Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sugar & Spice?

While going through my old posts I was reminded of all the fun gender identification myths out there. Mr. b and Kirk have both been calling this kid “she” since the beginning and they must be winning me over or something because I’m definitely getting girl vibes now. For one thing, the only names I can think of are female. And frankly, my top girl name is the same girl name we picked out last time and didn’t use. I’m glad we both love it still. Another indicator is the heartburn issue. OK so like all of these, there’s a 50/50 chance that they’re accurate; that doesn’t make them not fun! Even though I had been told that heartburn = girl, I was told more often that heartburn = boy. (And also heartburn = lots of hair at birth but that’s not relevant here and wasn’t the case with Kirk At. All.) At this point in my last pregnancy I was already popping the Rolaids like no tomorrow. I think I’ve had maybe a half dozen all told so far this time? And honestly, that could just as easily have been regular ol’ heartburn instead. Hopefully that means that I’ll get a break and it won’t get bad until my stomach is so squished up that the acid has no place to fit. That’s just physics folks, pure and simple. Of course I feel like utter crap today and have already had to choke down a mouthful of bile but that’s not regular heartburn either. Then there’s also the “a girl steals her mother’s beauty” trope. I am definitely feeling that one. I’m not saying this to plead for compliments either. I just don’t really see myself in the mirror anymore. I see someone that looks like me but is missing that spark that I do think makes me attractive. It’s not that I radically cut off my hair and I needed to get used to that. I always radically cut off my hair when it’s gotten too long. (I just don’t think haircuts are any fun if all you’re doing is chopping off a couple of inches. What’s the point in that? It’s hair people! It grows! Have fun with it!) No, this is something deeper that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s a self-perception issue entirely but I do keep coming back to that phrase and wondering about it.

I’ll have my ultrasound in about a month or so and we will most definitely find out if possible. So who knows, I could be totally wrong here. But I wanted to put my prediction out there just in case.

5 comments:

Mummy Grabill said...

You know - the question as to whether or not we are having a girl or a boy is sometimes a touchy subject with me. I have an opinion and it seems that everyone has an opinion. I think we are having a girl - for no other reason that I'm getting girl vibes, and because all we can think of are girls names (much like you, Bel). We are at a loss for boy names. I have a girl friend who is a self-proclaimed psychic, she basically said to me "well, you're having a boy, so you'd better get used to that idea." I was so annoyed that I wanted to wring her neck at the time (even though she is my friend and I do like her a lot). Who is she to say that her premonitions are of better quality than mine!?!? I've always been 'in tune' with the universe and feel pretty competent in feeling the vibes coming from, um, my own body - thank you very much. It may turn out to be a boy and it may be a girl, but I was quite insulted by her attitude that she was right and I was wrong . . . because she said so! Blech. Now I want it to be a girl more than anything to spite her. :-p

BTW, we should find out 11/11 - that's our appointment with the ultrasound tech. If everyone cooperates, we can have this little dispute taken care of.

lap said...

I'm the oldest of 4 girls, and even though I know the sex of the baby isn't factored by the mother's side, I was always sure I was having a girl, but that didn't stop me from saying immediately following each and every delivery "It's a girl, right?". With my eldest, I was really superstitious that if I was too confident I was having a girl, even after the ultrasound, that I would jinx it and have a boy after calling the baby "Elizabeth" in utero, so I called her EEP instead, rationalizing we could change the name to Elvis Edward. I also wouldn't buy any newborn dresses in case that jinxed it. I kinda love that Kirk is she it's a she. Elizabeth was completely oblivious to my pregnant belly and her impending sibling. She remained totally self-involved, but she turned 2 just one month before Paulina was born.

I always felt lost until about my 2nd tri, and some of that might just be fatigue. It's a lot harder being pregnant with a toddler to chase around I think.

belsum said...

That sounds massively annoying, mum. I would totally be rooting for a girl out of spite, too. Definitely let me know if you are able to find out!

I think that one year between 2 and 3 makes a big difference, lap. I mean, Kirk'll be just a few months shy of 4 when his sibling is born - he'll be able to remember going to the hospital and stuff! I totally agree with you on the extra exhaustion from having a toddler to deal with this time around. I'm already wondering how I'm going to manage the sleepless newborn stuff with him. And they'll be sharing a room, too!

Oh and the mister said he really enjoyed meeting you the other week so I'm glad you went down to Jon's birthday thing. Yay!

Anne C. said...

So sorry you haven't been feeling glowy, Bel. Big hugs from a thousand miles away!
(And I know who mum is talking about and she can be a bit overbearing. Our own mum actually predicted a girl too, and I put more stock in that (and mum's feeling) than our friend's.)

belsum said...

Thanks doll. Hugs are always a good thing!