# Beta-chan still sticky, and an update on the pregnancy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843 "2008-05-19T14:21:20Z")\ **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:** [May 19, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/1 "2008-05-19T14:21:20Z")
This is Week 19, so we’re almost halfway through. The surges of emotion-jarring, exhaustion-inducing hormonal changes of the first trimester are past while the heavy work of the final months still have yet to come. As my wife says, the middle is the easiest, and the happiest. It’s almost like nature gives mothers one final break before the burden of the third trimester begins. Her stomach is swollen, but not heavy. Her weight up, but just enough. And of course, the reality of a crying, pooping, spitting baby who knows no clock is still far, far ahead. With a smugness which only the childless possess, we shake our heads at the misbehavior of others’ kids. _Our_ child will never do that. (And feel free to remind me of this in a few years…) We breath a bit easier with the fear of an early miscarriage well past. One down, one to go. They never could say what made it go wrong. Every so often, some disease so rare to remain nameless steals the life of another parent’s child. Without a name, without a cause, we can only hope that the terrible illness will not return. That the development will be normal. That we can pray for an ordinary miracle of a healthy birth. Still, we dare. We dare to dream and we dare to believe. Catalogs of baby clothes, crying of world-class cuteness clutter our carpets. Schools, extracurricular activities and sports are debated for the future of a child whose tastes – let alone gender – is still unknown. The doctors, vigilantly scan beta-chan’s head for the slightest suggestion of irregularity. So far, so good. Beta’s head is the right size, and no fluid. They spend more time there, than sneaking peeks between the legs, so consequently we still don’t know the sex. They’ll be looking every two to three weeks, and the next check-up is in two weeks. We’re approaching the period when Pough-chan’s troubles were first discovered, and if the unthinkable were to happen again, it will be soon. Please, our fingers and toes crossed in luck, let May and June come and go without news. Let there be normal. ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/2 "2008-05-19T14:36:04Z")
You all are in my thoughts. I’m glad that Beta-chan is still sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/3 "2008-05-19T14:45:10Z")
That really is good news. Halfway through, and still feeling okay, sounds like the odds are good. I thought it was funny how you said _“With a smugness which only the childless possess, we shake our heads at the misbehavior of others’ kids. Our child will never do that. (And feel free to remind me of this in a few years…)”_ The following is an adaptation of a prayer in our Episcopal BCP. _Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of the sheep, you gather the lambs in your arms and carry them in your bosom. We comment to your loving care this child Beta-Chan. Guard BC from all danger, bestow on BC your gift of health and strength, and hear us, we pray, for your Name’s sake._ When you know if you need pink or blue, let us know! 😛 Or do colors matter in Japan? ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/4 "2008-05-19T14:49:56Z")
Thinking super-mega-sticky-stay-normal thoughts for Beta-chan. Glad to hear things continue to look good for all of you! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/5 "2008-05-19T14:53:42Z")
Here’s hoping for a boring, uneventful, yawn-inducing couple of months. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/6 "2008-05-19T14:57:56Z")
Since they worked so well, I’m sending more sticky thoughts out to Beta-chan. Sticky-sticky-sticky-sticky. Thanks for the update! ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/7 "2008-05-19T15:13:45Z")
Sticky good vibes sent your way. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/8 "2008-05-19T15:23:07Z")
Keep on stickin’, little Beta-chan! ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/9 "2008-05-19T15:28:09Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Here’s hoping for a boring, uneventful, yawn-inducing couple of months. [/QUOTE] Yes, this. And nope, your child will never misbehave in public like another’s child. They will find their own special way of embarrassing you 😃 . ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/10 "2008-05-19T15:41:09Z")
My Nephew is now 2.5yo; his little sibling is about the same age as Beta-Chan, so I think of you every time the Upcoming One gets mentioned which, as you can imagine, is often. It has finally been determined that the Upcoming One is a girl, after several attempts in which the angle was just not right to make sure. With the Nephew it had been a lot sooner… I understand he stopped short of wacking off for the camera, but barely. There was also a medical problem; definitely minor, it’s something which could have gone undetected for eons and not caused a loss in quality of life, but it still was scary and required surgery to be fixed. When they informed us that The Upcoming One appears to be The Niece, one of the people there told my brother “oh, you must be so happy, since you wanted a girl!” “I wanted a girl? Since when? You know, being picky, I wanted a boy, but really, really, I just want one with all the right parts and no surgery involved! Why does everybody keep telling me what I want?” C’mon Beta-Chan, you’ve got all these distant relatives rooting for you! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/11 "2008-05-19T16:08:52Z")
Thinking very happy thoughts for you. Get your wife to take it VERY easy. This worked for my sister-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/12 "2008-05-19T18:03:38Z")
Stickystickystickysticky. Thank you for the update. I’ve been wondering if everything was going okay. Go Beta-chan! Praying for a normal, healthy rest of pregnancy, and a normal, healthy, wonderful baby, in nineteen or so weeks. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/13 "2008-05-19T23:00:10Z")
Thank you everyone so much for your sticky thoughts. I don’t know if you will ever know how much this means to us, and how much support we’ve gotten though everything. [QUOTE=Nava] “I wanted a girl? Since when? You know, being picky, I wanted a boy, but really, really, I just want one with all the right parts and no surgery involved! Why does everybody keep telling me what I want?” [/QUOTE] This is what I tell my wife, except that I really don’t care either way. If he’s a boy, we’ll play catch in the park. A girl, and we’ll make up stories, unless she wants to play catch in the park. > [@Baker](#): > > When you know if you need pink or blue, let us know! Or do colors matter in Japan? Yes, they do the same pink or blue. They should be able to tell soon. Boys are easier to tell, Pough was unquestionably a boy but it took a month longer to decide about our friends’ baby girl. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/14 "2008-05-19T23:13:49Z")
May you have monumentally tedious days and weeks in the near future. May the worst thing that happens be constipation or heartburn for Mama to Be… As it is written, so shall it be. \ ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/15 "2008-05-19T23:41:14Z")
:: sends sticky thoughts :: May everything go smoothly and well! ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/16 "2008-05-19T23:44:23Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer] They should be able to tell soon. Boys are easier to tell, Pough was unquestionably a boy but it took a month longer to decide about our friends’ baby girl. [/QUOTE] Boys are exhibitionists. They will pretty much stick out their junk on the u/s - my friend’s son (as of yet unborn) was pretty much yanking on his weiner like “SEE? I’m a boy! Can you tell I’m a boy yet? HUH? CAN YOU?” We had debated between finding out or not finding out the sex with our first child, and honestly - we would have known anyway because the second she put the wand on my belly, we saw him proudly showing off all of his wares - when she said “It’s a boy!”, we were like “Yeah, no kidding.” . Girls are naturally modest ;). Either way, lots of good thoughts that the rest of the pregnancy with Beta-Chan is nice and calm and the worst thing he/she does is play trampoline on Mommy’s bladder. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/17 "2008-05-20T00:21:22Z")
Thanks for the update. Lots more sticky thoughts and good wishes for Beta-chan, TokyoWife and you… GT ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/18 "2008-05-20T00:28:23Z")
I think about you and your wife and your much-wanted little one often, and am so happy that things are progressing well. Stay strong, Beta-chan, and prepare to meet the world only when it’s time! ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/19 "2008-05-20T00:31:57Z")
May the anxiously awaited arrival be as yet appropriately adhesive. Very, very best wishes! ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843/20 "2008-05-20T00:43:42Z")
There being an abundance of sticky thoughts, I’m going to start collecting and sending “grey-matter thoughts” (sorry, can’t think of a better way to put it). Anyone else? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beta-chan-still-sticky-and-an-update-on-the-pregnancy/449843.md?page=2)