Blue on the Brain

Throughout this second pregnancy Chris and I debated if we should find out the baby’s gender. We did with LLC – I always felt that I’d want to be surprised but when push came to shove in that ultrasound room, I couldn’t wait. My want to know got the better of me. Not even because I wanted to kit out baby’s room or know what colour clothes to buy.....I just wanted to know.

This time, we seriously considered not finding out and having that magic moment where we meet our child in the flesh and take that life-shaping glance at their anatomy. But again, I just couldn’t do it. Even Chris, who first time around would have happily waited had I not been so keen, seemed to want to know.

So at my 21 week ultrasound we asked the question and tada – it’s a boy! A healthy baby boy.

A boy....as in not a girl....? I have to admit, I was slightly stunned. Having grown up in a house of two girls and now as mom to LLC, girls have become my comfort zone and a big part of me kept picturing baby number 2 as another little lady. But as the ultrasound technician kept pointing out, we’ve definitely got a little dude on the scene or something is really awry down below.

Now that I’ve got my head around it, I’m really excited. If we only have two children, we’ll have had both the son and daughter experience. My aunt tells me little boys really love their mothers. My work colleague/mother of a small lad tells me little boys are wonderful. I never doubted it, but I’m also sure I won’t fully appreciate the thrill of my boy until he pops out and I get to know him.

In the immediate, one of my first thoughts was that I’m going to have to learn how to clean boy parts and avoid being sprayed! So mothers of sons out there, talk to me! What new adventures will life bring for us in the blue zone?

Not Throwing Like a Girl

Often when I take a shower, it’s like target practice. Forget a cascade of warm, soothing water. Insert a barrage of yellow plastic ducks. That’s the way my showers go these days when accompanied in the bathroom by LLC.

I recently read an article in the Sainsburys Little Ones magazine on gender stereotyping and whether as parents we treat boys and girls differently. I’ve also read some great blog posts within the spectrum of this topic, such as Hey, Mummy Mummy’s discourse on pink.

My two cents on the topic, is when it comes to throwing balls, our little lady defies gender stereotypes. She may like to brush her hair and wear my sunglasses, but seriously, does she know how to throw a ball! Tennis balls. Soft balls the size of a grapefruit. Big lightweight plastic balls. She loves them. All she has to do is see a ball, and she’s pointing at it or pursuing it. I’m not saying she pitches like Randy Johnson, but for a 14 month-old she’s got some heat.

Now maybe she’s inherited this sporty gene from me, soccer player for many years (but ironically with a particularly poor throw in). Maybe it’s been drilled into her by Chris and his love of sport. All I can say, is that there is no girly throwing in our house right now. In fact, with LLC’s tendency to now throw more than just balls (toy giraffes, her water cup, my keys) we probably need to curb some of the throwing before somebody gets hurt.