Most of you know that David and I have never found out the gender of our babies before they are born. We are motivated by the element of surprise, especially since I have planned c-sections. And, to be honest, I am motivated by the fact that no one in my family has found out if they are having a boy or girl. Do I want to be the one to break this tradition? I don't think I am brave enough to do it.
People have asked me if I have ever been tempted to find out. My answer is EVERY SINGLE TIME! But David has helped me to be strong during the ultrasound. Even with Agnes when we knew that they knew since there was a bit of a mix up and the ultrasound tech put the gender in our paperwork, even though she wasn't supposed to. Luckily, the nurse caught the mistake in the office before we saw it. So the entire staff knew we were having a girl and never spilled the beans. I find that pretty impressive.
Tomorrow we go in for our big ultrasound and once again David and I are having that conversation. The one that goes, "Should we find out?" "No, I don't think so, but maybe it would be fun." "But if we find out we can't UN-find out, so maybe we should wait." And on and on.
I came up with a few alternatives for those of you who are too anxious to wait until July to know if this baby will be wearing pink or blue.
First I polled the audience.
David- girl (he says this every time)
Henry- girl
Calvin- BOY (he says emphatically)
Agnes-girl (but she goes back and forth on this one
Phoebe -totally on the fence.
Second, I took the Chinese gender test.
It said girl. And I went back and checked for my other 3 kids, they were all correct! Maybe we are on to something. It does say that this is about %90 correct, so the 4th baby may be the one that is wrong.
Third, I took a million other tests online.
I hung a needle and thread over my belly. Depending on which website I look at I am having a boy or a girl! I am carrying high so that means it's a girl. I am not sure what to do about the craving test. I crave sweet things and salty things-so I guess it's a wash. David is not currently gaining any weight so we might be having a girl. The last time I was in the doctor the heart rate was at 145. Kind of borderline, but leaning towards girl. On random test asked me a bunch of questions and it said I was having a boy. Another test said I was 59% having a girl. Henry was the wisest when he looked at me and said, "These tests don't seem very accurate."
The last, and most effective, test I still need to go and do.
I haven't had a chance yet, but I need to go in and get a pedicure. It doesn't matter where I have lived, but every single time the Vietnamese women at the salon have correctly predicted the gender of my children. And it's a good excuse for a little splurging, don't you think?
21 comments:
I say go with the pedicure!!
I always thought I was having a girl. And 4 times I was right!!
GIRL! Chestnut!
my dreams don't lie...
I have to say, that despite the results from all of my very scientific testing, I think I am having a boy. That is, I do right now. It could all change at any moment.
I never even had an ultrasound until the last one and then we opted to find out since I was older (44) and we were out of everything babywise and I needed to buy those things BEFORE the baby was born. The one thing that I learned was that you are still very excited and it is still a unique situation even when you know the gender. I, actually, was surprised to experience that since I had thought that knowing the gender would make a difference. It did not. Axel's birth, in regards to how I felt, was exactly the same as the others, where I did not know the gender. However, that said, the decision is yours. I just thought that I would add my two cents worth.
Well perhaps you remember that our ultrasound was WRONG and we ended up being surprised anyway, even when we thought we knew. Stick with your tradition and wait. It sounds way more fun.
As I recall though, you didn't tell others did you? Does that have anything to do with it?
i hope you have a girl. just because it would be so funny that our family is so symmetrical (so far).
I say try the Drain-O test, I hear it is 53% accurate!
don't find out - it is so sad finding out ahead of time. of course I have already told you all of this. Who cares what you have, your kids are so cute!
Keep it a surprise. You have done well with it so far. I think if (that's a big if) we have another one, we will not find out, since we have one of each already. Can't believe how fast other peoples pregnancies go. Geesh. Here's to a healthy baby, boy or girl:)
Sorry to say, I have to say I peeked with everyone of my kids and it was no less a surprise. There is enough excitement going on at the birth that it just did not matter. What is a surprise anyway, it is either a girl or a boy, not a monkey or platapus right? Otherwise, pedicure is mandatory mo matter what! I always got one the day before delivery so at least my toes looked good!
Congratulations on the pregnancy! I didn't know there were so many tests out there to guess the gender. Wish I had know before I had this baby, it would have been fun to see what they said.
Stand firm! I have always thought it would be fun to not find out and if we have another I will follow your example.
I did not find out with the first three. After that I found out with some and not with others.
I agree with Alice that it does not change the birth experience.
Both ways is good.
So what did you decide yesterday?
Mike wanted to know with Audrey, but I wanted to not know. Since he is so easy-going and rarely feels strongly about stuff like this, I decided to oblige and have always been so happy that we did!
Both are completely legitimate choices, but I must say that knowing both times (our baby coming in May is a boy) has been really fun because we already envision that person just a little bit more accurately--but it was also no less a surprise with Audrey because it's still a complete mystery to suddenly meet this little being in real life!
BTW, I am carrying high this time and it's a boy. The heartbeat has been lower, which is consistent with boy. But I have gained weight all around and my stomach is relatively small compared with A, which all contradict the 'boy' body-rules. So I say go with the ultrasound, Chinese fertility test (which, by the way was true for us both times) or, your Vietnamese pedicurist.
I never found out the gender before either. I think it makes it more exciting! We were boy girl boy girl.
Phoebe.. you're having a girl cause I'm having a girl!!! LOL!!! Yes, I found out today!!! WHoohoo.. and I'm gonna blog about it.. and will title today's blog "Phoebe Happymore is having a girl!!!"... Thought I'd get your consent before blogging about you. LOL! Seriously though.. I was sooo excited and thought of you-- since we're only a few days apart and .. yada yada yada.. i have to remember that mormons could be reading this post.. so I'll stop! I'll update you with all the niddy griddy unedited details later!!! loves..
I personally also love the Culminating Moment, as I like to call it. Many people say it's a surprise whether you find out at 20 weeks or at birth, but I say that it's not about the surprise on its own--it's about the Culminating Moment! (of birth + surprise simultaneously.)
However I have not done it "the other way" so I can't vouch. I think it's probably just as exciting either way for the parents; but it's a little more exciting for family members and friends if you don't find out the sex early.
No matter what, I'm excited to meet your next little one.
I love that you guys wait. But I also recognize I could never do it with out driving myself crazy. More power to ya!
I think it's great that you guys wait and have a surprise. I've never been able to do that and sometimes I wish I would have. I looked up the chinese gender test and mine was right 50% of the time so I'd stick with your pedicure!
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