"Frau W, can your body handle supporting a baby?"

So said Sarah, one of my German 4 students upon learning that I was going to be having a baby. Luckily, I love Sarah and she can almost do no wrong in my class. Having gone to Germany together, she and I have built a very good relationship. But really, that was just one of the many reactions I got from my kids-- all 120 of them.

As soon as I got back from break, which was when Glenn and I had deemed it alright to let the secret loose (having finished my first trimester), I decided to tell my kids. Initially I only intended to tell my AP students (who have been with me for 3.5 years now) and my yearbook editors, as they would have to watch out for me getting too stressed.

We did an activity in class where one person had to interview another about their holiday break. The last question was "Make a prediction for Frau W for 2008." Let me tell you... every single one of my 12 AP students wrote that I would have a baby. And so I told them, "I have a secret." They screamed and clapped immediately. I told them I didn't intend to tell my German 4's so they had to keep it quiet a bit longer. Normally you cannot trust teenagers to do this, but this group of kids and I are very close and I knew they could do it. They immediately decided that a baby shower would be in order, which is, I'm sure another excuse for a party in class. I don't mind. Parties in AP aren't so bad because I can still get the kids to talk the entire class in German. That way it is still kind of educational. :)

My editors thought they were in trouble when I asked them to stay when everyone else went to lunch. I could see the fear on their faces until I told them, "I need you guys to keep all our deadlines and not put too much stress on me because I am pregnant." Again the cheers and the looks of absolute glee. All of them said they had never known anyone who had been pregnant before. And they too swore that they would throw me a baby shower. In fact, I think they started planning it while I sat there, thinking I couldn't hear them whispering about games behind their hands. "It can be a surprise for her!" one said across the group to another. Mallie even said, "No one has ever told me that before!" I congratulated her on the big event for her.

And then came 7th period-- my rowdy German 4's... all 28 of them, who I have known for at least 2.5 years, some of them 3.5. They know me a little too well and not just because I see them every single day. (For those of you not on block scheduling, our days with classes alternate and only 7th period is a constant each day.) They did the same speaking activity the AP's had done, but I figured in a group of 28, not all of them would make the same prediction for me. I was wrong... except for the Sydney, who predicted that I would get fat (an inside joke between she and I where we pretend I am fat). But, that too will happen I suppose. In any case, I had resolved to play off their prediction that I would have a baby, although one of my editors sat with a grin on her face in the class. And then Sarah raised her hand, "Frau W, would you tell us if you were pregnant?" "Eventually," I said. Then Juergen (Collin) started in. "But you told me like three times this year that you had morning sickness." I smiled at him, keeping my poker face, "No I didn't. I said that I get sick in the morning. That has nothing to do with pregnancy." This, though, didn't appease him. He was being egged on by the other students in my class. And then Sean misheard, and said, "Wait, you're pregnant???" That's what you get when you only pay half attention. "No, no, no" I said, but apparently, I had begun to turn red. And then they all started in.

"Fine," I yelled. "Fine." And then suddenly there was silence. Juergen again spoke up for the group, "Wait... fine?" Apparently, they had just been trying to get under my skin. They hadn't really been predicting a confession. Again, the clapping and screams broke out. Poor Elise, who shares a partition with me. (The fourth wall of our classrooms isn't brick; it is a flimsy partition that allows us to take part in each other's lessons.) She told me later that her kids wanted to know why they too couldn't have a party like mine. Luckily there were only 5 minutes left in class because there was no getting my students back. Sean said, "I'm so shocked I can't even clap." And Sarah, Sarah, Caitlin, Cara, and Juergen all declared, "We knew it!!!" As they tell it, there was a red sweater I was wearing once in December that betrayed my growing baby bump, lending credence to the fact that there is in fact a bump. And yes, they too want to throw me a baby shower.

I feel blessed that I have been able to develop such relationships with these students over a number of years that has allowed them to truly be excited for me in this experience. That is the reason that I wanted to get pregnant while I still had all of them. There have been a number of occasions where it has been proven to me that when it comes to Frau W (that would be me), no body better hurt me! They are very protective.

Let me share with you a few other of my favorite comments from the kids, beyond the title of this entry. Robert, who had just been sworn to secrecy about the baby, raised his hand to ask, "Frau W, can I tell my mom??"

And then there was Stephanie, who is ever entertaining to me. She is both an editor on my yearbook staff, who had also been sworn to secrecy, and a student in my 7th period German 4 class. When I had told the class and they prepared to leave for the day, Stephanie looked at me and said, "Frau W, your ability to keep a secret is pretty weak! I was over here covering for you!"