We're going in on Wednesday for our first ultrasound for the new baby. Mostly, we're hoping to hear that the baby is healthy, but we're also looking forward to finding out the gender, assuming the baby cooperates. We've had only minimal conversations about names so far in this pregnancy, and we're waiting to find out if we've got a boy or a girl in there before we really get down to business on that issue. So we won't have a name to announce on Wednesday, but we will reveal the gender, and therefore it's time to place your bets. A few random pieces of information about this pregnancy that may help you make your decision or just serve to confuse you.
1. When I was pregnant with Kate, I was terribly sick for most of my first trimester. I will spare you the details, but let's just say it was unpleasant. This time around I certainly didn't feel great, and I had no energy for weeks, but I wasn't nearly as ill as I was with Kate. Depending on who you talk to, this can be something that is influenced partly by the baby's gender. Some books will swear that women who are carrying girls experience more morning sickness. On the other hand, some women say their pregnancy symptoms were different every time regardless of gender. So that may be totally worthless information, which is exactly what you usually get on this blog.
2. Everyone in my family thinks we're having a boy. This, however, may be a hallucination caused by the fact that we're currently all high on looking at late term ultrasound photos of Aaron and Kelly's son, Clark, sucking his thumb in the womb and sporting some chubby cheeks that can only be accounted for by strong Rice genes. What I'm saying is they're pretty wound up and they may not be the most reliable sources. But Kelly says she'd bet her life savings on a boy, so I may make some money on this deal.
3. Kate, on the other hand, refuses to hear talk that the baby is anything but a Baby Sister. I have no idea what she's basing that on, but when we say "Or maybe a Baby Brother?" she shakes her head and says "Baby Sis-ah."
4. For what it's worth, this baby is busy. I started feeling the baby move at around 14 weeks, which is much, much earlier than I felt Kate, and these days pretty much any time I sit down for a few minutes I notice the baby doing some little aerobic routine. Whoever we've got in there is active. I worry for my ribcage in the coming months.
5. Possibly because of my newfound second trimester enthusiasm for food and recreational cooking, maybe because it's my second pregnancy and therefore my abs have just lost the will to live, or possibly because of something unique about the baby, I'm also sporting a baby bump a lot earlier than I was with Kate. Just a month ago I was at Hannah and Daniel's wedding and didn't look very pregnant at all. That was around 13 weeks. Then, somewhere between 15 and 16 weeks, it was almost like there was an audible "POP" and suddenly, there was my stomach. This concerns me too, since I seem to recall being quite giant by the end of Kate's pregnancy. And we're nowhere near the end. So very far from the end. I try not to think about it.
This is what I look like at roughly 18 weeks. I have no idea what I'm looking at in this photo. It is remarkably difficult to take a decent self portrait that incorporates your stomach, even if you do use a mirror. Don't laugh.
While we're excited to find out the gender, I also always feel a little nervous going into the whole ultrasound thing, so please pray that we get a good report on our new little family member's health, since that's the really important thing. I'll post the results on Wednesday once we've notified all the grandparents and aunts and uncles. Now go forth and vote.
Comments (16)
My vote is a BOY!! Just feelings and instinct, but either way it will be a wonderful addition to the family! Your baby bump is beautiful and perfectly normal to put in an early appearance the second time around.
I love you sweet girl!
Posted by Aunt Emily | November 20, 2009 10:54 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 10:54
cuteness! i vote it's a girl. :)
Posted by charity | November 20, 2009 11:01 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 11:01
Well, you know my vote... I just wanted to say that I think Kate's insistence that it's a "Baby Sis-ah" is really cute.
Posted by Hannah | November 20, 2009 11:09 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 11:09
I'm with Kate. Girl.
My stomach totally pooched out faster with subsequent pregnancies. It was like it said,"Oh, we're doing this again? Okay." WOOSH! I looked 3 months pregnant at 6 weeks.
Not to depress you or anything. It's just the way it is.
Your bump is cute! So don't worry about it.
And full disclosure: I did laugh at your photo. But probably because you told me not to. :)
Posted by Kerri | November 20, 2009 11:17 AM
Posted on November 20, 2009 11:17
I'm going to put my money on Baby Wachdorf being a girl. I know too many people that went girl-boy (my wife, both of my brother-in-laws' wives, my sister, and my officemate's wife), and I think of you more as a trend setter. I also don't want to go on the record as having disagreed with Kate.
Posted by Tim Smith | November 20, 2009 12:11 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 12:11
It always depresses me when I see cute skinny pregnant people who are skinnier pregnant than I am not pregnant!!
You look great!!
I am on Team Girl!
Posted by Charity | November 20, 2009 2:11 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 14:11
I laughed, too. But only out of deep love and devotion. ; )
Girl!
Posted by RT | November 20, 2009 2:12 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 14:12
Love the bump!
absolutely GIRL! (sisters know)
Posted by Katharine | November 20, 2009 2:44 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 14:44
I vote for a girl, you know, because I have 2 girls, and Summer has 2 girls...make erika the odd one out. :)
Posted by Kelly | November 20, 2009 5:13 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 17:13
Precious Kate is at the age to insist on things being her way, so I vote girl with her. Either way, you are going to have so much fun. You are going to have to post at least every week.
Love keeping up with you.
Posted by Beth Cook | November 20, 2009 8:19 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 20:19
My vote is boy....usually if you carry the baby differently than one sex, it's the other.....the heart rate at the ultrasound should tell you before you even get a glimpse of you-know-what.
Posted by jerri meigs | November 20, 2009 10:34 PM
Posted on November 20, 2009 22:34
i'm going to say boy BUT i am typically wrong . . . i thought my sister was having a boy but she's having another girl. so, long live the bow-heads!! :)
Posted by Liz | November 21, 2009 7:39 AM
Posted on November 21, 2009 07:39
Team Kate!
Posted by Jenni | November 21, 2009 9:49 AM
Posted on November 21, 2009 09:49
I say boy! I have a strong gut feeling. My gut feeling was right about Dinah having a girl. Or maybe it could be I've used up my one and only correct gut feeling on Mercy. I was so very sure Hannah was a boy, so I have been very wrong before. And you know Kate is a very smart little girl. Nothing seems to get past her.
Posted by Grammy | November 21, 2009 4:40 PM
Posted on November 21, 2009 16:40
You can borrow our tripod for the next update :)
(I like the Canon!)
Posted by bObpOd | November 22, 2009 10:15 PM
Posted on November 22, 2009 22:15
you look beautiful!!
Posted by Kate :) | December 6, 2009 7:24 PM
Posted on December 6, 2009 19:24