I Know Why. . .

March 8, 2011

I had just read in a book that it is normal to be forgetful during pregnancy.  The book gave a tip to write things on sticky notes to help you remember what to do while you are at work. 

A couple of days later during the first hour of the day, a teacher asked me if she could bring her class into the computer lab during the last hour of the day when I did not have  a class.  I told her that would be fine.

After my escorting my last class to their next class I returned to my classroom.  The class was lined up in front of my door.  Surprised I said, "Oh, I forgot you were coming."

One of the sixth graders said, "I know why you are always forgetting things, Mrs. Gardner.  It's because you are pregnant.  When my mom was pregnant she was forgetting things all the time."

How Does the Baby Come Out?

A fifth or sixth grade girl asked me how the baby comes out.  I told her there are muscles in my stomache that push the baby out when it is ready.  (I didn't tell her it was the uterus).  A boy listening asked, "Doesn't that hurt."  I said, "Yes." Another girl asked, "Are you afraid?" I said, "Yes."

First Baby Gift

March 3, 2011

The following day, the very same 6th grader came to see me at lunch again.  She gave me little mittens for my baby so he/she doesn't scratch his/her face. They are yellow, green, and orange - neutral colors because we didn't yet know if it was a boy or a girl.

It was so sweet.

Projects

March 2, 2011

A sixth grader came in during lunch and gave me a copy of a power point slide show she made for me.  It was so cute.  In the slide show she said that she hoped I will be happy being a mother and she thought I was going to have a girl.  She wished me happiness with my daughter or son and told me to give the baby love.  Then she asked me to tell her what the gender of the baby is so that she could give the baby a present.  It was so thoughtful of her to make the slide show for me.

Is the Baby Hungry?

I like to teach by exmaple.  I don't let students eat or drink in the computer lab and therefore I do not either (at least when they are in the room).  I want them to know that I think the rule is so important that I follow that rule too. 

However, being pregnant, if I need to eat, I will eat.  So if I need a quick snack to tide me over before class is over I will eat something in class.  I told the students that the baby needs to eat and I can't wait.  The only way the baby can eat is if I eat something too.

Now, whenever the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd graders see me eating on campus (in or out of the classroom) they ask me, "Did the baby want an apple?" "Is you baby wanting some crackers?"  "Mrs. Gardner, is your baby hungry?"  I just answer yes every time.

How is Your Baby?

The students always ask me, "How is your baby?"  It is so cute.  One day when I was about 15 week pregnant and not showing very much a first grader asked me this question.  The very next question was, "Did it come out yet?"  I smiled and said, "No, not yet.  Have you ever seen a pregnant woman with a really big belly?" I put wrapped my arms around my invisible 9 month belly.  He said, "Yeah."  I told him that when my belly gets that big, then the baby will come out."