On, Friday, April 28 around 12pm, Tonya was thinking about banana’s birthday. She said:

Ha. I made you think something had happened. Didn’t I?

Our good friend and yours (he totally would be, he’s so friendly) put a betting system all in motion for everyone to guess when the little banana is going to join our family…You know in a literal and tangible way…
Here are the guesses (you’ll have to move forward once to see them all).
Feel free to comment if you have a different guess and I’ll add it to the list.


The crowd gasped! heater said "april 30…7lb 7 oz"

The crowd gasped! heater said "oops….i forgot to add….BOY"

You can say something. You can also view PAINT-ings, see some photos, read old thoughts, or visit other strangers.

On, Thursday, April 27 around 10am, Tonya was thinking about banana update. She said:

Yep. Still here. Amy has kindly agreed to post any news if I do go into labor, so don’t worry your pretty little heads about it.
My dreams (might I add – since I’ve been sleeping in the guest room) have been more vivid than I can remember them being for quite some time. I’ve had two dreams this week where I’m helping my best friend (aka Veronica Mars) with a case. The first one was about Mexico. Last night we were working on a cruise ship.
Fun times.


Someone opened their mouth to speak, but heater suggested "hurry up banana! i want to meet you! :)"

Someone opened their mouth to speak, but SMWB screamed "may 1, b’nana. may 1."

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On, Wednesday, April 26 around 3pm, Tonya was thinking about music to birth by. She said:

We’re taking the ipod in with us to the delivery room. I have some ideas of what I’d like to listen to. Comfortable music and nothing to anxiety-inducing (sorry Danielson, I love you, but…).

Here’s what I have so far…
Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Andrew Bird – The Black Sessions (God I love that man’s whistle)
Apostle of Hustle – Folkloric Feel
Blind Boys of Alabama and Ben Harper – There will be a light
Camera Obscura – Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi
Castanets – First Light’s Freeze
Denison Witmer – Are you a dreamer?
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Kings of Convenience – Riot on an empty street
Rachel Yamagata – Happenstance
The Reindeer Section – Son of Evil Reindeer
Sufjan Stevens – Illinois
William Basinski – The Disintegration Loops

Any suggestions? Anyone?


Someone opened their mouth to speak, but SMWB said "either of iron and wine’s first two full length albums max richter’s the blue notebooks if you don’t mind not having lyrics"

Everyone looked at the floor. Then, SMWB said "or most of julie doiron’s stuff. i’d recommend heart and crime."

njc said "SMWB, you seem to have lots of experience with the labor soundtrack stuff."

SMWB protested "the DNA tests confirmed nothing!"

Then, njc smirked "Whatever."

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On, Tuesday, April 25 around 11am, Tonya was thinking about sleep. She said:

I’ve wondered since day one if our bed is set up correctly. It’s a fancy bed. We got it from John’s parents who wanted the same style, only larger. But it’s just not that comfortable. And his parents’ bed is way more comfortable. Thus me thinking we did something wrong in the execution.
When we take naps at our house, we always take them in the guest room because our guest room (ask anyone who has slept there) really is the best place to take naps. It’s very cozy.
We took a nap there a few days or so ago and I realized that I had slept better in there on the futon mattress covered in an egg crate mattress for one hour than I have for many, many nights on my fancy bed.
I’ve been waking up with hip and head aches for the last couple of nights and So last night, when the CPH finally came to bed, I asked him if we could move into the guest room for the night. And I slept so well. So much so that I want to sleep in there forever. Or at least until I’m not carrying around 20 extra pounds.


Everyone looked at the floor. Then, heater said "maybe it’s the mattress, not the bed. i LOVE my mattress. it wasn’t cheap, but i LOVE it. :)"

Someone opened their mouth to speak, but SMWB said "as someone who usually doesn’t sleep much, i can attest to the ease with which one sleeps in tonya’s guest bedroom. i even remember my dreams when i sleep in there. that’s unheard of."

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On, Monday, April 24 around 2pm, Tonya was thinking about update on Banana. She said:

39 weeks and 2 days. Only five more days till the estimated due date. It’s just a gut feeling, but I really don’t hink I’ll go into labor until next week.
We had a doctor’s appointment day and he explained when they would start talking about inducing. I’m not too crazy about the idea and I asked if it was ever absolutely necessary to induce. I really feel like I could go another month and be just fine.
But, he’s a good explainer and I’m now okay with the talk of inducing if we go a week and a half past my due date. Better for the baby and all that jazz.


The crowd gasped! dh suggested "no way to start raising a momma’s boy like carrying him for an extra 3 months!"

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On, Friday, April 21 around 8am, Tonya was thinking about wishing a happy birthday to a little friend. She said:


Happy Birthday, Little J*!


jamie said "Awww, he looks so tiny in those hallowed halls of adolescence."

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On, Thursday, April 20 around 9am, Tonya was thinking about an addiction. She said:

It’s very true. I’m a bit addicted to this site. Oh the hours I could spend looking at all the wonderfully crafty things that people are selling all over the world. Right now, I’m most addicted to her stuff.
She takes drawings by kids and transfers them to a pattern and makes some of the most adorable things you ever did see.


Everyone listened but said nothing.You can say something. You can also view PAINT-ings, see some photos, read old thoughts, or visit other strangers.

On, Wednesday, April 19 around 10am, Tonya was thinking about growing up. She said:

Last night, I think, (notice I said I think) I may have had some very light practice contractions. Of course, I have no idea if what I was feeling were really contractions or just a by-product of me and the CPH having, um, ..., relations…

Pretty soon, the CPH and I will be parents. Shockingly and mind-numbingly soon. I don’t mind though. I’m pretty excited about the prospect. That is, of course, when I don’t think that far into the future.

Also, this morning, we met with a nice lady at a nice non-profit organization today that said we were nice but not nice enough (kidding! I meant not poor enough) to be helped by her organization. But she did give us a nice list of pretty nice lenders that first time homebuyers like us could go to. We picked one and we’re letting her know by Friday and then we’ll be on our way to being homeowners.

And parents.

Pretty crazy, huh?


Then, njc whispered "I’ve heard that um, relations, can induce contractions. . ."

Someone coughed quietly. SMWB protested "the medical term for ‘relations’ is ‘counting tokens.’"

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On, Tuesday, April 18 around 8am, Tonya was thinking about waiting. She said:

According to the doctor, we’re just waiting for the contractions. The baby is in the correct position, but I’m not dialated at all. It could be any day now, but I’m really hoping for about two weeks from now.


Someone coughed quietly. njc said "I can’t wait for baby beeler to come. . ."

Someone coughed quietly. heater said "i can’t wait either! you are a lot more patient than i was with molly! those last 2 or 3 weeks seemed to go by so slowly! and every time i went to the dr, i wasn’t dialated. so on my visit on may 14 (the day before my due date), we started talking about inducing labor if i hadn’t delivered by the next week. but, i started having contractions that afternoon, and molly was born on her due date! :) i’m so excited for you guys, and i can’t wait to meet baby __ you!"

Everyone looked at the floor. Then, heater said "that’s supposed to say “love you!” "

Someone coughed quietly. SMWB said "baby? you’re pregnant?"

The crowd gasped! lydia said "I just want to know whether its a boy or girl banana and what you’re going to name your little fruit."

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On, Friday, April 14 around 9am, Tonya was thinking about realizations. She said:

The last couple of times that we’ve watched our little friend, M, a weird thing happens. He’ll be fine for a good few hours, but then he’ll get tired and cranky and realize his mom or poppa is nowhere in sight and he’ll whine that he wants one or the other. He’ll run to the door, peek under the curtain and call for one or the other over and over and over.
That’s about how I feel right now. I’ve had my fun and I just realized that my CPH is nowhere in sight. I want him back now. And you saying you’re sorry doesn’t really help at all.
Another thing I realized last night (something I do when I’m bored and sitting at our main computer is to look at old documents and last night I found some old instant message logs) is that my sister-in-law and I used to talk quite a bit on instant messenger. We were in the same city at the time and there were talks of meeting for dinner and her thanking me for helping her look at wedding dresses and invites of movie viewings. It’s so strange how things have changed in 4 years time.


Jessica wondered "Is this the smelly tree? Because I took this outside your home the other night and it’s now my Easter greeting."

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On, Thursday, April 13 around 8am, Tonya was thinking about how thankful she is that the heat will not…be on.. She said:

Have I mentioned before how happy (no, really happy….like let’s stop right here and do a happy dance, happy) I am that I will not be pregnant is the dead heat of the summer? The rest of this week, it’s supposed to be in the high 70s and low 80s and when I walk out of work I already feel smothered by the warmness.
Ick.


Someone coughed quietly. lydia screamed "DON’T RUB IT IN!!!! Baby girl is due at the end of AUGUST!!"

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On, Tuesday, April 11 around 9am, Tonya was thinking about progress. She said:

And….it’s done.
Or at least ready (but not completely exactly as I want it) if Banana decides to arrive early


Everyone listened but said nothing.You can say something. You can also view PAINT-ings, see some photos, read old thoughts, or visit other strangers.

On, Monday, April 10 around 1pm, Tonya was thinking about pieces coming together. She said:

After several (is several less than a few?) trips to K-Mart, the baby furniture is now all put together. I wish that meant that everything is set and ready for the banana, but it really is coming together. The CPH will be gone for the latter part of this week and my plan is to have the room in working condition before he returns. Oh. And get my thank you cards sent out for the so many gifts we have received for the baby. Each time I look in the baby room, I am all-over-again-amazed at the love that this child will feel by so many people.
While it’s not a done deal, we are in the talks with some friends who will be moving (how sad!) about buying their house from them. Luckily for us, they are moving out of a house that we really like on a street that we absolutely love and they are selling at a price that is very agreeable. Think good thoughts on that, will ya?


The crowd gasped! jamie remarked "I think several is about 7. A couple is less than a few though. A baker’s dozen is more than all of the aove."

Someone coughed quietly. dh said "yeah, a couple is obviously 2. a few is 3 or 4. several is 5-7. at that point, it is just ridiculous. it doesnt matter what you are talking about. until you get to a dozen. the aforementioned baker’s dozen, and then infinity."

Someone coughed quietly. njc screamed "I want pictures! Show us the pictures!"

SMWB said "according to a dictionary, several, when used as an adjective, is more than two or three. when used as a pronoun, it has “few” as a synonym. few, when used as an adjective, is more than one but small in number. i think “several” is relative. if you said you had several cars, most people would think you meant five or six. if you said you had several dollars, i think most people would assume more than five or six. “few” is relative, too. notions of small vary from person to person and situation to situation."

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On, Tuesday, April 4 around 12pm, Tonya was thinking about monday nights. She said:

Every Monday night, the CPH goes to a friend’s house and they watch TV or TV on an xbox or a movie on an xbox. I rarely tag along. I think it’s important that we set aside time to be by ourselves (but with other people – or not). And besides, I usually take Monday nights to go grocery shopping. And I usually like those nights.
But last night, I didn’t feel like going grocery shopping, so I decided to tag along. And I’m really glad I did. Even though everyone around me was completely snookered (each person had at least 5 shots of vodka during the less than 2 hour movie). It was the first time that I wasn’t completely annoyed by the drunk people surrounding me.
That’s not to say I wasn’t jealous. Because I was.
But I still had a really good time.


Everyone listened but said nothing.You can say something. You can also view PAINT-ings, see some photos, read old thoughts, or visit other strangers.

On, Monday, April 3 around 11am, Tonya was thinking about good news. She said:

Just heard some good news on NPR this morning. There’s a new express bus system traveling around midwest cities and it’s cheap.
Chicago, here we come….many, many times over the summer!


SMWB said "the minneapolis to chicago trip looks painful. seven hours on a bus with strangers? ey yi yi."

heater said "i can come see you for $4! :) ($12 round trip!)"

A hush of silence fell across the room. CPH interrupted "This should be about when Rod pipes in to retort Eric with research from his thesis about the necessity of contact with strangers. Rod. Rod?"

SMWB said "the necessity of contact with strangers? sure. seven hours trapped in a vehicle with strangers? that’s not necessary."

You can say something. You can also view PAINT-ings, see some photos, read old thoughts, or visit other strangers.



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