THE Question
In no particular order, the most commonly asked questions I've encountered over the last month or so (and the current answers) include:
Q: How far along are you?
A: Thirteen weeks and 5 days.
Q: How have you been feeling?
A: At this moment, kind of like I need to throw up, and I have this odd metallic taste in my mouth.
Q: Any strange food cravings?
A: No, but a whole lot of aversions. Vegetables, apples, and garlic are not my friends this week.
Q: Do you have room in your house for a nursery?
A: Yes. Well, kind of. A guest room/nursery. We'll make it work.
Q: Are your parents excited?
A: Very. Blake's parents will become grandparents twice within six weeks - Blake's brother (Brad), and his wife (Rachel), are also expecting - so they are over the moon. My dad is happy for us, too, but said "I'm not old enough to be a grandfather." Dad, yes you are, but you are not old.
And the, hands-down, winner of the award for the MOST ASKED QUESTION AWARD...
Q: Are you going to find out?
A: Ahhhh! I don't know.
I get why everyone asks this question. Even though all of our parents had us 25+ years ago not knowing whether we would be Jack or Jane until we were born, people nowadays seem obsessed with knowing everything and planning for it. They want to know whether they can refer to the baby as "he" or "she" rather than "it" or "THE baby". Better yet, they want to know whether they can buy the baby that cute tutu or the hilarious "I'm a boob guy" onsie they sell at baby boutiques. Going one step further, they want you to name the baby months before you've met him or or her and put it on the wall in cute wooden letters or to monogram every single gift they give you with baby's initials. I really do get it.
But, I'm not sure I'm buying it. I truly am on the fence about this one. I've been so confident and sure of every other decision we've made up to this point about starting our family and the pregnancy - I knew that I wanted to stop birth control and I just did it; I knew that I wanted to give up my caffeine addiction and I just did it; I knew that prenatal testing for Downs and the detectable genetic problems was not for us and we just didn't do it... the list goes on.
Even though I'm a major planner who typically abhors surprises of any kind, good or bad, this is one surprise that I think I could look forward to. I have this image in my head of having the baby and Blake running out to the waiting room to announce for the first time "IT'S A GIRL!" or "IT'S A BOY!!!!!" (note the extra exclamation points...). Just seems like a cute moment worth waiting for!
Unlike me, Blake is sure that he wants to find out. Like, he is 100% sure he wants to find out. He's even gone as far as to promise that if I he finds out, he won't tell me or anyone else. It would be his own personal secret. I have a feeling though that I'd be able to tell, from how he acted, whether the baby is a boy or a girl. To a girl, he would coo and be gentle. To a boy, he'd try to talk about sports in a manly voice... I know he'd try, but just don't think he'd be able to hide it!
So, despite being 100% sure that I feel like I'm going to throw up right now and being 100% sure that the crib we bought will fit in the soon-to-be guest room/nursery (even if nothing else does...), I remain on the fence about this gender thing. Maybe I'll decide at some point during the next two months (how long we'll have to wait for the next ultrasound). Maybe I'll make it a game-time decision. Maybe Blake will find out and I'll figure it out from the smile (girl) or super-smile (boy) on his face. Maybe we'll both find out and not tell anyone. Maybe you too will know as much as we do way before the baby is born. In the meantime, keep asking your questions - most of the answers - including this one, seem to change daily.
Kate
Q: How far along are you?
A: Thirteen weeks and 5 days.
Q: How have you been feeling?
A: At this moment, kind of like I need to throw up, and I have this odd metallic taste in my mouth.
Q: Any strange food cravings?
A: No, but a whole lot of aversions. Vegetables, apples, and garlic are not my friends this week.
Q: Do you have room in your house for a nursery?
A: Yes. Well, kind of. A guest room/nursery. We'll make it work.
Q: Are your parents excited?
A: Very. Blake's parents will become grandparents twice within six weeks - Blake's brother (Brad), and his wife (Rachel), are also expecting - so they are over the moon. My dad is happy for us, too, but said "I'm not old enough to be a grandfather." Dad, yes you are, but you are not old.
And the, hands-down, winner of the award for the MOST ASKED QUESTION AWARD...
Q: Are you going to find out?
A: Ahhhh! I don't know.
I get why everyone asks this question. Even though all of our parents had us 25+ years ago not knowing whether we would be Jack or Jane until we were born, people nowadays seem obsessed with knowing everything and planning for it. They want to know whether they can refer to the baby as "he" or "she" rather than "it" or "THE baby". Better yet, they want to know whether they can buy the baby that cute tutu or the hilarious "I'm a boob guy" onsie they sell at baby boutiques. Going one step further, they want you to name the baby months before you've met him or or her and put it on the wall in cute wooden letters or to monogram every single gift they give you with baby's initials. I really do get it.
But, I'm not sure I'm buying it. I truly am on the fence about this one. I've been so confident and sure of every other decision we've made up to this point about starting our family and the pregnancy - I knew that I wanted to stop birth control and I just did it; I knew that I wanted to give up my caffeine addiction and I just did it; I knew that prenatal testing for Downs and the detectable genetic problems was not for us and we just didn't do it... the list goes on.
Even though I'm a major planner who typically abhors surprises of any kind, good or bad, this is one surprise that I think I could look forward to. I have this image in my head of having the baby and Blake running out to the waiting room to announce for the first time "IT'S A GIRL!" or "IT'S A BOY!!!!!" (note the extra exclamation points...). Just seems like a cute moment worth waiting for!
Unlike me, Blake is sure that he wants to find out. Like, he is 100% sure he wants to find out. He's even gone as far as to promise that if I he finds out, he won't tell me or anyone else. It would be his own personal secret. I have a feeling though that I'd be able to tell, from how he acted, whether the baby is a boy or a girl. To a girl, he would coo and be gentle. To a boy, he'd try to talk about sports in a manly voice... I know he'd try, but just don't think he'd be able to hide it!
So, despite being 100% sure that I feel like I'm going to throw up right now and being 100% sure that the crib we bought will fit in the soon-to-be guest room/nursery (even if nothing else does...), I remain on the fence about this gender thing. Maybe I'll decide at some point during the next two months (how long we'll have to wait for the next ultrasound). Maybe I'll make it a game-time decision. Maybe Blake will find out and I'll figure it out from the smile (girl) or super-smile (boy) on his face. Maybe we'll both find out and not tell anyone. Maybe you too will know as much as we do way before the baby is born. In the meantime, keep asking your questions - most of the answers - including this one, seem to change daily.
Kate
So wonderful!!!! Congratulations! --Laura C.
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard one! I'm think i will be unsure as well. Keep us posted! ...jessica w
ReplyDeletecute cute cute. Love this blog and love you guys.
ReplyDelete