The end of innocence

VOTE NOW!

What date and time do you think the baby will arrive?

Email your guess or post it in a comment here in the blog.

Check the votes using the "Votes to date" link to the left.

**************

Midwife visit: September 17, 2007 (14 days until due date)

Baby is now officially full-term (i.e. has reached 38 weeks) and ready

Baby’s heart rate at 153, and he insisted on kicking the midwife repeatedly whenever she tried to check his positioning or keep him still to monitor his heart rate

Head is down and fixed

***************

Well, the midwife visit was uneventful, although positive. After I learned on Monday that the head was fixed, I was sure I would deliver in the next day or two... Here's what it says in What to Expect about the "engagement" of the head: "This milestone is rarely reached in second or later births until labor is about to commence." Ha! Guess the baby forgot to read the book!

Anyway, the kids have been behaving so sweetly the past two weeks, getting up easily in the morning, being (relatively) nice to each other, and even listening to their parents once in a while. Quite a pleasant change from the first two weeks back at school, when they were contrary and, at times, downright rude. They have also been coming up with creative names for the baby, which they are taking freely from Pokemon, Digimon, etc. Names such as Tarcheck and Gromon.

Matthew is going to have a very interesting week. He has been asked to audition for a new educational TV show for children, which is being produced by the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Authority. The audition is Thursday, so keep your fingers crossed. He's very excited and he really hopes he gets the job.

About ten days ago, Lucas's class met for the first time this year with their "mentors" from grade 4 (Matthew's class). Lucas has been assigned to a girl from that class, as his mentor from last year has unfortunately changed schools.

This girl and Lucas had not previously spoken to each other, and their first interaction was not a happy one. Although he told me about the meeting on the day it took place, I didn't realize how much it had affected him until he sat crying on my lap for half an hour last Wednesday.

This sweet fourth grader sat down with Lucas and, in her wise worldliness -- and I am quite sure without malice or the intent to hurt him in any way -- proceeded to tell him that the tooth fairy is no one other than one's parents. I know this might not seem like a big deal to most of us adults and to most children in fourth grade, but for Lucas this was a crushing blow to his vision of the world and to his fantasy. I know also that he would have learned the truth soon enough, but I would have preferred he learn it from someone he knew well and on his own time. Lucas is now scared of what else she'll tell him and what other beliefs she might accidentally wipe out.

I think the mentoring program is a great idea. At the same time, though, it gives the fourth graders an awful lot of responsibility towards the first graders. They have a lot of power over those younger minds and something so simple really affects some children (like Lucas).