A week went by, and it was now June 23, Forest's birthday. But Forest was far more interested in his mother's stomach than anything else.

"How do we know the baby's in your tummy, Mommy?" he asked.

"We just do," Sophia answered. "The doctors check and make sure he or she is in there."

"When will it start growing?"

"Soon."

"Right, and then she's gonna get fat," Cyril mumbled.

"Pop," Cedric said. Cyril just shrugged, and went back to his office to work.

"So any thoughts to what you're going to name the new baby?" Bert asked. "How about . . . . oh I don't know, maybe . . . . Bert?"

"Bert, didn't you ask them the same question four years ago?" Ralph asked.

"So what's wrong with wanting them to name the baby Bert?" Bert asked.

"Bert Sneer," Melissa said. Then she cringed. "Eeesh."

"I agree with Aunt Melissa," Lisa commented. "Bert Sneer sounds just plain awful!"

Bert gave them all a dirty look, and shoved a piece of cake into his mouth.

Three months went by since Sophia announced she was pregnant. The Pigs were measuring one of the spare rooms of the Sneer mansion.

"Good thing this is a big house," Cedric said. "Plenty of rooms to go around."

"Right," Sophia said. "This way, Forest won't have to share his room."

"I get my own room and my brother gets his own room," Forest said.

"That's right, sweetie," Sophia said.

"Do you guys already know it's a boy?" Lloyd asked, as he retracted his measuring tape.

"No," Cedric said. "It could be a boy, and it could be a girl, but Forest is convinced it's a boy."

"It'll be a boy," Cyril said, walking down the hall. "There has never been a girl born to the Sneers. They've all been related by marriage. Every Sneer baby has been a boy. This one will be no exception."

"How come you're so sure, Gampa?" Forest asked.

"It's tradition, Forest, my boy," Cyril said, picking up his grandson. "Why mess with it?"

"What happens if it's a girl, Mr. Sneer?" Sophia asked.

"It won't be," Cyril replied. "I guarantee it won't be a girl. It's going to be a boy. It's the Sneer tradition."

With that, Cyril took Forest downstairs, and started telling him about the whole Sneer Dynasty. Cedric sighed, and shook his head.

"Sometimes, I wonder about Pop," he said. Sophia just laughed, and she helped Cedric and the Pigs move some furniture out of the room.

A few more months went by. Sophia was beginning to look pregnant. Forest was fascinated.

"My brother's going to be a big baby!" he shouted, staring at his mommy's tummy.

"Maybe, maybe not," Sophia said, sitting down. Forest tried to climb up on her lap, but there wasn't much room.

"Your lap is shrinking, Mommy!" he shouted. Sophia just laughed.

Two days later, Cedric and Sophia returned from a doctor's appointment with a copy of Sophia's latest ultrasound. They figured it would be good for Forest to see it, so he could see what the baby was doing inside Sophia's tummy.

"Come here, Forest," Cedric said, pulling his son into his lap, and showing him the ultrasound. "This is what your brother or sister looks like right now."

"Ew," Forest said, making a face. "My brother's ugly! Is he gonna look like that when he comes out of Mommy's tummy?"

"No," Sophia said. "The baby's still growing, and we've got about four months to go before it comes."

A couple of days later, Cedric and Forest were over at the Raccoondominium, tossing around a baseball with Bert.

"So . . . ." Bert said. "Any thoughts to a name yet?"

"You never give up, do you Bert?" Cedric asked. Then he sighed. "We decided that if it's a boy, we're going to name him Sidney Albert. We haven't decided on a girl's name yet."

"You don't need to, Daddy," Forest said, throwing the ball to Bert. "Gampa says it's gonna be a boy. He said it's tradition."

Cedric just shrugged. Though he and Sophia could find out what the baby was going to be if they wanted to, they just didn't want to. They preferred to be surprised.

About a week later, Cedric, Ralph, Bert, and the Pigs were moving things down from the attic and into the new nursery. Forest saw them with parts of a crib, and stopped to watch.

"Hey, that's my crib!" he shouted.

"It was yours when you were a baby, Forest," Cedric explained. "You don't need it anymore, and the new baby will."

"Yeah, your grandpa won't let your mom and dad buy new furniture," Bert said. "He's too cheap."

Forest pouted for a minute, and followed the group into the nursery. He was a little surprised to see his old baby stuff scattered around in there. All of his old furniture, and his old toys.

"This is all my stuff," he said, pouting. Then he began whining. "Why does the baby have to have my stuff?"

"Forest, you're not a baby anymore," Ralph said. "These things are for babies."

"But it's mi-ine!" Forest whined, stamping his foot. Cedric kneeled down to his level and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Listen, Forest," he said, gently. "I know this stuff was yours when you were a baby, but you're a big boy now, and you don't need these things. Now, Pop won't let us buy new stuff for the new baby, so we have to give it your old things. Do you understand?"

"I guess," Forest replied, still pouting, and then walked away. Cedric sighed, and went back to work in the nursery.

The following week, Melissa and Lisa threw Sophia a baby shower. Forest kept eyeing the presents. Finally, he couldn't take it much longer, and ran to Melissa.

"Auntie Melissa, how come the baby gets all those presents when he hasn't even come out of Mommy's tummy yet?" he asked.

"Well, this is a party for the baby," Melissa said. "That's why the baby gets presents. And he or she gets presents before he or she is born so that your mommy and daddy will be prepared."

"Besides, Forest, I'll let you in on a little secret," Lisa said, coming over. "Most of the presents are clothes."

"Bor-ring!" Forest shouted, and then ran off to see what Bert was doing.

Finally, March arrived. Cedric was practically climbing the walls. He knew Sophia was due any day now. It was not only driving him crazy, but it was driving Cyril crazy as well.

"I hope you're not going to be too nervous this time around," Cyril said.

"I know Pop, I know," Cedric said. "I don't know why I'm nervous, I'm just nervous."

Finally, at six in the evening on March 10, Sophia walked up to Cedric, who was reading a book to Forest.

"Cedric," she said. "It's time."

"Time for what?" Forest asked. Cedric took him off his lap, and stood up.

"Time for Mommy to go have the baby," Cedric replied. "Pop! Hey Pop!"

"What is it, Cedric?" Cyril asked, coming out of his office.

"It's time!" Cedric shouted.

"Well then, get going," Cyril said. "Don't just stand there, Cedric!"

"Now you be a good boy for Grandpa, Forest," Sophia said, giving Forest a hug goodbye. "Daddy and I have to go to the hospital to have the baby, and then I'll see you in a few days."

"Does Daddy have to stay at the hospital too?" Forest asked.

"No, Forest," Cedric said. "I'll come back sooner, and I promise I'll call here the minute the baby arrives. I'll call to check in, too."

"Bye-bye, sweetie," Sophia said, giving Forest a kiss. "We'll be back soon."

"Be good for your grandpa, Forest," Cedric said. "Bye, Pop!"

And with that, Cedric and Sophia were off. Forest watched them pull out, and then turned to Cyril.

"How come Mommy can't have the baby here, Gampa?" he asked.

"Too messy," Cyril replied. Then he picked up the book Cedric was reading and pulled Forest into his lap, picking up where Cedric had left off. He had a feeling they were going to be in for a long wait.