# An early baby is welcomed to Tokyo **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2008, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296 "2008-08-26T10:21:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/1 "2008-08-26T10:21:42Z")
Sudden onset of unstoppable labor early Sunday morning and a rush to the hospital. A few hours then a relatively uneventful delivery brought a beautiful baby boy to this world. The mother exhausted and resting, the ecstatic father phoned everyone in his book, including this fellow expatriated American, with the good news. Fortunately, the newly born baby is my friend’s, and not Beta-chan, still safely tucked inside her mother’s womb. With her due date of Oct 9th, we want her to stay put until at least Oct 1st for several reasons. 1. Her health! 2. Grandma is coming from the States on the 1st. 3. Our doctor is on vacation to Vietnam at the end of September 4. My wife will be eligible for up to a year of (unpaid) child raising leave of absence if Beta is born after that date. (My wife will have worked for one year.) My friend, your typical guy, professed both a previous indifference to children in general and offspring in specific, but also reported his surprise with the suddenness of the attachment to his son. Perhaps rare for a man,\* with my friends’ children and babies fair game, I’ve always been drawn to caring for the tiny ones. An adapted uncle to not just a few, it is time, though for me to care for my own. \*(perhaps not so rare, although certainly rare to admit) We are starting to believe. The dreaded but unspoken ifs are fading, though not ghosts yet. Fervent appeals to fate less frequent. Please, please, a healthy child. A living soul. Now, not the far-off dream but a growing reality. “Unconscionable,” defined the attorney teaching my business law class and vividly remember from some 20 years ago, “is a kick in the gut.” “Pregnancy,” defines my wife, who will not doubt vividly remember this some 20 years later, “is a kick in the gut.” Stronger by a magnitude than Ian’s taps, Beta’s jabs, smacks and well-placed kicks are a hard, but joyful reminder of our growing baby. The joyfulness felt by both parent, the pain by just one. Tomorrow, the morning will bring the next routine exam. Tonight may be the night when we are finally able to sleep before an appointment, but likely not. Either way, we expect – no, demand – good news for our family and friends throughout the world. Seven months of worries and tension is fading. Still, tonight we will again repeat our daily refrain. “Stay sticky. Stay sticky Little One. Soon the world will be yours, but tonight, Beta-chan, just tonight, wait another night.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/2 "2008-08-26T10:44:52Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer] …a beautiful baby boy… [/quote] Uh? A boy? waitaminute, Beta was already due and she’s a boy? > [@](#): > > …not Beta-chan, still safely tucked inside her mother’s womb… Aaaaaaaaaaaaah. Good for them both! Congratulations to your friends on the kidlet 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/3 "2008-08-26T10:47:31Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer] Fortunately, the newly born baby is my friend’s, and not Beta-chan, still safely tucked inside her mother’s womb. [/QUOTE] you love to tease us 😉 Stay sticky, beta-chan! ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/4 "2008-08-26T10:51:15Z")
Heart in mouth, mate. You had me going there. Congrats to your friend and another polite request for Beta-chan to ‘hang in there, baby.’ ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/5 "2008-08-26T11:21:32Z")
Got me too… 😛 Congratulations to your friend. Hang in there, Beta-chan! And best wishes for all of you as you head into the home stretch of the pregnancy. GT ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/6 "2008-08-26T13:20:09Z")
Dammit, I practically ran in here… (Congrats to your friend!) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/7 "2008-08-26T13:44:43Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Dammit, I practically ran in here… (Congrats to your friend!) [/QUOTE] That makes 2 of us! Tease. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/8 "2008-08-26T13:46:09Z")
When my heart rate slows down, you and me are gonna have some words… 😉 ```auto ``` ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/9 "2008-08-26T13:53:10Z")
Thrilled to bits re Beta and laughing at your wife’s definition (shared by me). Sorry to here about early arrival boy, but good thoughts headed to Tokyo for healing and growth for him. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/10 "2008-08-26T14:10:43Z")
You tease! Stay sticky, Beta-chan! _sticky thoughts sticky thoughts sticky thoughts_ ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/11 "2008-08-26T14:23:38Z")
Well, _that_ thread title woke me up pretty quick. A first-thing-in-the-morning heart attack’ll do that for a person. Congratulations to your friends! _sends more stickystickysticky thoughts for Beta-chan_ ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/12 "2008-08-26T14:44:51Z")
Don’t _do_ that to us! Well, I’m sure awake now. Congratulations to the new parents and good thoughts for the little one. As for you and Tokyowife and Beta-chan? Every day waiting is a good day. We’re hoping for about six more weeks of tedium for all of you. Keep sticking, little girl. You’ll be here soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![mmouse9799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmouse9799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmouse9799)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/13 "2008-08-26T14:53:15Z")
You got me too. ~_~sticky thoughts for Beta-Chan~_~ ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/14 "2008-08-26T15:03:58Z")
Sticky, sticky Beta-Chan, quietly blooming. When you arrive, you will have a little friend waiting for you! But don’t hurry, little one. Stay safe. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/15 "2008-08-26T15:28:38Z")
Don’t you **ever** freak us out like that again! Glad to hear she’s still good and sticky! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/16 "2008-08-26T15:43:02Z")
God, you scared me! Congrats to your friend, and I raise a glass of milk to the missus for keeping Beta in the oven a month or two more. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/17 "2008-08-26T16:00:11Z")
Oh, you are a tease. Congrats to your friend. Now make with the Beta-chan. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/18 "2008-08-26T16:12:38Z")
Good lord, I just about freaked out. Sticky sticky sticky, Beta-chan! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/19 "2008-08-26T17:32:28Z")
:eek: Whew! Beta-chan dancing around–what a great thing! Five more weeks, five more weeks… ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296/20 "2008-08-26T18:46:30Z")
October 8th. Beta-chan will be born October 8th, because I said so! (That’s also my wedding anniversary, and a good friend’s (a doctor!) birthday. It’s a good day!) Sticky sticky Beta-chan! Also, to your friend, I hope his baby boy grows up healthy and strong! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-early-baby-is-welcomed-to-tokyo/461296.md?page=2)