Old Wive's Tales and Me

Since before we even started trying to have a baby, my husband, Chris, and I decided that we wanted the baby's gender to be a surprise to us.  That, in essence, we would wait until the baby was born.  It has been one of the best decisions for us.  Our focus has only been on this baby being healthy, not on getting ready for a boy or a girl specifically.  During this time, I've discovered what an emphasis gender has really become in society and in many ways, it frightens me.


That all being said, my mother is going nuts because we are not finding out.  She has tried to persuade us to let her call the doctor to find out.  However, that won't do her any good since even our doctor doesn't know.  (The ultrasound tech does not write down that info and apparently the pictures weren't clear enough for Dr. Quinn to see).  I think even she is excited by the surprise.  She said, "Oh wow.  It has been a long time since we've had a surprise."  


What I am finding to be especially fun about the surprise factor is how my friends and family are reacting to it on Facebook.  I'll give an update or post a picture and suddenly people are guessing the gender of our baby based on old wive's tales.  So, to go along with that, I decided to address each old wive's tale so everyone can see how things are stacking up. :-)


Old Wive's Tale #1--The Heart Rate
Supposedly, if the baby has a heart rate under 140 bpm (beats per minute), then you will have a boy.  If it is over 140 bpm, then you will have a girl.  Baby G's heartbeat has consistently been WAY over 140.  The lowest it has ever been is 160.  So, conclusion---Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #2--Shape of the Belly
If you are carrying low and all out in front, then you will have a boy.  If you are carrying high and have gotten wider with pregnancy, then you will have a girl.  So, conclusion--Boy!


Old Wive's Tale #3--The Ring Test
With this one you are supposed to put your wedding ring on a string and have it hover over the belly.  If it goes in circles, then it will be a girl.  If it goes back and forth, it will be a boy.  I did this and it went in circles.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #4--Mom's Face Shape
This one I don't buy at all for multiple reason, the first being that I've lost a lot of weight since being pregnant, but here it goes.  


You will have a girl if your face gets rounder and fuller while pregnant, and a boy if you face looks long and narrow.  My face has thinned out.  So, conclusion--Boy!


Old Wive's Tale #5--Acne
If you have acne while pregnant, you will have a girl.  If not, a boy.  I have had my share of acne.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #6--Left Eye Test
When you pull down the skin under your left eye, if you see a "V" or "branches" in the white part of the eye, you will have a girl.  If not, a boy.  I have a definite "V".  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #7--Your Birth Order and Gender
Supposedly, you can look at your family, when you were born (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and gender to know what you are going to have.  If you are 1st born child (like me), then the 2nd born child will be what you end up having. Since my sister was born next, that means--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #8--Legs
If your legs stay thin and shapely, you will have a girl.  If they get big while pregnant, it will be a boy.  I wouldn't necessarily call my legs shapely (mainly because of my fasciotomy scar on my right leg), but they have stayed thin.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Additionally, if your leg hair grows faster and you need to shave more, then you will have a boy.  Mine has actually slowed down quite a bit.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #9--Moodiness
If you are moody during the pregnancy, it is because those extra girl hormones inside, so...you will have a girl.  If you are happy most of the time, then it will be a boy because you have a little pecker inside of you. ::shakes head:: LOL!  I would say I haven't been moody.  (You might want to ask Chris though).  So, conclusion--Boy!


Old Wive's Tale #10--Chinese Gender Chart
This lovely tool bases its prediction on the age of the mother and the month the baby was conceived.  Based on this, Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #11--Dreams
Basically, if you dream of your baby and know the gender from the dream, you will have the opposite.  I have had only one dream where I knew the gender, and in the dream the baby was a boy.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #12--Breast Test
If a woman's right breast grows to be larger than her left, then she will have a boy.  If it is her left that grows larger than her right, it will be a girl.  So, conclusion--Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #13--Morning Sickness
If you haven't suffered from much morning sickness, then you will have a boy.  If you not only have it, but have it bad and it continues beyond the first trimester, it will be a girl.  Considering the fact that I'm 25 weeks and just got sick this morning, my conclusion, based on this, is Girl!


Old Wive's Tale #14--Headaches
If you are suffering from more headaches than usual, you will have a boy.  So, conclusion--Boy!  I'm hate headaches, but am thankful I can take Tylenol.

Things I Don't "Get"

There are some things I just don't "get" what all the hype is about. Here are just a few:

• Rascal Flatts  I love country music, but don't understand why this group ever got huge much less has remained big all these years.  I can NOT stand them.  The lead singer, to me, sounds like he is whining as he sings.  His voice, quite frankly, annoys me. Why do people like hearing a whiny voice?  He isn't the only male singer out there with that whiny tone.  I'm sick of it.  I like a man, who, when he sings, sounds like a man!  This doesn't mean I don't like tenors.  For example, I do like Vince Gill. 

• Modern Family  This show has been one of the biggest hyped and best reviewed shows for the last year and a half.  I have tried to watch it.  I first tried to watch it on the night it premiered.  I found it very UNfunny so I changed the channel 20 minutes in.  I've tried on a couple more occasions since as well just in case I missed something.  IMHO, the show sucks.  It just isn't funny.  I don't "get" why people think it is all that.  I feel like I'm seriously missing something.

• Avatar    I finally saw this movie over Christmas.  While the graphics and special effects were outstanding, the movie itself fell flat and boring for me.  I didn't get the whole point of it other than to throw an outsider into a new environment without the best intentions, have the person fall in love, and realize they needed to go up against those he previously worked for before.  This same movie has been done time and again in different contexts.  I didn't think it worked in this movie.  I don't "get" why my parents and others thought that movie was awesome.  I started playing on my computer in the middle of it because I was so bored.

• Justin Bieber  I guess I'm not supposed to "get" this one because I'm not 12, but I really don't understand all the hype and interest in him.  He is 16 and sounds like he is a 12 year old boy when singing.  There are much better voices and talents out there.  He's lame, IMO.

• Michael Jackson  I remember in the 80s when Michael Jackson got huge.  I was a fan and had a poster of him in my room.  (This was after "Thriller" came out.)  I thought he was great.  His next album, "Bad", I wasn't interested in and didn't really like the music.  In fact, other than one or two songs after "Thriller", I didn't like much of what he released.  I think he was way over-hyped.  He wasn't especially talented--not more so than many other artists out there.  He was just great and hyping himself.  After all, he dubbed himself the King of Pop.  I honestly don't think he was.  He stirred up the crowds and publicity.  In fact, many kids in the US, until recently, had never even heard his music or heard of him.  It wasn't until he died that the hype elevated again and I would hear people go on and on about how great he was.  Really?  Honestly?  No.  I think not.  I just don't "get" it.  He was talented, but no more than many others out there.  He just knew how to work the publicity machine.

• Twitter   I kept hearing all about Twitter so I tried it.  It bored me.  The only thing to do there is post status updates and track other peoples feeds.  Boring!  I cancelled my account 3 weeks later.

Changes

Since I've been pregnant, a lot of changes have happened to me.  I'm sure this is not surprising to anyone, least of all me, but I'm sometimes stunned by how much things have changed.  Quite a bit has changed and I'm 17 weeks 3 days.  I'm sure I'll face even more changes in the future. Here is a current list (and is likely not all inclusive):

1.  My Body
Yes, this one is the most expected of them all.  My body is shifting and changing.  I started noticing a small baby bump around 8 weeks.  Chris was able to see it then too, but no one else.  Clothing hid it quite well.  Now, my bump is large enough to show.  There are some weeks where my waistline grows an inch and others where it grows 2 inches.  I measure every week. Also, I think I may be feeling the baby, although not every day.  Sometimes I'll feel little flutters.  I wasn't sure what I was feeling, but mentioned it to my doctor who made me think that I am feeling the baby.

Additionally, I have a bit of lower back pain on occasion and hip pain.  My body is stretching to accommodate Baby G, so this is to be expected.  Oh, and let's not forget my boobs---what I prefer to call my "girls".  I've always been very blessed in that area, but now, I'm even more so.  I've already gone up one cup size and I'm about to go up another.  I'm just trying to delay buying some new bras a bit because that gets expensive.  To be honest, I was hoping that since I was already blessed that I would need to grow anymore in that area.  Boy, I was wrong.  That being said, I've lost 12 pounds since getting pregnant, and while I've gone up almost 2 cup sizes, I've now gone DOWN one band size.  Wow.

2. My Appetite
For the most part, my appetite has decreased.  I think the main reason for this is the morning sickness that still hasn't gone away.  I did start to lose my appetite a bit before morning sickness started.  I just wasn't that hungry.  Over time, my stomach has shrunk.  Now it doesn't take a lot to fill me up and make me full.  However, there are some days when I feel constantly hungry.  Again, though...it doesn't take much food to satisfy me.  I can eat a small thing of applesauce or watermelon or even 2 small Nilla Wafers, and I feel sated.  On days I'm hungry like that, I just end up eating a lot of small snacks every couple hours.

3. My Taste in Foods
My tongue has now decided that somethings that I used to love, don't work for me anymore.  And, there are some things I NEED to eat.  The first change I noticed (and noticed with my last pregnancy) is my tolerance for spicy foods.  I must be clear before I explain.  I have not had any issues with heartburn yet.  So, the tolerance is NOT related to heartburn.  Before I was pregnant, I used to LOVE spicy foods.  Now, I can barely eat spicy foods without feeling like my mouth is on fire.  My lovely husband does not appreciate spicy foods, but doesn't mind a little kick.  His idea of a kick used to make me laugh. ("What kick, honey?  I don't detect anything." I would tell him.).  Now, I'll be going on about how my mouth is on fire, and he looks at me like I'm crazy.  His usual response is "This isn't spicy.  I can detect somewhat of a kick but it is barely noticeable."

Other taste things--I'm not a huge fan of bread rolls anymore.  The just don't taste right to me.  They are no longer satisfying.  The same thing with hamburgers.  They do nothing for me.  They don't taste great, but they don't taste awful.  There is a bit of a bland taste to them.  However, salad is awesome!!  I'm loving salads and craving them.  In particular, I crave the Pasta House Salad, a good restaurant quality Caesar salad, or Olive Garden salad.

4. Breathing
I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 7 or 8 years old.  I never grew out of it.  However, it hasn't been bothering me much in the last several years.  A blessing!  Until recently, that is.  Starting around 10 weeks, I started having issues with my asthma.  I actually found myself needing to use my inhaler 1-2 times a week.  Then, at 14 weeks, it got even worse.  For a few days (until I got into the doctor), I would walk 4-10 feet and have to sit down to catch my breath.  I was using my inhaler not only every day, but multiple times in a day.  So, now I am on Advair and it is a major blessing!  I can breath again!  Apparently, 1/3 of pregnant women have their asthma get worse.  I guess that had to be me.