(Note: This might contain a few spoilers. Also, the days are completely at random. The major events in pregnancy are pretty much a wild guess. And for the purposes of this story, the term of pregnancy is the same as in a real human being. This story contains mild medical descriptions about pregnancy and some of its symptoms, therefore it is rated T for subject matter. )

Memories of a Miracle

It was an average spring day, and a rather exhausted--but extremely happy--Polite Panda had just returned from the Care-A-Lot hospital—carrying a rather precious burden in her arms.

It was her newborn daughter, Princess Panda.

As she arrived at the door of her home, her husband, Good Luck Bear, was there to greet her.

"Hello, my love," he whispered in her ear. "Glad they finally let you come home."

"I'm glad too. Sorry that I couldn't be of help getting the house ready for the baby," she replied. It was the whole reason he was home before her, after all. If not for that, wild horses couldn't have kept him away from her during those moments.

"It's all right. I was just passing the time reading the baby diary.."

"Oh yeah…I was wondering where that was."

"My dear, you were getting rather forgetful right at the end of your pregnancy, and as for me, well, I was busy carrying out my duties as a Care Bear, and also getting everything ready."

He could see the blush in her black and white fur, and her eyes glanced down just a bit. "Sorry, my love."

"Nothing to be sorry for. It actually brings back a lot of memories."

"I know. And we both contributed to it."

:"That we did."

The couple made their way into the house and sat down on the couch, the newborn having since fallen fast asleep. There was no telling how long that would last, though.

She reached for the diary and thumbed through a few pages. "I wonder what thoughts were going through my parents' heads when they were carrying me and Perfect…"

"No idea, but I think we might have an idea going through that book.." her mate replied.

She nodded. "It sure was a roller coaster ride." Then, she started reading the pages aloud.

Day 1

It's a wonderful day today. I just found out this morning that I'm going to be a mother. Nine months, though…that sure is a long wait. Well…more like eight. Good Luck was there with me…he was the first one to get the news, and the look on his face...well, I'll remember that forever. Of course, I'll tell the rest of the family later.

I wonder if this is how my mother felt when she found out she was expecting. But how many, though…that I won't know for a while.

I can't say that it's all been great, though…considering that the whole reason I even found out was because I haven't been feeling too well lately. Mornings have been…in a word, bleh. And the rest of the day hasn't gone so great. But with the excitememt I feel right now, well, I don't think being a little bit queasy in the mornings is that big a deal. Take Care Bear says that it will pass with time. She's really getting the hang of this pregnancy thing…and I think I notice a glow about her too. Maybe…

Call it a woman's instinct, but I think she's carrying too. Well, I'm off to tell the family.

Polite Panda

Day 14

I told Polite that I'd contribute to this diary, so that we'd have something to remember the times while she was carrying our child. Personally, I'm hoping that this isn't the last time.

Not saying that this has been all a bed of roses. I love Polite with all my heart, but it's not been easy. She's been moody lately. I'm guessing that it's because she's changing. She wakes up a lot in the middle of the night, either cause she has to go do her business or she's getting sick. And sometimes it doesn't take much to get her crying. I hate seeing her cry…it breaks my heart, even more so when I don't know why she's crying in the first place.

Still, though, when I married her, I took her for better or for worse. And this may well be the worse part. But I promised her I'd be there for her, the rest of her life, no matter what. I know she's changing, and her body is changing…but I love her just the same as I did all those years ago when we first met. This is most definitely the most challenging part of our life together…but I'm up to it, considering it's our love for each other that created this challenge in the first place.

Well, I gotta go…I think I can hear Polite getting out of bed, and I'm pretty sure where she's headed. Gotta go take care of her. Even with what she's going through, she's still wonderful to me.

Good Luck Bear

Day 47

Good Luck is getting a bit irritable of late, but, to a point, I don't blame him. I know I've been difficult lately, but I can't help it. My body is changing on me and sometimes I just don't know how to handle it. By now I'm almost three months into my pregnancy.

And boy am I ever craving the strangest things. Like last night, I got up and made myself a peanut butter and cheese sandwich. And what did I have to go with it? Pickles. And a big glass of milk to drink.

I'm pretty sure when Take Care Bear told me I'd be eating for two, she wasn't kidding. Good Luck is hard pressed to keep enough food in the house. Morning, noon, night—you name the time, I'm snacking on something. I'm gaining quite a bit of weight, and although Take Care says it's normal for me to gain quite a bit—what with a little one inside me and all—I'm left wondering if my husband finds me as attractive as he did before. I'm sure he does…maybe it's just me.

Soon, though, we'll know what we're having and how many. Since we're starting to have so many cubs here, Take Care has gotten Bright Heart Raccoon to build an ultrasound machine. He's working so hard to have it done by the next month or so.

Oh, and yes, she found out a few weeks ago she's expecting too. So I was right.

Time for bed, though. It's getting more and more difficult to sleep. And I'm feeling little flutters around my tummy…could that be our child moving?

Polite Panda

Day 75

It's finally that time…no, not THAT time, but time to find out what's growing inside me. And…it's a girl. Just one, though. I'm wondering if the next ones will be twins like me and Perfect. Or identical ones…will that ever be a headache…even if it is a happy one.

Anyway…she's growing normally. She looks so tiny on that screen, though...but then again, I was too at one point very, very early in my life, when I still grew within my own mother. Seeing those images made me miss her so much…I wish she could have been there to see it. Though, in a way, I feel like she is watching me, from above.

I felt her kick for the first time a couple of weeks ago—those flutters I was feeling were indeed my daughter moving around.

At least the queasiness I was feeling all the time has finally subsided. I'm still eating a lot, though, and by now the rest of the Care Bear family is pitching in to help out. The cabinets are full and there's enough to make sure me and our child are taken care of properly. With all the milk I'm drinking, though, we're going to need our own cow. But I'm sure it's the right thing to do. After all, I want our child to grow up strong and healthy.

Well, I'd better be on my way. I have so many pictures to show to everyone. Most of them don't even know what it is to have a life growing inside them. Here's hoping that some of them will start.

Polite Panda

Day 76

We found out yesterday what we were having. And I'm happy with it. Part of me wanted a son, or at least twins. But, I have to remember that what is growing inside Polite is a product of her love for me and mine for her. No matter what gender we have, it is still OUR child.

I'm happy that I'm not having to wake up in the middle of the night as much anymore. It's getting more and more uncomfortable for her to sleep, though, with her tummy growing out. She has to sleep on one side or the other.

The cravings she's getting...sheesh,I haven't seen food combined that way since I was just a cub playing around in the kitchen. But as long as the baby is healthy, I don't mind one bit.

I went to the Hall of Hearts looking for a baby name book. Strangely enough, we don't have one. After all, we were all named by the Great Wishing Star, or True Heart and Noble Heart…and we haven't had but two cubs born up here in Care-A-Lot since we've all been here, so there hasn't been any need for one. I gotta let True Heart and Noble Heart know we reeeeeeeeeally need one. After all, we gotta grow sometime.

So, off I went to Earth to find one. Got a few looks from people as I went looking for a baby name book. But it's okay. Some of them I remember helping as children. Some don't remember that, some do. And those that do, well, they offer kind words, congratulations, and a little advice about children. Some of them have even had their own children. The circle is always starting over…

So, now I'm off to help my wife pick out a name for our daughter.

Good Luck Bear

Day 135

This is it, the halfway point. Or something like that.

I look at myself in the mirror and I ask myself…what kind of mother am I going to be? Am I going to be nurturing enough? Can I handle when my daughter starts to cry? Or when she needs her mother's advice when she grows up?

It's times like this I need my own mother. I wish every day she was still here to guide me. But then again, every cloud has a silver lining—if I had my wish, I never would have met Good Luck Bear in the first place.

I've probably gained about ten or fifteen pounds since finding out I was pregnant. At least I know our daughter is getting enough. But it's really wearing on my mind. I worry about how Good Luck thinks of me…

But we promised each other for better or worse. And that's where I stand with him.

Time to go to sleep now…I'm reeeeeeeeally tired.

Polite Panda

Day 136

Polite and I had a bit of a conversation about the changes she's been going through since becoming pregnant. And I have to say I understand her now more than I did before.

She's been worrying that I don't see her as attractive anymore. My first thought was 'how can you think that?' But, I thought about it and I realize that she's been changing a lot, both inside and out. I had to remind her that I didn't marry her for her looks alone. I married her for what she is inside. And she's still beautiful to me…she could be carrying quadruplets for all I care on that score, and I'd still find her as attractive as I did on day one.

We also had a long talk about how she'd been acting during those first few weeks. I don't think she's apologized to me so much ever. But I had to do some apologizing too…after all, I'm a father for the first time and I've never had to deal with a pregnant mate before. But, life is a learning experience, and we're both learning in spades.

We both went looking for baby stuff, like toys, a crib, things like that. If she had her way, we'd just carry off the entire baby section at Wal-Mart…but we only have so much money. Being Care Bears, we don't have a need for a lot, but since sometimes we have to rely on Earth resources—and therefore money—some of those we've helped out in the past have come around to help us out. That gives me an idea…when our child—or children, since Polite has made it clear she wants more than one, and so do I—grow up, we can open our own shop for baby needs here in Care-A-Lot. Although I don't know what we'll have—most of what we'll be getting we're probably going to pass on to the other cubs that come along.

Which, from what Polite was telling me about Take Care Bear, won't be too much longer.

Good Luck Bear

Day 210

The family gave me a baby shower today…not bad since this is the first one they'd given in memory. Since none of the Care Bears knew how to give one, we had to rely on David's wife, Christy, to help us out there. She was more than happy to help us out…even though she'd never met me before. I think she's going to have one soon, though—she looks like she's swelling out a little. I swear, it must be in the air or water around here, but it seems everyone is getting pregnant.

Thanks to what everyone was able to bring, though, we don't have to do a whole lot of shopping. Clothes aren't such a big problem—as we Care Bears don't have a whole lot of use for it, but sometimes we need it—but, we also got a lot of bottles, as well as a baby swing, a cute little bassinet, and an absolutely adorable crib, which my brother Perfect made for us. He couldn't be there though—some rule about males not being allowed to baby showers—so he had his wife, Wish Bear, bring it in for us.

Tomorrow I get to see Take Care Bear again for another sonogram. She's wanting to find out how much our daughter has grown.

Polite Panda

Day 211

I would have given my right arm to be there at Polite's baby shower. But I couldn't—no males allowed—so I went down to the park to do some thinking.

I wonder what kind of father I'm going to be to our daughter. I'm even wondering just what her birth is going to be like. Everyone is concentrating so much on the baby, I wonder if they know what I'm going through here. I try to understand, but it isn't easy.

I just pray I don't pass out in the delivery room. Take Care Bear has been explaining to us exactly what labor and delivery is going to be like…and I must confess, it sounds a bit messy and painful. It's all in human terms, too, so I don't know how much of it is going to apply to Polite.

Looking at some of those things, though, it's amazing how something so small can grow to hold a new life. Or how that new life can fit through all those parts to come out. It's all so much for me to take in…considering that most of us Care Bears don't know…well, how we work inside. It was pretty amazing to learn how our daughter was made—those little bitty things that got together while we…well, that's just between me and Polite. Thank goodness we have a doctor to explain it all—even if it's almost as new to her as it is to us. I mean, she knows what pregnancy is, just that she has no experience to draw from. She's learning just as much as we are from her own pregnancy.

It's bedtime, though. So many things to think about, and an ever smaller amount of time to think about them.

Good Luck Bear

Day 266

Two more weeks until we see our daughter for the first time. And honestly, I'm wishing she'd come out now. Been wishing that for two months. I know it's crazy, and I'm not saying it's her fault, but I feel absolutely miserable…

She's dropped, though, which means I can actually breathe again…but I'm being revisited by the frequent trips to the bathroom. I must be going twenty times a day. But it'll be over soon, and she'll be here…then I can rest. For a little while, til she starts crying. Good Luck Bear reminds me that he was pretty much the same way when he was a cub.

Take Care Bear has told me that it's not going to be the easiest process in the world, giving birth. She's gone over a few things with me. But I'm pretty sure I want to have this one naturally. I'm kind of setting a new example here anyway, since it's been years since we've had a birth here. I remember back when I was in Paradise Valley, listening to the villagers talk about their own little miracles, so I'm not totally unprepared. Still, there is a world of difference between hearing about being pregnant and actually being that way.

She just kicked me again. She must be feeling awfully cramped in that tiny space inside of me. Well…not so tiny now. I feel like the panda bear that ate a watermelon. And probably look that way too. I can't see my footpaws. Haven't been able to since the fifth month or so.

Two more weeks, though. I can hardly wait.

Polite Panda

Day 280, 4 AM

Ow…what is that pain I'm feeling? Ack..there it is again. I really think it's time. I've been up twenty minutes now, since the first wave hit me. Now and then I'd been having pains of some sort, but they weren't quite as regular as this, and usually all I had to do was wiggle around a bit. Take Care told me that they were my body getting ready for the real thing. Well, guess what? The real thing is happening now, I think.

There goes another one…let's see now…ten minutes from the last one exactly. The last one was about that long too.

Here comes another one…this one is closer to eight minutes. I was told hurry to the hospital when they're five minutes apart. But I need to get ready first.

Time to wake up Good Luck Bear, since he's going to take me. He's been so supportive these past few weeks, helping me so much to get ready for this event.

Ouch…there goes another one. Seven minutes this time. They're getting closer together. I'm scurrying around, as much as these pains will let me, getting everything ready to go.

Five minutes apart now…as I write this, we're on our way to the hospital. I'm not sure how much more of this I can really take. But I'm determined to finish what I started.

Take Care Bear is running to the delivery room now. I'm surprised she's even able to move this fast in her condition—she's only a month or two behind me. She's scampering about, getting whatever it is she needs.

Good Luck is standing right here beside me, as I always knew he would be. He's been a great coach to this point…I'm just hoping he doesn't pass out. I saw him when we were watching some videos that Take Care had gotten a hold of, showing the birth process, and I'm sure he looked a little bit paler than usual.

They're coming about three minutes apart now. Take Care is checking everything…and she tells me that I'm doing fine. I'm trying my best to remember that this is a learning experience for her too, as soon she herself will know exactly what I'm going through now.

Poor Victor, he's been running his tail off trying to help Take Care out. He's the father of their child. Actually, children, I should say—she just found out last week she's carrying identical twin girls. But he's every bit as determined as she is to make sure all this goes off without a problem.

Two minutes apart. This is it…one way or another our daughter is going to be born today. I can feel the pressure building as she starts her journey out into the world…and I can barely stand the pain. I give my husband's paw a rather firm squeeze.

Good Luck: Firm! More like my whole paw got caught in the jaws of a vise…Sheesh, I don't recall her ever having THAT kind of strength.

Take Care Bear is urging me to push a little bit. It's exhausting, taking everything I have just to help my daughter emerge another inch or two. The contractions come and go now, and I lost count of exactly how far apart hours ago.

By now I'm panting for breath. She says she can see the head starting to come out. I wonder if she's ever going to come out or just be stubborn. Not that I love her any less. I feel like I've just run the Obstacle Course Race five times—in a row. And I probably look it too.

I let out a squeal as the pain comes over me again. I squeeze Good Luck: read—crushed Good Luck's paw again. I think I broke something in his paw. But he's still there for me…even if he IS shaking his paw like it got squashed.

All I can remember after that is Take Care placing her in my arms, hearing her cry for the first time, and realizing that as much as I may have dreaded hearing it, at this moment, it's the most precious sound to my ears.

I really don't remember telling Good Luck that if he ever touched me again he was going to have more broken bones than he can count. Good Luck: She did. It doesn't mean that I don't love him. Good Luck: I know that.

She asked if we came up with a name for her. I told her that we had chosen one. Princess Panda. She's colored black and white, just like her mother. And although right now her eyes are the palest blue, I think she'll have her father's eyes.

I want so much to sleep right now…but I can't bear right now to take one single solitary moment away from her.

Well, maybe I can. She's sound asleep, laying on my chest.

I'm going to take a nap.

A rather happy and delirious Polite Panda

"And that's the last entry in the diary." Polite noted.

"For now, anyway." Good Luck corrected.

"Oh yes, for now. After all, when another one comes along, we'll want to write about that one too."

"That we will. It's been quite a journey, though, hasn't it?"

"Yes, one that started years ago when we first met, took many twists and turns along the way, was tried quite a few times in the past nine months…and has brought us to this point." She smiled and stroked her daughter's forehead.

She cooed and wriggled around a bit, though still sound asleep.

"We're a family now…a family within a family."

"Yes we are."

"But this is only the beginning, you know, my love." Polite added with a smile.

"I know. Here's hoping that there will be many more chapters to write in this diary."

"I love you, my dear Good Luck Bear. And I hope that some of it rubs off on her."

"I love you too, Polite. You, and the child we created. "

THE END

(Note: It's probably not terribly accurate medically, but I modeled this story after events in my own life. I'm expecting my first in mid-July, which, as I write this, is only six weeks off.)