Do I have a preference?

Posted on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007, 10:28 AM

Whenever someone hears your pregnant and notices that you already have two boys at home, they immediately ask if you’re hoping for a girl.  Or worse, they assume you want a girl.  I think that’s just goofy.  Because, truly, what difference does it make?

My attitudes on this subject have changed a lot over the years.  Before I got pregnant the first time, I really wanted to have a baby girl.  It’s sort of like when you’re a little kid and you get your first Cabbage Patch Kid.  Do you want one of the little boy dolls or a girl doll?  DUH!  You want a girl, right?  At least most every little girl I knew (myself included) did.  Because I could identify with a girl.  Girls liked the same things I did and we had the same “equipment”.  Girls are cute, and sweet and well-behaved, right?  So when I found out I was pregnant, I figured it would be a girl and that was what I wanted.  Makes sense a little bit, right?  But then I found out I was going to have a boy.  That seemed unreal to me for a long time, until my boy was in my arms.

I wouldn’t change a thing.  I was even a little relieved when I found out Liam was a boy too.  I know boys.  I can handle boys.  Boys are so sweet.   I’ve even found myself feeling bad for people who are pregnant with their first child and find out it’s a girl.  Or if they have one or two girls at home and won’t be having any more children.  I guess because I think they’re missing out on the joy that is having a boy.  For years now, I’ve thought that if I could only have one (or two) kid(s), I’m happy it’s a boy.

It’s entirely possible that I think this because I’ve never had a girl.  I’ve had plenty of time to get intimidated by having a girl.  The longer I have to get used to only boys, the more girls seem strange and foreign to me.  I think it’d be nice to have a girl, if only to get to experience the difference and round out my parenting experience.  But I doubt I would mind having another boy.  I’ve had such wonderful luck with boys.  I love watching them explore their world and grow into little men.

The only problem with having another boy is coming up with another boy name.  We’re sorta tapped out here.

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3 Comments

  1. Gravatar Posted by Liz (48 comments.) 08.29.2007, 7:11 pm

    I was so relieved to find that Henry was a boy. I’m TERRIFIED of having a girl. I don’t do makeup or hair or girly things. I’d like a girl, for just the reasons you’ve said: to have a different parenting experience, and for Henry to have a little sister…

    (and the boy names are tough)

  2. Gravatar Posted by Parenting Sites 411 » Blog Archive » Is baby a boy or a girl? 08.30.2007, 8:29 am

    [...] you admit you wanted a girl (or boy)?” That in itself is an interesting question.  I wrote my own post on my personal site about preference and if I have one or not (I [...]

  3. Gravatar Posted by cagey 08.30.2007, 10:07 am

    I really wanted a girl the 2nd time around. But I wouldn’t have been disappointed with a boy. Does that make sense? What I hated it was when people would say “hopefully you have a girl this time” and then gesture towards my son like he was a terror. Perfect strangers pulled that crap!


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