Paddington Watch (aka Wellington Watch 2.0)

Being 17 weeks pregnant with one ultrasound and two doctor appointments under my belt, that all scream ‘Healthy! Boring! Normal!’, I figure it’s time to start blogging about this latest change in our lives.

So, I’m introducing baby-on-the-way number two. Paddington.

Beautiful, isn’t she? Okay, I hope that didn’t cause coffee to gush out your nose. We do not know the sex. But my gut tells me girl. And here are my highly scientific, fool proof reasons why I feel this way. (Editor’s note: this gut feeling should not to be confused with an overwhelming desire for a girl. It’s just a feeling I have. If Paddington is a boy, I will be surprised, but NOT disappointed. And that’s the honest truth).

Theory #1

My brother Adam was born in July. My brother is a boy. Rhys was born in July. Rhys is a boy. I was born in January. I am a girl. Paddington is due to be born in January. Hence – unarguably a girl.

Theory #2

The online gender predictor predicted that Rhys would be a girl. It was wrong. The same online gender predictor predicts that Paddington is a boy. Wrong the first time, wrong the second time. That’s just solid science.

Theory #3

With Rhys, Warren and I were very much in reproductive mode. I was taking my temperature every morning and knew the exact moment to strike. This time around, we were much more spontaneous. Kind of a sudden ‘wouldn’t it fun if we just stopped being so careful?’ kind of thing. And for reasons that can only be explained by good science... this means girl.

Theory #4

The 12 week ultrasound. Tell me this little darling doesn’t look dainty and precious, like a little girl would?

Theory #5

The heartbeat. So far, Paddington’s heartbeat is in the 150 – 170’s, and Rhys’ was in the 130s. Girl.

Theory #6

This pregnancy has sucked so far. A big contrast to the gloriousness I experienced with Rhys. Only a daughter can cause a mother this much suffering.

There is one wrench in my theories, however. The other night I had a dream that Paddington was a boy. In my dream, Paddington was already born, but I still didn't want to know the sex (dreams are so weird!) and I was changing the diaper and caught a glimpse of 'it'. And 'it' was a boy. Maybe Rhys will get the 'Brodder' he keeps asking for after all.

So now what am I supposed to think? Gut feeling or Dream? I'm stumped. Thank goodness I can rest assured it will be one or the other. Like all parents, I just want my baby to be born healthy. And for it to have my nose.

To round off this first entry of Paddington Watch, here are 3 posts I wrote in the earlier days, listed in the order they were written (note: I was in a dark place for one of them, that I am no longer in. So don’t worry for me).

January Baby

Flipped a Switch

Fear and Self Loathing in Las Pregnancy