Biology 102-- Storm Style

We are elated that Hudson Half-Dozen will be the baby sister this wild group needs and longs for, to teach gentleness and hopefully bring the calm after our Storm. Her Highness tries her best to do these things, but she's more of a second Momma to The Storm, so most of what she tries to teach them goes in one ear and out the other. Or, in typical male form, is heard simply as nagging.

Just as Her Highness did with Flash Flood, the bigger boys have had many questions and concerns about our Bitty Princess....

One afternoon, while trying to feel the Bitty Princess move, Lightning asked, "What do babies do while dey in deir Momma's bewwy? (belly)" So I explained, mostly swimming and eating and growing.... "And she's got ears now too, and can actually hear when you guys talk to her. She always moves a bunch when y'all are squealing, so try talking to her and I bet she'll hear you and wake up! Then maybe you can feel her move." Pulling my shirt up, Lightning bent his head down just over my belly button, as if it were a mic, and said in his husky little voice, with his adorable speech impediment where all his l's become w's...

"Hewwo unexpected chiwd."

Hail loves to play patty-cake with my butt. No really. He stands behind me all the time, while I'm loading the dishwasher/standing in a check-out line/standing anywhere and starts clapping his hands, then treating my butt as if it could clap back. Just like he's seen Her Highness and friends do their "Miss Sue from Alabama..." type songs a million times (using just their hands, not their tiny butts). I've grown accustom to it, and usually don't even notice he's doing it. Sad, I do realize. One night, as he was singing to my butt, "Patta-cake-patta-cake-bake-dat-man..." he stopped and asked, "Momma, is our baby sister gonna come outta yur BUTT??" "NO!" I quickly answered, hoping he'd go away. "Are you SURE?? 'Cause it wooks wike dat baby is movin' down into yur BUTT. Maybe she's gettin' weady to come out!"

I locked myself in the bathroom and cried.

Hail has also made sure to tell me, "It wooks wike you gots two bellies! One is in front, and it's weally big 'cause our baby is in there. One is in the back. It's weally yur BUTT, but it looks like a baby is back there too."

He's such a peach.

One night after playing with our sweet Chinese neighbors, who have one of the most adorable chunky 18 month olds you've ever laid eyes on, Hail stated, "Her's soooo cute! I hope our baby sister comes out Chi-a-neese."

Next to Her Highness, Thunder is probably the most excited about getting a baby sister. He's the one who will come lay by me on the couch the most, and talk to the Bitty Princess without being prompted. He'll naturally start rubbing my stomach, hoping to feel movement, without ever saying a word. Sometimes he feels the tiny kicks and will squeal, "I felt that! Did you??" Which always makes me laugh. Other times, he'll say, "Wow! She's getting really strong! I can feel her!" and I can't feel a thing, so I know he's just being sweetly optimistic.

One night, Lightning had pulled my shirt up over my stomach to talk into the "mic." Thunder sat next to him, and rubbed all over my skin, waiting to feel the Bitty Princess at soccer practice, as they like to say. He noticed my stretch marks. With a very concerned tone he said, "Ohhh, Momma. I see where she's scratching you, trying to get out!!" After I explained they were stretch marks, Lightning said, "Oh. Okay. So wike, you mean dose are marks where her's stretches. Wike 'Yaaaawwwwnnnn.'" he made a fake yawning sound and stretched his arms up over his head. Guess he's not too far off base.

It's hard to believe the Bitty Princess will be here in 14 weeks or less.

Hang tight, baby girl. You have no idea what you're being born into.