Clues

I've waited to tell my students that I was pregnant until yesterday. But rather than just tell them, I started by giving them a clue every hour or so. It started yesterday afternoon and took until 2:00 today for them to get it.

Clues:
1. July
2. 13 weeks
3. small clothes
4. eating a lot
5. changing shape
6. new names
7. shower
8. 8 pounds
9. maybe a girl

Some of the comments were absolutely hilarious as they tried to figure things out. Here are some things they said.
*There are 13 weeks in July.
*We are going to have a party in July.
*Summer is 13 weeks long.
*We're going to wear small clothes in July.
*But if we eat a lot of food in July, our small clothes will tear.

They couldn't get past the idea that the clues weren't about them or for them. Even when I told them I wouldn't see them in July, that didn't convince them that we weren't having a party of some kind.

A girl figured it out and then started whispering to a boy about how a baby fit the clues. He, being a much louder student, got all excited and wanted to stop class and share this new information. I told him that everyone had to put away their math homework and get out their science books before we could talk about what he thought he knew. He couldn't wait for everyone, so he just asked if I was going to have a baby. I ignored him and waited for the class to get ready. He then started to talking to other kids about how a baby fit the clues. Once everyone was ready and quiet again, I called on the girl to share what she had figured out. The boy was a bit bummed, but still very excited.

After she shared that she thought a baby would work, I told them that I was going to have a baby. The class screamed with joy and excitement!!! Some thought it was about the music teacher having a baby, but I explained that our due dates are few days apart.

This announcement plunged us into a 20 minute discussion on babies. It was science time, so babies work ... right?

Here are some of the questions and answers.
Q:How long have you known?
A: I've known since the beginning of November.

Q: Why didn't you tell us sooner?
A: Often if a baby is going to miscarry, it does in the first 13 weeks. If that happened, I didn't want all of you to be sad. I'd rather be the one who knew about it.

Q: Doesn't miscarry mean the baby dies?
A:Yes.

Q: Why do babies miscarry?
A: There are lots of reasons. Baby's start out as a cell. Cells are really small. There are millions of cells on your hand. This cell multiplies a lot. Sometimes the baby stops multiplying, so it dies. Sometimes mommies don't take care of their bodies. They do drugs or drink too much. The babies can die from that. In you body are things called chromosomes. All girls have two X chromosomes, and all boys have an X and a Y. Sometimes the baby as too many Xs or too many Ys, or not enough of either.

Q: Aren't some babies born small because their mom's did drugs or drank too much?
A: Yes, it is called a low birth weight.

Q: If the baby dies, how does it come out?
A student pretended that a surgeon cut her belly open, and she said that was how.
A: I said that the baby comes out and to ask their mom how.

Q: Has your baby multiplied?
A: Yes. (I'm sure many of them are thinking things like 3 x 4 = 12.) Have you ever been to Red Lobster or Long John Silver? My baby is the size of a large shrimp. (You should have heard the laughter from that!!!)

Q: What are you going to name the baby?
A: We like the name Eliana for a girl and Josiah for a boy.

Q: Are you going to have twins?
A: Probably not, although my mother-in-law, the lady that helped us before Christmas make those Rudolph bags, she wants twins. I went to the doctor, and they only saw one baby.

Q: Are you still going to be our teacher?
A: I won't be your teacher next year, because you'll go to 5th grade. (That got a chuckle out of a few students).

Q:But are you coming back?
A: I don't know yet. I might stay home with the baby, but I might come back.
The girl who demonstrated a c-section said she hoped I'd come back with the baby.

Q: Do you remember how you told us you had the same teacher for 6 years? Could you be our teacher next year?
A: I had the same teacher for 3rd-6th grade. That is 4 years. There are fine 5th grade teachers at our school already, so I don't think I'd be moved to 5th grade.