Getting Bigger, Topics Of Interest Getting Fewer

First things first, a LOT of people think we're having a girl, which I meant to comment on before now because it seriously stunned me, but, wow, there are either a lot of people who are right or a lot of people who, well, aren't right at all.

I'm convinced this baby is a boy. I have caught myself TELLING STRANGERS it's a boy, and then awkwardly laughing because, "Oh, wait. That's right. We don't know yet." I don't know if my strong boy premonitions are because I don't really like pink or because the Bratz dolls terrify me or because I really don't want to raise myself or if I actually, in-my-gut, think we're having a boy. I can't really say. I'd be surprised if we have a girl, but not like fall-on-the-floor surprised because it can only be one or the other, right? (Or, after watching a few Oprah segments, a combo of both.) Now tell me I'm having a kangaroo or a Republican and THAT would stun me.

What is funny—since declaring to the Internet that I had actually shed ten pounds since getting knocked up—is how much better I've been feeling this week and how my appetite seems to be back after a very long (and miserable) hiatus. Crazy enough, with the return of my appetite has come a morphing of my body from average to bison. My mom came over on Sunday to take me shopping (for sexy maternity clothes, yo), and when she walked in she said, "Jennie, you're adorable." HA! "No, mom, I'm actually a bison. Close though."

The bump is, well, it's definitely a bump. The size is still a little awkward. If you saw me (and didn't know about my current state) you'd probably hesitate to ask because nothing says uncomfortable like asking the non-pregnant woman who has momentarily forgotten to suck some things in when she's due. Funny though: I was asked by one person in my building and I scolded him for five minutes because it's risky to ask a woman that, especially at 13 weeks, and you could get yourself into trouble, seriously. He managed, "Your boss told me today" before running off to hug his wife for not being a demon. I will say that fifteen weeks feels a little early to be sporting a bump, but if you have any respect for Mike, you will not comment on fifteen weeks actually being too early to be sporting a bump because I guarantee telling me that will NOT make his life better come tonight.

Something else everyone surprised me with on that post: the baby's sex can be accurately guessed with the heartbeat and the mother's cravings. Um, this is embarrassing, but I seriously HAD NO IDEA. If sweet cravings mean boy then all that Baskin Robbins Gold Medal Ribbon isn't my fault. IT'S HIS. IT'S THE BOY'S FAULT. JUDGE HIM. (Reminds me: I have to take my ALREADY-BROKEN, ONLY-A-MONTH-OLD BLACKBERRY to the T-Mobile shop tonight, which happens to be right next to a Baskin Robbins. SILVER EFFING LINING.)

What did you crave if you've been pregnant? And what did you end up having?

I think it should be said, though, that regardless of all this obsessive WHAT-IS-IT-BOY-OR-GIRL? talk, whatever we have is going to be just right. It's exciting to guess and to wonder and to envision a mop of hair on a little boy or girl before we actually meet the little boy or girl, but when I was thinking about a baby for all those months, I never wanted a boy or a girl or a soccer player or a musician or even an Aggie. I didn't want him/her to be anything except mine. Now that that wish is granted, the rest is just extra. Something to keep me occupied while I toss and turn each night because apparently with your dignity and a defined waist, pregnancy also steals your ability to sleep comfortably.

Comments

[rebecca]

HA! I wake up every two hours, nearly on the dot.
with violet, i craved veggies and protien. same thing with this one. so...i don't know. we will see in 4 1/2 weeks whether it is indicative or if i'm just hungry. :)

[jodifur]

I crazed spinach and cheese and had a boy. I'm also a vegetarian and am convinced the baby needed iron and protein to survive. At least I tell myself that.

[La Petite Belle]

I was so convinced my first was a boy, and told everyone it was a boy, even the doctor told me at an early ultrasound that it "might" be a boy, which fuled the whole idea. Then... it was a girl. And all we had was..blue.

[Rachel]

As I mentioned, I did not crave anything sweet with Noah, so not sure how that craving means it is a boy. And he had a very high heart rate too. I have heard all kinds of crazy things! I am certain you don't look like a bison. : ) As for Gold Medal Ribbon...YUMMY! We will definitely get some while you are here. It will be excuse for me to have some...just making the pregnant woman happy!

[Christina]

Nates h/r was high in the 160's which
I think is "supposed" to be Girl. Later, when we knew he was a he, it stayed in the low 150's- bunch of hooey if you ask me but it is still fun.
My first trimester craving? One hour of the day where I didnt want to barf... Oh wait, you mean for real? Lemon pudding. 2nd trimester, nectarines, 3rd, whoppers with cheese.

[Rachel]

Totally forgot to mention my cravings. i didn't have a lot, as most food made me gag, but I did crave hamburgers (real ones...not fast food) for a solid month...and then there was the whole popcorn thing...and I don't even like the stuff.

[Jane]

We didn't know find out what we were having, but I was convinced we were having a boy. I was wrong. Maria always had a low heart rate. I didn't have many cravings. Just one weekend where I ate Taco Bell 3 times in 2 days. That was early 2nd trimester. My bump popped around 15 weeks. And the doctor was watching the size of her brain ventricles, but said the sex we were having often had slightly larger brain ventricles so things were most likely normal. And even though we knew the doctor knew, we didn't ask! AND during one ultrasound the technician slipped, but I wasn't sure and Chad wasn't there and we didn't want to know, so I didn't ask and she just kept going. I know. crazy. Long comment, I know...

[Sabrina]

Every single old wives tale (and I mean EVERY) said I was having a boy. Not one thing said girl. Cravings, heart rate, symptoms, Chinese gender predictor..all signs point to boy. I said from the beginning I was having a boy. I told everyone it was a boy and bought a TON of blue.

And now I have the most perfect little girl.

My sister told me last night that she wants to have all boys. I told her she'd want whatever she ended up with. Whatever you have will perfectly fit your little family and he/she will be EXACTLY what you want.

[Emily]

With Asher, I craved cheese, cheese, cheese, more cheese, and fruit. Also cake. When we heard the heartbeat, our doctor guessed boy and she was right.

This time, we're having a girl, and I just eat. Period. EATING IS GOOD.

[bethany actually]

I didn't have any specific cravings. I didn't even know I was pregnant till I was one week more pregnant that you are. :-)

I was totally, 100% convinced we were having a boy. My mom, Troy's mom, our grandmas, my aunts, Troy's sisters, my friends, my cousins all thought for sure it was a boy...except Troy. He was just quietly certain we were having a girl. (And we did, of course.) He also knew that his sister, pregnant at the same time, was having a boy even though she thought for sure it was a girl. He is spooky like that sometimes.

[Raven]

I craved spicy food and couldn't eat anything sweet AT ALL with the sprog until I was 7 months pregnant. Take anything that has to do with me with a grain of salt. I am the exception to EVERY rule.

[KT]

Chinese food, black olives, whole milk, breakfast tacos, pancakes, Cheerios and lots and lots of delicious pounds gained ... lots of strong baby heartbeats, 140+ bpm ... and allll boys. And so sweet.

[sensibly Sassy]

ah if you had a republican I would be stunned...and frightened.
i was supposed to be a boy b/c my heart beat was so strong so I say you wait for a sure sign of a hot dog or a bun. Still think it's a girl.

[Dianna]

Glad you've gotten your appetite back! No babies, so no pregnancy cravings to tell. Oh, I had no idea about the cravings and heartrate giving an idea of the sex of the baby either...interesting though.

[K]

I've never been pregnant so I don't know about cravings. But about this adorable bump that you have, have you been taking photos? Are you ever going to share any of them with the interwebs?

[Kim]

Well, I hate to burst that bubble, but it's suuuch an Old Wives Tale about the heartbeat/cravings indicator! Ask any doctor, for reals. But you'll always have a ton of ladies vouch for it, because they were right on their 50/50 guess. ;) And if it WERE true, I would've had twins because I craved everything under the blazing-hot-Sun! And I had a boy. His heartbeat was sometimes 140ish and sometimes 160ish... And I TOO was convinced in my GUT it was a boy, I think bc I too feared a girl. I wouldn't want it any other way now. I want ALL BOYS!

[Jenny]

I have a 19 month old daughter. During that pregnancy, I craved sweets and fruit--which was odd to me because I don't normally have a sweet tooth. When I was first pregnant, people would say, "Oh! Do you crave pickles?" and I'd be all, "YES! Absolutely! Gimme some! But I always crave pickles". With this pregnancy, (14 weeks) I have the same cravings. Not sure if it's an indicator of the gender of Bambino Numero Dos or just how my body handles pregnancy. Oh, also Taco Bell. But, I'm not sure if that's a craving as much as it's fast, cheap food to stuff into my tostada hole when my appetite goes from 0 to 60 in the matter of minutes.
I just recently found your blog and enjoy it very much. I too am a Texas gal and am just as pregnant as you are!

[moo]

With Grayson, I craved guacamole on EVERYTHING, chocolate pudding, and oranges. Then, later, cole slaw on hamburgers.

My sister also craved oranges, but she's having a girl.

With this one ... I don't really have cravings ... I've been too nauseous for anything really. So far at least. Except that suddenly it will hit me that I NEED McDonald's french fries. And although I haven't eaten them in 4 years, I've eaten them 4 days in a row now. So what does THAT mean?

[Nicole]

I love the post title! And having never been pregnant, I can't really help you with the cravings bit. Though I now want some ice cream dammit, and it's only 9:45 in the morning. Yeesh.

[Jess]

I don't necessarily THINK it's going to be a girl. I just kind of WANT it to be a girl, because, like I said, purple clothing options are CRUCIAL.

[Shelly]

I craved ice cream ALL DAY LONG and I had a boy (the second time). The first time I craved NOTHING, because nothing stayed down, and I had a girl. I, too, lost weight in the first trimester the first time. Not so much the second time. Best wishes!

[nonsoccermom]

I craved beef and hot dogs like an insane person while pregnant with my son (non-pregnant I don't eat either of those things, ever).

With my daughter, it was Mexican food, all the time. ALL THE TIME. Mostly Freebirds, thank the maker we live in Aggieland where it is readily available. :)

Also, a side note: I was SO MUCH SICKER with my daughter than I ever was with my son.

[Jemima]

Oh, I'm all squiggly feeling for you! And I'm sure you don't look like a bison at all. You're probably all glowy with enormous boobies and great hair. (was going to call you a dirty name, but thought better of it)

And don't people know that you NEVER tell a pregnant woman she looks fat/pregnant/big/due soon? You say, "God, you're so tiny! My sister was enormous when she was X weeks along! You should go model for Pregnancy Today!"

Honestly, people are so tactless. *tsk*

[-R-]

I definitely had a bump at 15 weeks. It wasn't huge, and I could still wear non-maternity shirts, but it was there.

Also, my doctor said that the rate of the heartbeat doesn't actually indicate anything about the sex of the baby.

[Kim]

I looooved these when I was in that weird transitional phase w/clothes. http://www.ingridandisabel.com/ I got mine MUCH cheaper on Ebay though. :) It just looks like a tank underneath, no one is the wiser. So you're all walking around w/your pants undone, all willy-nilly. It's awesome. Also is good for post-partum transitional weirdness.

[Beth]

I was positive, just absolutely positive, that child #2 was going to be a girl. I've never been so shocked by a penis in my entire life.

[elizabethsheryl]

I was born in 1985..ultrasounds were around but my doctor didn't believe in them, he thought they were bad for the fetus. ANYWHO, everyone and their mom thought I was going to be a boy. My mom carried me just like she did my brother (we are 8 years apart so its not like the body just remembered from 10 months before), she craved birthday cake, I had a fast "boy" heartbeat...and since I'm going for my annual pap smear today, I can officially say I am ALL GIRL. So, you can't always gauge by those things...and I think you crave things you need, my mom craved chinese food with my brother because i have no idea, im guessing the veggies and meat, and bithday cake with me cause she needed the calories. And also because those things are yummy. ;)

[Leah]

Who told you that bull was accurate? It's BULL. Don't be fooled!

[Someone Being Me]

With Bear I craved sweets and really high fat everything. Sunkist cola, cream cheese, milk shakes, chocolate cake, you name it. Stuff I still love but not to the level I did when I was pregnant with him.

[steff]

1st time I craved: Grape Koolaid - Grape soda - Grape popsicles - Grape = a boy.

2nd time I craved: Lemonade - lemons - anything lemony = a boy.

[Melissa]

With my son it was hamburgers. Fuddruckers with the melty nasty nacho cheese on top followed by tomatoes and pickles.

With my daughter as soon as I was 5 seconds pregnant it was ice water. Lots and lots of ice water that tasted better than the sweetest chocolate cake. Then it turned into farmers market tomatoes. Any way I could get them, with Italian dressing, cucumbers etc. Followed up with ice tea. No sugar and only from 1 particular place. BTW her heartrate was inthe 140's!

[Cheri DeLurker]

I didn't really have any weird cravings, but I do remember that most of what I craved was salty, non-sweet stuff and I had a girl so....?

Also - I instinctively knew as well that she was a girl, and constantly referred to her as "her" and "she" before we had the confirmation ultrasound. Most moms I know had the same feelings so chances are, you're right.