It's a....
November 10, 2008
I read a post somewhere, recently, wherein the writer was pregnant with her second child, and she discussed all the fascination she encountered about the sex of the baby. People kept asking her if she wanted a girl, since she already had a boy. She wrote about being confused by the question. As though it mattered. After all, she said, she didn't think about her firstborn, her son, mainly in terms of gender. He was first of all funny and smart and kind and interesting...being a boy was only one small facet of who he was. She went in for the ultrasound without an intense need to know if she was carrying a boy or a girl. It was such a small part of the whole picture that it didn't matter that much.
I thought it was a lovely sentiment. I also thought it was kind of a load of bull.
Don't get me wrong, I agree with her that our children are far more than the sum of what's in their pants. After all, I have three sons who could not be more different from each other. As my grandfather announces when he sees the three of them marching his direction, "Well, here come three little universes!"
And they are. Although they share a gender, they each inhabit their own world, and I would be bereft without any one of their unique selves.
However, boys are not girls. They have differences, both inborn and created in this tangled world of social interactions. Boy children come with questions about circumcision, girl children come with questions about why one would want to put high heels on an infant (seriously, WHY? That sort of turns my stomach). There is not a better sex, and from where I sit, I'm pretty sure there's not an EASIER sex to raise, but it does matter.
So I WAS intensely curious when I hopped on that paper-covered table today, yanked my pants down around my hips, and reached for Clay's hand as the tech squirted jelly on my belly. The most important news, of course, is that everything looks fine. The other news...well, let me tell you the same way we told the boys - in cake.
Whaddya think, is that pink enough for you?
Yay!
Posted by: "Mit" | November 10, 2008 at 09:08 PM
Bring on the cutesy frilly stuff!
Posted by: AJenTooMany | November 10, 2008 at 09:39 PM
We'll I don't know about you guys, but I'm one excited Aunt!!! I can certainly relate to 3 older brothers & never a day of being spoiled! CONGRATULATIONS & enjoy all the pink!! :)
Posted by: mirdy | November 10, 2008 at 09:51 PM
I'm so glad everything looks okay.
And a girl! Woo-hoo! Girls, at least in my experience with my one, are wonderful. I'm so excited that you get to have one! (She is going to have Clay wrapped around her FINGER.) I'm sort of evangelistic that way - I've been enjoying my little girl so much that I want everyone else to have the same experience.
On the other hand, reading your blog makes me really look forward to having a boy this time around.
So happy for you, Kira!
Posted by: Arwen | November 10, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Congratulations -- on the healthy baby and on having a girl. I have 2 boys and 1 girl and can attest that all have their own quirks and challenges -- and yes, joys as well. I'm glad my daughter is flanked by her brothers in age, and glad that I get to experience parenting children of both sexes. Even though she's moody and emotional and more than a bit dramatic (at age 6!), I wouldn't trade her for anything.
Are the boys over the moon?
Posted by: Terri | November 10, 2008 at 10:26 PM
i too had a girl after 3 boys.
this was the pinkest, girly-girly'est child ever. she's now 14.
girls are different. in fact, very very different from boys.
enjoy all of it.
*smirk*
Posted by: the planet of janet | November 11, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Ooh you get to learn a whole new set of parental interactions.
Trust me on that one. Not better, not worse, but definitely completely different to boys.
Congratulations. :)
Posted by: carrien (she laughs at the days) | November 11, 2008 at 02:01 AM
Oh my goodness!! I am so excited for you! I know that this baby will be much loved no matter the gender, but oh my to have three boys then get your girl. Amazing. I cannot wait to see pictures of her, I'm sure she will be beautiful!! Your so blessed!!
Posted by: Mary Jo | November 11, 2008 at 02:53 AM
I knew it! I'm so happy for you. Boys are great (as this one would have been) but girls are a whole different experience (in a good way). Congratulations of your healthy baby girl!
Posted by: Em | November 11, 2008 at 04:30 AM
Dude, I was SURE that my bolstering assurance that PMS doesn't start until 4 or so was going to make it into this post. After we got off the phone I realized that you must love me an awful lot, because I am really kind of a jerk. ;)
So thrilled for you all, sweetie. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, this removes HALF of the terrible names your husband has been suggesting. Hooray! :D
Posted by: Mir | November 11, 2008 at 04:31 AM
So it's "Clayrina"?
Posted by: Amma Always | November 11, 2008 at 06:13 AM
another vote for CLAYRINA.
Clayrina Evageline.
You're Welcome.
Posted by: joshilyn | November 11, 2008 at 06:19 AM
I am so happy for you,Clay and the boys. So-- you can have pink cake and eat it too. I think Esmerelda is a good name!!!
Posted by: vkj | November 11, 2008 at 06:34 AM
Hooray!!! Healthy baby girl - awesome! How are the boys?
Posted by: Christine | November 11, 2008 at 07:31 AM
Hurray!
Posted by: CJ | November 11, 2008 at 07:51 AM
First, so glad she's all well and sound, and second Yippee! It's a girl! Oh you're going to have so much fun! I didn't even know I wanted a boy until I had one, but truly it is a blessing to have both genders. Oh, a little girl! Who will have Clay wrapped around her finger in the first 30 seconds, no doubt.
Posted by: Sheryl | November 11, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Wonderful!
Posted by: steff | November 11, 2008 at 09:43 AM
K, I've been reading your blog for a long time (but commenting rarely). I just gotta say... Congratulations. Four boys are fun too though. :)
Posted by: momzen | November 11, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Mazel tov! Congratulations! Woohoo! A girl! I had my girl first, and then my boy, and I'm with you...It mattered. Not that I would have been sad had I had another girl, but I had an opinion, I had a feeling, deep in in my heart I knew I was waiting for a 'him,' for the him I got.
It's an entirely different world, though. The pink, it sneaks up on you. And then it smothers you. But in a lovely, delightful, head-spinning way.
Once again, congratulations on the news of a HEALTHY girl.
Posted by: TC | November 11, 2008 at 11:18 AM
i know the only thing that matters is if the little peanut is healthy, but YEA!!!!
congrats!!
Posted by: shannon in oregon | November 11, 2008 at 11:43 AM
congrats!!!
Posted by: C | November 11, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Congrats!! I have 2 grown boys and I loved every minuted of their young lives but I wouldn't have truly enjoyed a girl, too. You are truly blessed and deserve every bit of it.
Posted by: Pamela L | November 11, 2008 at 04:44 PM
I've been a reader for a long time, but I haven't commented before. I just wanted to say a huge congratulations!! You and your family must be so excited. My family is wishing yours continued health and happiness.
Posted by: Blaine | November 11, 2008 at 06:50 PM
As the mom of 4 girls, let me say CONGRATS! Girls are wonderful - scary too, but definitely wonderful! It'll be nice to have a pink ally in the blue house you've got there. Of course the important part is that she's a healthy girl, but WOOHOO for the girlie parts!!!
Posted by: Michelle | November 11, 2008 at 07:28 PM
;0)
Posted by: smiley | November 11, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Congrats, so glad all is well, and she'll be a lucky little girl with these 3 big brothers. I had a girl after 2 boys, and 11 years on am still stunned by the differences. Like someone else said, not worse, just different!
Posted by: Alison | November 12, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Congratulations. So, no fourth-time around for those hand-me-downs, then?
Posted by: Loth | November 12, 2008 at 05:58 AM
Heh... I vote for Clayrina, too!
Congratulations!
Posted by: Aimee | November 12, 2008 at 08:46 AM
Wonderful news Kira and Clay. You are indeed blessed and no one deserves it more.
Posted by: Amy | November 12, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Oh, congrats! I'm sure you're in for a whole new experience! Bring on the pink!
Posted by: Lisa | November 12, 2008 at 11:29 AM
I've been reading your blog for awhile...love it!! I also have 3 boys, totally different from each other and live in Colorado. Loved the way you told us you were pregnant (got weepy...don't even know you!) But you're having a girl?? Are you kidding me!! I got a chill!! Huge congratulations!!
Posted by: Erin | November 12, 2008 at 04:39 PM
I know I know I know, it's not supposed to matter, but STILL! This is awesome.
Posted by: Kristy | November 12, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Congratulations! Wishing you all the best for an easy, healthy delivery!
Posted by: Jen | November 13, 2008 at 05:47 AM
Do you just sit around and think about how different your life is from 5 years ago? Isn't it just astounding how everything just happens???
So, so, so many congrats to you!
Posted by: Sheri | November 14, 2008 at 07:27 AM
So glad all is well. Enjoy the frills and bows!
Posted by: Alison C | November 14, 2008 at 11:21 AM
How wonderful.
congratulations.
Were the boys happy?
~K!
Posted by: Kismet | November 15, 2008 at 01:24 AM
HOW COOL!!!
SO GLAD EVERYBODY'S(IES) HEALTHY!!!
We never did figure out how to make the pink ones. I even made outfits with little pink rosebuds! For some reason my husband wouldn't let me put them on Number Three Boy, Pete, and I gave them away. Glad I kept HIM! He's a real treat!
Posted by: marti | November 18, 2008 at 03:37 PM
Congratulations!
Soooo...have you ordered the high heels for babies yet? I mean, they're ONLY $35! YIKES! Expensive AND a little creepy!
Posted by: KarateMom | November 23, 2008 at 04:39 PM