[Michelle Murphy]

<p>Suppose it's getting to be about that time for one of these. <br>
How will you announce - or will you? </p>
<p>Are you: Ecstatic?  Terrified?  Confused?</p>
<p>Does this change your plans any? <br>
How certain were you? <br>
Were you right?<br>
 </p>

 

[Michelle Murphy]

<p>We just found out 99.4% by NIPT test - it's a girl!</p>
<p>I'm terrified.  I was so certain it'd be a boy.  I think I was counting on it in many ways.<br>
I suppose I should save my angst for a different thread.  I want to have this one clean for announcements - I think.  My head is spinning. <br>
I'm definitely announcing as soon as I can wrap my head around this a bit.  I've got to beat NH to the FB posting and I hate keeping secrets like this. <br><br><br>
 </p>

 

[shenanegans]

<p>Congrats! I won't know until Feb 6th. With my first, I was sure it was a girl, so I was pretty surprised when they told me it was a boy. #2 we kept the surprise, which was fun. But now with 2 boys (and really hoping for a girl) I am going to find out the sex. I need to mentally prepare myself! </p>

 

[Michelle Murphy]

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524257" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>shenanegans</strong> <a href="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524257"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br>
 
<p>Congrats! I won't know until Feb 6th. With my first, I was sure it was a girl, so I was pretty surprised when they told me it was a boy. #2 we kept the surprise, which was fun. But now with 2 boys (and really hoping for a girl) I am going to find out the sex. I need to mentally prepare myself! </p>
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</div>
<p><br>
I'm not sure there is mental preparation.  If you find it, send me a free sample before you bottle it and make billions - or at least let me get in on the stock options early. <br>
I comforted myself even before with the fact that I really like "boy" outfits on girls.  As long as we keep the artificial pink stuff at arm's distance, I think I'll be okay.  Feminine, appropriate pink is manageable/enjoyable. </p>

 

[primalmom]

<p>not finding out - we'll just be happy to have a healthy kiddo, regardless of gender.</p>
<p><span style="line-height:1.5em;">Just curious, in your personal opinion/experience, w</span><span style="line-height:1.5em;">hy do people want to find out so badly? Just for clothing/decor? </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I don't have a lot of grand ideas for who/what I want my kid to be (I'm still waiting to meet them!) and I'm not to keen on gender-specific (grandma's tough sports boy? grandpa's princess cupcake? *barf*<span style="line-height:1.5em;">)</span><span style="line-height:1.5em;"> clothing/decor anyway... </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>our decor will be a lot of things we liked as kids - legos, super mario bros, dr. who, lots of bright, bold colors.  We have a green silly monkey theme going on for things we've bought/received... all of these should be good for/through multiple kids, regardless of gender.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ideal baby wardrobe would be 5-10 same outfit (something that has a good track record of working well) in a bunch of bold colors.  I don't have a problem dressing a girl in blues and greens or dressing a boy in purples and hot pinks (I don't think I'll be dressing any kiddos in pastel pink unless it's a gift or the kiddo picks the clothing)</p>

 

[synepona]

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524289" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Michelle Murphy</strong> <a href="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524289"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br>
 
<p><br>
I'm not sure there is mental preparation. </p>
</div>
</div>
<p>There is I've done this a couple times now ... and it's much nicer (for me!) to have a few months to settle into plans for sewing, clothing, names (we only need to discuss one gender's worth of names).</p>
<p>The only solution I've found to the pink-explosion is to never buy it myself! It comes in hand-me-downs, gifts, and my dear girly-girl chooses sparkles or pink or purple every chance she gets, and has since around her first birthday, despite having a very boy's boy big brother and trucks and trains and balls and blue and green and orange and every.other.colour ... all around <br>
There are great European fabrics with fabulous deep shades of pink, that I much prefer, and buy from sewing friends who have imported them. That pastel-cotton-candy pink is the one I try to avoid actually buying.<br>
One way to avoid some of the pink is to tell everyone you know that you plan to save all your baby stuff for baby#2 and beyond. That way at least, hopefully the stroller, carriers, carseat, highchair, pack'n'play, swing, bouncyseat, silly-fisher-price-everything-now-comes-in-primary-or-pink-toys ... will arrive in a variety of colours.</p>

 

[shenanegans]

<p>for me the "mental preparation" part varied drastically each time. The first time, the pregnancy was a surprise, I got pregnant with an IUD so I figured "enough surprises" I want to know the sex. (it was a boy) with baby #2, I kind of wanted a girl but I knew I really didn't care, I didn't want to find out and then be disappointed or have any kind of negative feelings when I knew it really didn't matter to me in the end, so we kept the surprise and it was a boy. Now that I am pregnant again and hoping more seriously for a girl, I have 2 sisters that I am really close with and a whole bunch of aunts plus my mom that I am also really close with, so I want to know this time. I don't want to be hoping its a girl till the end, I would rather know if it will be 3 boys. The clothes part/ decorating is not even an factor since the baby will stay in our room for the first year and the kid is going to wear the big brothers hand me downs if its a boy or a girl. </p>

 

[Michelle Murphy]

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524321" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>SynEpona</strong> <a href="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524321"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br>
 
<p> </p>
<p>The only solution I've found to the pink-explosion is to never buy it myself!</p>
<p>...<br>
One way to avoid some of the pink is to tell everyone you know that you plan to save all your baby stuff for baby#2 and beyond. That way at least, hopefully the stroller, carriers, carseat, highchair, pack'n'play, swing, bouncyseat, silly-fisher-price-everything-now-comes-in-primary-or-pink-toys ... will arrive in a variety of colours.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p>I will definitely keep these in mind.  I was offered girly hand-me-downs and said I think tomboys are cute and it's easier to play in boy clothes so we should get a mixture.  I think we'll do pretty well in the clothing department (although I am hoping for really easy outfits with snaps all the way down). <br>
After my first communion, I wanted to climb trees.  My mom found a pair of tiny red shorts in the trunk of the car and her apron.  That's what I wore that afternoon to climb trees. I would have done it in the dress, but mom stepped in.  Don't think I ever wore that dress again. <br>
Then again, I only have so much time.  When I started choosing my outfits, I dressed like a parrot - a little bit of every color.</p>

 

[activia]

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524375" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Michelle Murphy</strong> <a href="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17524375"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br>
 
<p>I will definitely keep these in mind.  I was offered girly hand-me-downs and said I think tomboys are cute and it's easier to play in boy clothes so we should get a mixture.  I think we'll do pretty well in the clothing department (although I am hoping for really easy outfits with snaps all the way down). <br>
After my first communion, I wanted to climb trees.  My mom found a pair of tiny red shorts in the trunk of the car and her apron.  That's what I wore that afternoon to climb trees. I would have done it in the dress, but mom stepped in.  Don't think I ever wore that dress again. <br>
Then again, I only have so much time.  When I started choosing my outfits, I dressed like a parrot - a little bit of every color.</p>
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<p>I feel you soo much! I hate pink...hate it. I always have. I was the 4 year old that cried when mom made her a Minnie Mouse costume instead of Mickey. I think my general despise for feminity came from the fact that woman were protrayed as weak and inferior... I always choose to be strong and tough.. I enjoy getting dirty and playing rough. I love sports. I hate dresses. The only dress I've really liked is my Wedding dress..which I actually dressed up like a princess and really loved it....maybe because I almost never dress up. I could never understand why girls were forced to wear these uncomfortable clothes that you couldnt play dirty in yet boys got to be comfy.. so yeah I dressed a lot more like a boy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've been trying to prepare myself for the fact that I might have a girl. Really I don't have a problem with it except I dont know how I would handle a girly girl. I've always had conflicts with them. I've always bonded stronger with boys or with other girls that were also tom boys. These girly girls tend to be born not made (for the most part). I have a cousin 2 years younger girl, and another her brother 4 years younger than me... and I played more with him (video games or sports) and  I hated to play barbies with his sister. Her and I always seemed to bonk heads when I always got along great with her brother. My mom had 2 kids when I had 18.. a girl then a boy. I am way closer to the boy and I feel horrible about it. My sister is a girly girl and I've tried to bond with her... and I always feel devastated whenever she says I like her brother more...as I try so hard not to favor him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My husband wants a girl! Soo bad... even the idea of having a boy seems to turn him off, and his eyes light up at the idea of a girl. So I am so torn because I want a boy, but then I think... it would really help my husband bond if this was a girl... </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'll of course be happy with a healthy baby either way!!! Health is way more important than gender.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I just got the call and we'll be able to take the panorama test tomorrow so I should know the gender in 2 weeks or so</p>

 

[ladyelms]

<p>We find out Sat. W/ having 4 boys already and only 1 girl, I am hoping that my last be a girl. I'd rather find out now and find peace than spend the next 6 months hoping.</p>

 

[amyrobynne]

<p>I found out via the Harmony test today too - it's boy #4 at my house!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was hoping for a girl, to experience what that would be like, but I was surprised I got excited about this little guy. I feel like boys are what we know and now I can picture him as a person instead of this great unknown making me nap all the time. We won't need to get a whole new set of toys or clothes or whatever. Yeah, maybe this kid will be interested in totally different things, and that's fine. But I feel like I can move forward with planning and imagining our lives together now. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Michelle, reading your thread made me somewhat relieved with my boy news, I must admit. Adolescent girls can be scary.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I called all our close family members and told them this afternoon. Nobody said anything obnoxious. We all thought of new fun things about having a pile of boys at my house.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm glad that by the time I'm obviously showing, I'll be able to tell people "It's boy #4!" before they can make any stupid comments. I made an announcement on twitter, saying boy #4 was coming and we were stocking up on Nerf guns. My husband's going to say something on FB soon (neither of us has said anything on FB about the baby but we're telling people when we see them) and I can't decide if I'll say something official or just let it leak out here and there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm a fan of not finding out with baby #1, mostly to help cut down on gender-specific clothes and gear at showers, but I gotta say, it has been really nice knowing ahead of time with babies 3 and 4. Not for buying stuff, but for bonding with them.</p>

 

[ladyelms]

<p>We're having a GIRL!!!</p>

 

[researchparent]

<p>We already have a 4 year old boy and an 18 month old girl, so I was prepared to be super excited either way. We found out we're having a boy (and I'm so excited). I honestly don't know why I feel the need to know, but I do. I really, really have to know. I don't think it changes the way we raise our kids. Of course they could change, but at present we have a super sensitive, thoughtful, doll-loving boy and a rough-and-tumble, extremely assertive girl. We've never had to buy baby clothes due to a large and generous extended family. We've always had ideas for names for both genders going into the gender-revealing ultrasound, so that doesn't make much difference. Oh well, just a personality thing I guess. I really have to know.</p>

 

[ladyelms]

<p>I think finding out gender really helps to connect and identify with baby. (not that gender should be an identifying factor..) That's always been my experience. I felt instantly more connected to this baby knowing just a little bit about who she is.</p>

 

[Mozado8210]

I had the MaterniT21 test done since I'll turn 35 a few weeks before the baby is due. We should get the results right around Christmas! I'm kinda hoping for another girl, as my two youngest are boys, but I'm mostly just hoping for a healthy baby! <img alt="smile.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[riverbliss]

We are having a girl! So excited because our two year old is a boy so now we will have one of each. I would have been happy either way but knowing she is a girl helps to bond - it's nice to say she instead of baby and also start to imagine what it will be like when she is out of the womb.

 

[activia]

<div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17534868" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>riverbliss</strong> <a href="/community/t/1394207/a-boy-a-girl-we-know#post_17534868"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
We are having a girl! So excited because our two year old is a boy so now we will have one of each. I would have been happy either way but knowing she is a girl helps to bond - it's nice to say she instead of baby and also start to imagine what it will be like when she is out of the womb.</div>
</div>
<p><br>
Congrats!!!!</p>

 

[BennyPai]

<p>Guaranteed to be surprise, whether we find out gender or not.  These kiddos come with personalities of their own!  No two alike.  <img alt=":wink" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/winky.gif" style=""></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our last two babies weren't named until after we got to know them for a day or two, which was so nice.  Really took the pressure off.  We don't decorate a nursery, as we cosleep, just attach a sidecar to the bed (It's plain white and doesn't match anything else, not even the trim) for our toddler and newborn sleeps between Daddy & Mama.  All of our newborn clothing is already gender neutral because we have been surprised with all four girls, and may as well go for one last surprise.  Last pregnancy, though, I told people it wasn't going to be a surprise unless it was a boy.  <img alt=":lol" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/lol.gif" style=""> </p>
<p>My feelings on newborn fashion:  when they're new, we can pick out the clothes (which probably will be just diapers this summer around our house<img alt="babyf.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/babyf.gif">) but it isn't long before they can voice their own opinions and we're reminded that they're not dolls for us to play dress-up with. <img alt=":duck" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/duck.gif" style=""></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm not too worried about having an overly "feminine" house, partially because the personalities of little women vary as much as those of grown women.  Some play sports, some don't.  Most kids, boys and girls,  love to climb and get their hands dirty.  Some hate pink, others L.O.V.E. it.  DP has spent plenty of time taking the girls to sports stuff - picking out supplies for soccer, little league (not because he's the Dad, but I'm just not sporty - I attend games, just not consulting for technique or cleats, etc.).  If they decide to join the math team or speech/debate/drama, I'll be just as good a consult as Daddy. Our DD2 tends to bring the boys around, her best buds have been boys since she was a toddler.  Ironically, this rough-and-tumble tomboy is our "fanciest" dresser, attracted to pink, lace, dressy shoes, makeup.  She was naked until she was three, though, and favored "boys" pajamas when she did wear clothes.    DD1 was obsessed with pink at age 3, then from age 6-10 she wouldn't go near it.  No telling what to expect. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>