Telling the Kiddies

So the week before Halloween (I know I am behind in my posts!) the flu hit my school. On Monday I had eight kids out of ninteen out sick. There were between 50 and 60 out all week. As I was leaving on Monday Sister Theresa told me that she thought it was best if I took some time off. She said to come in the next day but to get a sub for Wednesday and Thursday. That was A-Ok with me! I started calling around for a sub and couldn't get anyone so Sister Theresa ended up asking our Religion Director, who only works part time, to come in for me. Andy was thrilled to do it.

By the time I got home on Monday night from working at Chestnut Hill I got a phone call from Donna, my grade partner. She said that her and Diane were very upset about me and that they didn't want me to go in on Tuesday either. Since we both had a lot of students out, and Fran was going to be out all week too with her son being in the hospital, they would just combine the classes. So Tuesday the classes were combined and Wednesday and Thursday they had a sub. Friday the students were off anyway.

When I came back on Monday I was congratulated by one of the parents. She said she was accidentally told by one of the teachers. Then a student came in and told me her mom told her that I was going tohave a baby. I told her to keep it a secret and she did. Her mom later told me that she had come home telling her I was absent because I had the swine flu and the mom didn't want her to spread that rumor so she told her the truth. I knew all the moms knew I was pregnant, I just was waiting for the go ahead from Sr. Theresa to spread the news. That day I said something to Sr. Theresa and she told me it was time to tell everyone so I e-mailed the parents that afternoon. I was going to wait until Friday's Show 'N Tell to tell the kids but I was too excited.

On Tuesday I brought in some of my ultrasounds. I had the little girl who already knew my secret pick out a book for me to read. She picked "I'll Love You Forever". I thought that was a pretty good pick. I read it to the students and then told them my secret. I then passed around some of the ultrasounds. They were excited. Some of the questions and statements I have gotten have been funny!

"When is the baby coming?"
"What is the baby going to be?"

(These first two questions were normal enough.)

"The baby eats whatever you eat through a tube that goes from your mouth to the baby's belly button. If you eat a pickel, the baby will eat the pickel."

(I thought that was pretty good for a five year old!)

"My mom only ate pickels when I was in her belly!"
"When did the baby get into your belly?"

(That was a funny one. I am glad that is where it ended though.)

"You don't look fat like you are going to have a baby."

(Gee, thanks kid!)

A mom came up to me and told me that her daughter was playing dress up. She put on tight gold, sparkly pants, a tiny shirt, and stuff a baby under the shirt and then said "Guess who I am!" I laughed and said, "Because I wear tight gold sparkly pants all the time!" The mom laughed too. I thought that was pretty funny.

This week the parents came in for teacher conferences and they were all telling me that their kids went home and gave them the report, that I was going to havea baby but that I didn't know what the baby was going to be or when it was going to come. I am glad that the kids are listening to me!