The Tiny Dark Lord called it
First my dentist, then a toddler.
Last month I started telling TDL about the baby, and pointing to my belly button to show him where it is. He likely has no idea what I'm talking about, but when we were visiting with my Dad last month I asked the Dark Lord where "The Baby" was and he pointed to my tummy. And then he said, "Penis!"
Turns out, he was right, and we have the ultrasound pics to confirm it.
Upon seeing the child's (frankly huge and yet somehow hidden until the last second) manhood on the ultrasound, I had two thoughts:
1. This means I for sure have to get pregnant again.
2. Aw, crap. Now we have to come up with a boy name.
Boy names are not our strong point. We did a good job with TDL's real name, but that was for real the only boy name we could come up with. Now we are stuck.
After the ultrasound we went to Aggie Ice Cream. TDL got Aggie Blue Mint in honor of his new baby brother. I got Chocolate English Toffee and also Centennial (a seasonal graduation flavor with a cheesecake base, dried cherries, and chocolate covered graham crackers) in honor of being a little bit depressed.
And yes, believe me, I know how stupid it is to be depressed about seeing a healthy baby with arms and legs and beautifully functioning organs, but you can't argue with Pregnant Feelings That Need Ice Cream.
Now that we've started spreading the news, some people asked me if I'm surprised. My answer is no, because I am familiar with a little thing called Science and I really didn't have any "feelings" either way. I knew what my two options were, and it turned out to be one of the two. If the ultrasound had discovered some kind of "V" lizard baby, then yeah. That would have been a surprise.
I think some people are uncomfortable though with the idea that I was disappointed and actually expressed that out loud. As if I'm just going to then turn around and reject/eat/refuse to love the new baby because he's not a girl. So then they get all funny and patronizing, even though I know they were hoping for a girl just like I was. Yeah well, wait til I dress this boy in nothing but pink dresses, then we'll see who's uncomfortable!
Perhaps this is part of God's plan to make sure I don't try to slink off with only two children like them godless, secular heathens you hear tell of. This way I will have to give it at least one more go to see if I can come up with something that can wear the precious tiny red Hawaiian dress I only bought about 10 years ago and also the tiny pink patent leather Mary Janes that my mom mailed me last year and instructed me to hang over my bed in some sort of gender-influencing fertility rite.
If I keep having boys, then we will just have to have a lot of dress up days. Which, really, I'm okay with. Now that I'm more used to the idea, there are lots of reasons to be happy about having two boys in a row. And although I never compliment myself, my friends do say I make adorable boys. If this one turns out anything like his big brother, I will be lucky, lucky, lucky.
Also I have started knitting for Young Sir, which has cheered me up quite a bit, especially this sweater I'm working on with the soft cuddly grey yarn I picked up in San Francisco. Will post pictures as soon as it's done, provided I don't run out of yarn at the last second and throw some kind of rage fit (see above re: Pregnant Feelings).
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| Baby Sophisticate, knitted by Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting |
I'm Steph, a librarian and mom of 3 (not sure how that happened). Let's chat books, food, Sumptuous Literary Adaptations, poop, knitting and maybe some crazy Mormon Feminism.
16 comments:
Oh my word, those tiny red Hawaiian dresses! It will happen. I have faith.
And in the meantime, you DO make cute boys, so it's all good!
I remember that day . . . both times. When my sister found out boy #3 was coming she called me first. We cried for about an hour and then just moved on. Now and then we call and cry together. AmyJane is sweet to have faith. . . I didn't have enough to go for four kids. When I found out Boy #3 was coming my prayers that night were of the variety, "Why hasn't my sacrifice been enough???" I've learned a lot since then. A lot of these lessons have been very sanctifying. Some, much more shallow. For example: the best part about living with only men is that you are always the princess.
I think people are full of crap when it comes to baby genders and hunches and all that. You just eat that Aggie Ice Cream and tell yourself they are all crazy liars.
Good luck baby naming. I still vote for a Tom Hardy inspired baby name. It would work well with the sweater, and if this little boy is a bruiser like TDL.
Aw, darlin'. You do make adorable boys.
Also, I cannot stop thinking about the cheesecake, dried cherry, chocolate-covered graham cracker business. I mean, COME ON.
YAY! Huge congrats! If it helps, my boy pregnancies were WAY easier and less drama than the girl pregnancies. So that's something.
And two boys is the best - they'll be bestest friends and will build train tracks together and man-hug each other and love each other and it'll be awesome. As a mom of three consecutive boys, I'm excited for you.
(but keep going for that girl, because that is SO FUN, TOO.)
You had me laughing at your description of the two "options". People often asked me what I FELT like I was having. I felt like it was probably a 50/50 shot either way :)
Just had my third boy. And yes, I was a bit sad for a while after the ultrasound. That pregnancy had been so different than my last two that everyone swore that it meant that I was having a girl. I'm pretty sure we're going to try one more time. I hope it isn't too weird that I'm commenting, since I normaly just lurk. I find your writing so fun, fresh and not the stereotypical Utah Mormon Mommy brand. And I mean that in the best possible way.
"Boys rule and girls drool!" to be repeated as often and for as long as necessary (or at least until the red Hawaiian, patent leather shoe wearing girl comes along).
And your friend's princess comment is totally true and made me smile.
Love,
Mother of 4 boys otherwise known as Jen's old roommate of once upon a time. I am so happy for both of you!
Totally get it. If I ever did decide to have a go at it and found out I was having a boy first I'd be pretty bummed. I don't really want kids (don't NOT want them either, but we'll see) but if it does happen I really want a girl first. And now that I've put THAT out there - come on Universe . . .
Congratulations! Isn't it so nice to know? I could never wait the whole 9 months to find out.
We were secretly hoping for a boy and I hated how horrified people looked when I was honest about that. I am so excited for TDL to get a little brother, and I am totally with you on eating ice cream as a solution to dealing with any situation that may arise. Congrats!
We're extra terrible at boys names too (and by that I, of course, mean that STEVE is extra terrible at boys names because he dislikes all the names I suggest). We've had a girl's name picked out and agreed on for 3 years, though, so I'm planning on this baby being a boy.
Hugs, hugs, hugs. You already know my feelings on this and how I'd like to deck all those people when they give my hubby a pitying glance (or the even better pitying "are you going to keep trying until you get a boy?" line) when they see him with me and his little ladies.
You know what...it's okay to feel the way you feel. If at any time you'd like to celebrate whatever you're feeling (happy or sad), please call me. I'll go to Aggie Ice Cream with you any day.
Hugs and congrats again!!
This is why I subscribe to my mom's philosophy that it's better to learn the gender before the birth if only because it's better to cry the bitter tears privately in a dark ultrasound room than at the delivery. :) Seriously, though. Three pregnancies and three baby boys later, my husband and I are starting to get a little desperate for a daughter. Don't get me wrong -- we love our boys and wouldn't trade them for anything, but they need a sister. But for the days when that seems impossible, my husband reminds me that my oldest can sure cry like a girl, and my middle lives a life of high drama much like a girl, and my baby, well, he's hasn't outgrown the adorable baby stage, so even though I was convinced all though that miserable pregnancy that he was a girl, I'm okay that he's not. Hang in there. Boys might not be as fun to dress up, but they certainly are less complicated to keep clothed. ;)
Congratulations! Brothers will be great :) Kalena totally called it when I was pregnant with Daniel- told me from the very beginning that it was a boy. I hear you on boy names though. We had an easy time with Will's name (first & middle are family names) so I expected to have an easy time again when we found out we were having another boy, but NO. We discussed and discussed and FINALLY agreed at the end of the pregnancy.
I am so glad that you are not having "some kind of "V" lizard baby." I am also glad you know when to call in the ice cream!
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