Boy or Girl

So we get to find out (hopefully) whether we'll be having a boy or a girl on October 8, at my first ultrasound. I will be 18 weeks and 2 days at that point, so it's a little early for me to feel 100% confident that we'll find out gender. And at first I didn't want to know. I just wanted it to be a surprise and that either is fine. Either is still fine, but I'd like to have the gender things worked out before Baby Bean arrives (like spending some time seriously considering to circumcise, or whether I should buy the purple or pink tutu or both - important stuff). So we're going to find out.

The jury is still out on whether to have a gender reveal party. I'd like to have one, but I'd feel pretty lame planning a party for October 8 in the evening (or something), only to have nothing to report because the U/S couldn't tell. Most anticlimatic party every. Also I'm not sure I could wait to find out, knowing that the information is known--out there somewhere. So we'll see.

But I think it's a girl. I've felt like its a girl from the start and in a way that's more than just wish-fulfillment. Plus Lancasters always seem to have a girl first, and we're not about to buck a trend.

So I've looked at some old wives' tales about gender and here are 10 and what I think:

1) Carrying: I think I'm carrying high and wide. From behind I don't look pregnant at all (and I'm really almost 15 weeks so I'm not huge). But I've got a definite bump on the front and it starts right at my belly button. Which also means that I'm still wearing most of my pants done up. Skirts are harder because they wear higher and so I can't get the zipper done.

2) Skin/Hands and Hair: They say a little girl steals your beauty and this little one certainly has taken whatever was there. My skin makes a 15 year old cringe. I've never had ache so bad that it hurts, but now I do - deep, full blemishes that are impossible to cover with makeup (try covering Vesuvius with concealer and you get the idea). Now I do have dry hands - which points to a boy. But I don't have cold feet, usually they are too hot. Also my hair has become terrible. I'm not sure if this means boy or girl, but its colour has diluted and it's super straw-like, even though I've not changed anything. It makes doing my hair such a chore now, because it will always look a mess.

3) Ring swing: Inconclusive. It will start off side to side and then gains momentum and goes in a circle. So maybe it's twins! But I'll hope not and go onto the next one.

4) Heartbeat: When I got to hear the little bean's heartbeat, it was around 120 bpm. A girl is apparently 140 bpm or higher. So this points to a boy. We'll confirm again at the ultrasound as well (but we'll also be seeing the goods, so a little late to hypothesize)

5) Sweet or Salty: Um both, but probably a bit more on sweet. I am really loving fruit and peaches in particular. But I'm still also loving processed food (when I cave and eat McDo). Mostly I want all foods that have been prepared by a machine - sweet or salty. And fruit. So inconclusive also.

6) Mayan calendar: I am 27 and I conceived in 2013 so because they are the same, it points to a girl. The Chinese calendar (depending on the website) has said boy or girl. So girl overall.

7) Hubby having cravings: No comment on this one. David's always had a major sweet tooth, so status quo on this one. Plus I'm not going to comment on his weight without his consent.

8) Morning sickness: Well I didn't have anything until about 12 weeks. Now I'm pretty consistently nauseous when I wake up, 10:30 and 6pm. So it started as a boy and now is a girl? Let's say girl

There are two other tests I didn't do - I didn't test my urine because I'm not peeing in a cup unless my doctor says. And I couldn't do the key test because I already know the interpretation.

Here's the website I used for the different tales: http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/gender-predictor/old-wives-tales/70198.html?page=1

So overall, it looks like a girl, with a little side of boy. Heaven help me if I have twins. I'm pretty sure its not twins because I think I would be bigger. And also the doctor only heard one heartbeat - though we also didn't look for two.

Looks like I'll have to buy both a purple and pink tutu. And put the circumcision book on hold at the library.