One more sleep! Wednesday morning at 9:00 is the big reveal, assuming baby is amenable to the exposure. (And you know I come from a long line of exhibitionists.) We finally get to find out whether baby has indoor or outdoor plumbing.
I swear, never in my whole life have I expended so much energy in not thinking about something. For weeks, I’ve been careful not to speculate, not to wonder, and certainly not to hope. But despite my best efforts, I’m now emotionally and intellectually engaged in this pregnancy. I can feel the baby moving almost every day, and a couple of people in my office have tentatively approached me and asked if maybe I had some good news I wanted to share while looking pointedly at my no-longer-subtle belly. (Seriously, people, unless a woman has another human being dangling from between her legs, “Are you pregnant?” is still one of the most dangerous questions on the planet!) So I’ve let go of the fear and given myself over to joy and anticipation.
And tomorrow, the last big question will be answered.
It’s no secret that I would like a girl. Here are the top five six reasons I hope this little passenger is of the female variety:
- I want a girl because I think it would be an easier family dymanic to have two boys and a girl rather than strand Simon in the middle of three boys.
- I want a girl because I was a girl, and I’ve always had such a wonderful relationship with my mother, and she with her mother before that, and I would love to carry that on to the next generation.
- I want a girl because when boys grow up, they tend to move away and girls stay close.
- I want a girl so she can be daddy’s little girl, just like I was… and, erm, continue to be.
- I want a girl because I fear the grocery bills – and the infrastructure of the house! – if we have three towering teenage boys in the house at the same time.
- I want a girl simply because I don’t have one.
And yet, I would be delighted by another boy. Here’s why:
- I know from boys. I’ve got five and a half years of insight into mothering boys. I know their bits, I know their preferences, I know their foibles.
- I’ve always preferred the company of boys over girls. The idea of spending the rest of my life surrounded by men has a certain appeal.
- Mean girls and middle school. I’m not sure I could do it again, even (or especially?) by proxy.
- I’ve got a pretty good stash of boy-stuff. Rugby shirts and toy trucks and baseball caps and Sponge Bob videos; I spent a lot of time weeding through the pink pieces at Gymboree and Old Navy to find some truly great boy clothes.
- Simply bellowing “BOYS!” to get their attention is far more effective than “CHILDREN!” or – god forbid – actually trying to get out the right name first.
- Last but not least, how could I not want another Tristan or Simon?
In the mood for a little prognostication? Throughout this pregnancy, I’ve had a hard time not visibly shuddering every time someone smiled and leaned in and whispered confidentially, “I think this one’s a girl!” (Funny how nobody thinks it’s a boy… at least not out loud.) But I’m ready now! Lay your bets on the table, folks.
Is it a boy?
Is it a girl?
… or…
Will it be too stubborn to divulge its secrets?
My prediction : penis.
Sending you some open-leg vibes for the little one. My prediction? Girl.
I (was) in the same boat! I predict a boy since I am having a third boy myself and think the “energy out there” is making boys only this summer.
So boy.
I’ll send indoor plumbing vibes, because you have boys, so you know how awesome they are. I think you should also know how awesome a baby girl is.
But mostly I’m sending happy, healthy baby vibes.
I have no bets. My bets are always wrong anyway. Even on my own kids I had absolutely no firm feelings one way or the other.
However, just so’s ya know, a girl is no guarantee of not being eaten out of house and home. I still have fond memories of my teen years, when my parents would order a 2-pizza deal just so I could eat most of one of them….
Whatever it is, I hope it is happy and healthy as well 🙂
I want you to have a girl so that you can have someone to nurture your girly-girl impulses – Reid and I had tea on the veranda at Willard’s at Upper Canada Village on Sunday and it was fabulous – and also to let you show that women can do anything to which they set their minds. Of course, it would be good for you to have a boy to take to tea and help him get in touch with his feminine side and also to watch you show that women can do anything to which they set their minds.
I didn’t find out which I was having until Ken made the announcement after seeing Reid be delivered. That was pretty magical for both of us. Of course, I was sure I was having a boy and cried to him in the last week because I thought he wanted a girl. That wasn’t so magical.
I hope it’s healthy. I know it’ll be well-loved either way.
Ah geez. I used to be really good at predicting, but not so much these days. I knew, beyond a doubt, that my first was a boy. My second, I wanted a girl so I denied the boy vibes I was getting, everyone predicted girl and he wouldn’t show his bits at the ultrasound. The Dr said that generally predicted a girl, but not to hold him to that. Heh.
I think I’ll just send healthy baby with open legs vibes, and leave it at that.
I’ve been thinking about this – your baby’s gender – a lot lately. I can’t believe how invested I am in hoping it’s a girl.
And I know I know I know that if it’s a boy that will be wonderful and good and perfect.
But I so, so hope it’s a girl.
Hmmm. Girl or boy? I’m going to have to go with the classic ha-ha “…yes.”
But {whispering} I can so easily picture a bundle that is pretty in pink!
I at first thought it was a girl. Even had a dream about it. Then I switched to boy. And now I have no idea.
Of course with my own, I was positive she was a girl until the IPS ultrasound, then for some unknown reason I was convinced it was a boy. Then I had no idea. And you know how that turned out.
I lied when I said I have no idea. I just have this feeling that I can’t describe and almost don’t want to write in case it’s not true; that it’s a girl.
My mom kept telling me it was a girl. Mom’s are good like that. What does yours think?
Jojo, funny you should mention my mom. On the weekend, I was talking about the baby and just about died of shock when Mom went out of the way to say “she” and “her” in reference to the baby – my mother, the person who taught me about “knock on wood” and “don’t call down the gods” and all that stuff!!
I love all your comments! What fun!!
Girl girl girl girl girly girl…I feel it. Not only that, but three of my close friends (Dal, being one of them) had and/or are having girls… and frankly you’re next in line, so Brown Eyed Bex is predicting a Blue eyed girl for you…
Um. I have no idea but I hope for (beside just being plain healthy) a girl! I wish I could see a picture of you…you know, see how you’re carrying etc. Then I could make a better guess… 🙂
For some reason, I’m getting a girl vibe. Hmmmm … I can’t wait to find out! Your post is beautiful by the way. I got all choked up with the last one about how could you not want another Tristan or Simon? As to the idea of boys moving away from their moms, my husband was one of three boys and they were incredibly close to their mom. They all had their own way of showing their love and took amazing care of her her whole life.
Well, I hope your little one is not like mine… on my sixth ultrasound, days before I went into labour, the ultrasound tech said “I’m pretty sure it’s a girl…. but I wouldn’t bet the farm!”
It was a girl, which was what I was hoping and believing all along.
More reasons to have a girl:
– gorgeous amazing beautiful girl clothes! So much better than what you can get for boys!
– that amazing mother-daughter connection, you will fight like cats and dogs, but at the end of the day, no matter how much of a Daddy’s girl she may be, when the chips are down, a girl wants her Mummy.
Whatever gender your little sweetheart is won’t matter when they actually arrive though. You will love them no matter what.
3 boys is kind of scary though, I fear for your house and your food budget!
It’s girl…..no, it’s a boy….no, it’s a girl….I really have no idea!
But–I have two of each, and I can tell you that while each is unique and loveable in his/her own way, they don’t always vary by gender the way you’d expect them to.
I just hope s/he is healthy and happy–s/he will certainly be loved!!
I can’t even fathom a guess, I wish you a healthy happy baby that gives you nothing but love. And be it boy or girl, he or she will be blessed with two great brothers and Mom and Dad that love him or her to death.
Looking forward to the news.
waffling – can’t decide since I’m a Libra. With my first I knew she was a boy ( and she wasn’t!) so since then I don’t trust my intuition.
As the mother of both genders, they each bring their strengths and wekanesses, but I do think it’s more child dependant and not so much gender dependant.
What time will we know at?
Girl… girly girl, complete with frills!
Boys are great but girls are little treasures from heaven.The bond between Mother and daughter is truly special and quite different from Mother and son. I am hoping you have a healthy baby and every bit as wonderful as Tristan and Simon.
I vote for stubborn!
I hope you have a girl.
I love the time I spend with Miranda. I love the time I spend with Nathan but you being a girl know how a girls thinks. How a girl works. Boys are wonderful and alot of Work. Girls are wonderful and alot of work. I want you to have a girl…just because you don’t ahve one. AND Beloved would be an awesome GIRL DAD!
Oh, it’s all so exciting, Dani! Okay, I’m betting ‘girl’. I’m hoping ‘girl’ too. After having two girls first, I like getting to try the ‘boy’ variety and I want you to have the same experience!
I’ll bet on a girl. That’ll shake things up for sure.
I don’t think you’ll find out today. I think you’ll get a nice mooning instead 😀
Well, it’s 9:12 Wednesday morning. I guess you know by now. Can’t wait til you post the news!