have embryos in them! (I only have six eggs total this year...boo). However, one of the embryos is really tiny compared to the others and we think it might be because it stopped developing somewhere around day three. The kids were wondering if we could crack it open after the other eggs hatch to see what it looks like on day three and we had a long discussion about whether or not to do that. It seems like they all really want to do it, so we'll see what happens!

Okay, now for my funny story. I have to say, I'm so embarrassed about my reaction to this little boy's comment, that I was debating whether or not to even post this, but it's pretty darn funny, so here I go.

Mr. E and I were eating lunch with two of our boys who have been fighting for a while. They live in the same neighborhood and the conversation was winding down. In fact, Mr. E had already left the room, so it was just me and the two boys. They were telling me all about the buildings on their street. Then, one of them says....

"...And behind our laundromat there's this old building and it has electrical things on top and sometimes the guys climb up there to get their balls off."

If I didn't have a mouth full of strawberry yogurt I would have flown off the handle and said, "K! That is a totally inappropriate lunch conversation topic!" But instead, as I was choking on my yogurt, I had a few seconds to think it through. Then I asked him to clarify. "You mean, like the kickballs that get stuck up there?"

"Yeah," he said. And my heart rate returned to normal.

Keeping My Head Above Water

Things have been getting pretty hectic at school. The year is in full swing and we are rocking and rolling through our lessons, while at the same time trying to keep everyone happy and healthy. The paperwork is piling up, the meetings are non-stop, and my to-do list seems to write itself while I'm away from my desk. I'm entering that teacher-mode of living where there aren't enough hours in a day to do all that needs to be done. Priorities rise and unimportant things get pushed aside - until you realize it was something someone else really needed you to do. It's a constant shuffle between what to do now and what to do later.

On top of all of that, this is the time of year when I usually start to get sick. I know it's a combination of the "go go go" lifestyle and the fact that I'm stuck in a room with twenty four kids who cough and sneeze all over each other all day. Every year I'm careful to eat right and use lots of Germ-X in the classroom, but this year my obsession with staying healthy has reached a whole new level! I really don't want to take any drugs at all if I don't have to, so I drink about three big glasses of orange juice a day, I don't touch my kids except to hug them at the end of the day and even then I wash my hands as soon as they're all gone, and I try to slow down and get as much sleep as I possibly can. Sometimes I think the constant threat of getting sick is what might end up making me sick. For example, I woke up with a scratchy throat this morning and wondered, "Is it really scratchy, or am I over-analyzing this?" Luckily when I got up and got moving I felt fine. I guess that's just what happens when the air starts to change.

Here's to hoping we all stay germ-free and healthy this winter! I don't want to use any sick days unless they're the ones I use in April and May to stay home with my li'l pooper!

Only Because So Many People Have Asked...

Here is a (one, only one) "belly picture." Ugh! I swore I would never do this because I think they are totally silly and I have no interest in documenting how fat I get, but many (many, many) people have asked me to take some belly pics and post them. The only reason I decided to do it is because these people live far away and I love them...a lot. I'm not doing it every week, in fact, you'll be lucky to see one every month, but I'll do it. And I'll complain about it every time just to make myself feel better.

Without Further Ado, I Give You....

Pregnant Rachael:

(insert scene from Jurassic Park when T-Rex makes the water glass shake with his gigantic, stomping hugeness)
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Keep Going!

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Is she having a baby or does she eat children alive?

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Me and the baby - 13 weeks

I'm wearing my regular jeans which still fit (thank goodness) but I'm afraid to wash them because we all know what happens to washed jeans. Black has become my new best friend, especially at work, but I think this pic does a good job showing my enormous "pooch," as I like to call it. Anyone who knew me four years ago knows that I have a loooong list of fears about pregnancy and right at the top is GETTING FAT, so you all better tell me I look cute, even though my hair's a mess and I'm wearing my custom-made hair band bracelet (at least I put on make-up for you...that's a big deal)! Now, just to make myself feel better, here's a picture of me that I actually like - from a long time ago:

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See! Aren't I pretty!

(You're welcome.)

A Few Words for Baby

Dear Baby,

It took a while to get up the nerve to write you a letter, but I think tonight I'm ready. You've been growing inside me for 13 weeks, and I'm really getting used to being pregnant. If our first trimester together is any sign of things to come, then I can tell you're going to be a great baby. You hardly made me sick at all! Sometimes you make me really tired and sometimes you give me these superhuman bursts of energy - like today when you helped me clean and organize the closets! Sometimes you make me re-think the way I have to do things - like how I stand up and how I sleep at night - but I'm starting to get the hang of it. As your body develops every day, mine changes a little bit, too.

I hope you're doing well in there. We heard your heartbeat last month and you sounded strong and safe. We go back to the doctor this week and I hope they give us an ultrasound so we can finally see you in your tiny world! I'm doing the best I can to eat right and be healthy. I got my flu shot and I exercise every now and then. I'm trying to make all the right choices so you'll be happy and healthy when you finally arrive.

Your Dad is awfully excited about your arrival. He might not show it like I do, but I can tell. I can tell by the way he smiles at other babies and by the way he talks about you. He has big plans for the games you'll play and the things he wants to teach you. I can already see that the two of you are going to have lots of fun together.

The rest of our family is really excited to meet you, too. You better enjoy this quiet time while you've got it, because once you're out, you're going to get passed around like a rag doll! You have not one, not two, but FOUR sets of Grandparents to fight over you. Grandma and Grandpa E. live in C-- near Grandma and Grandpa H. Mami and Papi T live in I--, and Mami and Papi F live all the way in France! I hope we get to take you there while you're still a baby because I know they'll be sad if they don't get to see you soon. All your aunts and uncles are waiting patiently to meet you, too. You'll probably meet Uncle Jordan first, because he lives here near us. Your Uncle Matt and Aunt Jen want you to hurry up and get here so you can play with your cousin Charlie. Your other Aunt Jenny will probably kiss you to death. Oh! And you Uncles John and Evan might try to put you on a dirtbike as soon as you open your eyes, but don't worry, I won't let them. Then there's your Aunt Dorinda, who also lives in France, and you'll probably see her on the webcam. As you can see, there are lots of people out here just waiting to love you, so consider yourself one lucky baby!

Don't get yourself into too big of a hurry though, my dear. Because once you come out, it's you and the world, but for now, it's just you and me. This is the only time of your life when I can truly protect you with everything I have and I like it that way. We get to spend this quiet, safe time together - growing and learning about each other. Of course, I can't wait to see you face to face, but I don't want to wish this time away because I love it, and I love you!

So stay safe in there, little one. Be good and do your growing like you should. You'll be here soon enough, so enjoy this quiet, calm Mama time.

Good night, sleep tight!
Love,
Mom

God Bless Pillows

I read somewhere that pregnant women should go out and buy lots of pillows that help them sleep. Body pillows, wedge pillows, there's even some fancy kind of support pillow that has velcro straps all over it! Well, I have been a teensy bit uncomfortable at night, mainly because I can't sleep on my stomach anymore without feeling like I'm sleeping on a piece of sports equipment, so I thought I'd try out my own pillows first and see how that feels.

Oh

My

God!

I shove our tiny little throw pillow from Target between my knees and curl myself around one of the 2-ft long, round pillows that sit on our bed, and people, I'm telling you, I've never slept so well in my LIFE! Poor Sylvain gets no attention anymore because when I go to bed, I'm drooling over how I get to curl up with those two pillows! I don't know if they'll last as long as I need them to before I need more support somewhere, but I'm hoping they hold out, because right now they're really getting the job done!

Reader's Poll...

Okay, all four readers out there, I have a question. I've been wanting to find some sort of baby countdown device to put on my blog, so I found the one above on baby-gaga.com. Do you like it, or does it creep you out? Is it neat, or is it too much information? Be honest! If no one's interested, I can put it down below where it will be less noticable, but if people want to see it, I'll leave it up top. Let me know! I'm here to make your blogging experience a good one!

Crampy McCramperson

Two nights ago I could hardly sleep for all the cramping I was getting in the sides of my stomach. I was trying to decide if it was something serious, but I noticed that it wasn't like menstrual cramps, it was more like charlie horse cramps, so I didn't call the doctor right away. After consulting many moms at school the next morning, I discovered that this pain is quite normal when you're body starts to STRETCH. Ach!!! My body is STRETCHING! I don't know why I find that so strange, I know all about stretch marks, but I never really stopped to think about the fact that you can actually feel the stretching part. S0 weird.

Last night I decided to take some affirmative action against this stretching sensation and started a new yoga routine. I've been putting off yoga for some time, telling myself I'm too busy for it, but these cramps were a huge wake-up call. I thought, "okay, body, if you want to stretch, we'll stretch. But we're doing it my way. The normal way, with yoga." So there I was, doing all kinds of awesome stretches on my little blue mat in the basement and I have to say, I felt so much better when I was done! I felt like I was finally letting my body move the way it wants to move and I didn't have any cramping in the middle of the night last night. Take that, stretching tummy! I win!