We’ve sort of avoided this topic because Ken and I agree way to much.  You see, we didn’t want to know the sex of our child during pregnancy.  Oh, we did wonder, a lot!  And so did everyone else.  In fact we even had bets going on when we were prego with PJ, our 7 year old.  Funny enough, the odds were definitely in favor of a boy.  Didn’t matter though, because, boo-ya…out came one healthy and beautiful little girl.

Six years later, we did it again.  Odds were a little less stacked this time, but, bam!  Another healthy and beautiful little girl.  Did we want a boy?  I guess so, maybe.  I can’t even remember.  I have my girls and guess what, they’re both as tough as, or tougher than, any boy their same age, so [big proud smile]

Besides Ken and myself, I can’t name another couple in the last 10 years that didn’t know what gender their baby would be.  Today, you just need to get to 12 weeks and you can find it all out.  As the tech slimes your belly and you hold your hubby’s hand and stare at the 14″ screen, then he or she suddenly says, “There it is. It’s a girl!”  And you and hubby hug, kiss and cry [hopefully for the right reasons]

And for the next 32 weeks you can grow to love her, buy her pink shit [or complain that everyone is buying her pink shit only] and you can decorate her room [in more pink shit or maybe you might buck the system and go for purple or lime green].  Oh, and you’ll also spend 32 weeks deciding on whom to name her after, because your family now knows it’s a girl and will ask you over and over and over, what’s her name, what’s her middle name, what’s her middle, middle name?

But knowing it’s a girl just isn’t enough today, is it?

Nope!  Now we get to get to see who she resembles.  If she has Daddy’s nose.  If she has hair.  You see, we now have 4D ultrasound and holy shit!  It’s wicked cool!  OK, OK, here I am bashing all this “knowing” stuff, but we did this and it’s amazing.  We made sure they were very, very careful to not share too much, but even the facial features sort of gave it away.  Even though we didn’t know for sure, I pretty much thought she looked like a girl.  Funny thing is, when she was born and for the first 7 months, she looked like a boy to me.  Go figure!

BUT, even the 4D ultrasound isn’t enough.  Now, you pick your baby’s birthday.  I don’t know what it is with C sections, but today, it’s like everyone gets them. I swear, if I count all the women I know who’ve given birth in the last 5 years, I might be able to count 3 out of 20 that delivered vaginally.  I won’t go into the studies and actual statistics on this post, but it’s high.  Higher and climbing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying C sections aren’t necessary and I’m not saying, you shouldn’t have one if it’s necessary for the health of you or your baby, but it shouldn’t be elective and it shouldn’t be presumed.  To be a real bitch, and boy, do I know I’m gonna take lip for this comment, “I fully believe that at least 20% of the women that cannot push their kid out of the birth canal today, are either too doped up with their ‘super’ epidural & drugs and therefore have no muscular control or they’re out of shape and didn’t prepare well for the rigores of childbirth.”  OMG!  I said it…..

OK, OK!  STOP! Before you bash me, I’m not saying this is everyone, because I’m fully aware that things happen during delivery and C sections save lives.  And I’m fully aware how lucky I am to have had easy pregnancies and births, but I’m also saying that the increase makes me wonder….why?  And this is what I think and feel, me, just me. [and you think this too, you just don't dare say it]

So, really, do I care if you want to know what, when, how and why you’re having a baby.  Well, you probably know why [duh!]. I’m just saying, it was really cool to deliver our baby and have my oldest standing there watching in amazement.  The Doc turned to PJ and said, “PJ, you call it!”  And PJ, still too stunned to talk, finally woke up and said, “It’s a girl!”

I just don’t know if any ultrasound appointment could ever mimic that coolness.  Ever!

~ Renae