Wednesday, May 6, 2009

It's all about Big Brother (for now)

MMA took a day off work so we could all go together for the big ultrasound. We wanted Only Child to be really excited about learning the baby's gender. We talked up the "big day" for a week.

I secretly already knew.

I won't torture you with black and white blobs on the screen, insisting "see right there, that is a shoulder..." You already know what these things look like.

In the car on the way to the hospital Only Child was working it all out i
n his head...to himself, out loud.

"So, if the baby has a peeper, its a boy. And if it has a princess, then its a girl."

"You're so smart! That's right!"

"Yep, and its a boy...and I'm gonna call him Baby Mack. Or Baby Mater."

"Oh Really!?" (
We might have to resort to Mack if we can't agree on a name...)

So, taking a rambunctious three year old to the hospital where we had to park, check in, register, wait with a light-up pager before we got called back to the real waiting room...so we could all do this together...sounds good on paper. (No, not even then?) Only Child was expecting to see a "baby" on the TV screen, so he was duly unimpressed.

I also had a regular ob/gyn appointment right after. My doctor got called to deliver a baby just as I was assuming the position. Did I mention what a long day that was?! The boys had to slip out to find the nearest fast-food-with-playground facility or dad was going to flip out.

The results confirmed that The Sequel is a boy. I pointed out a suspicious growth between his legs back at the ten week ultrasound. But my husband and the doctor both shushed me and said it was too early to tell. They did instill some doubt, but in my heart I knew.

So I let myself admit a couple of weeks ag
o that if I don't have a girl, I will miss picking out sweet dresses and decorating a fussy pink room. But then I thought about the potential heartache I also get to miss out on, like setting rules and boundaries about dating and makeup and, shiver me timbers, discussing sex with my sweet little girl. (Presumably, dads should have the man-to-man when that day comes.) So in about five minutes I was over it.

There is another specific reason I'm happy he is a boy. MMA has two lovely sisters that would do anything for us, but no brothers. So I thought he would enjoy seeing his sons grow up in relationship that he didn't have. I also think that two brothers together, or two sisters together have the potential to be really close friends; more so than a brother and a sister. I have no proof, just Superstar theory.

So anyway, Girly Stuff, (I would call her my designer friend, but she's so much more than that, really) has offered her services for The Sequel's nursery. The catch (for her) is that I never execute anything to completion, making me her worst client. And what gets done is done under pressure of deadline. Then again, we do have a September cutoff...so let me show you what I had in mind.


It was love at first sight when I saw this nursery at House of Turquiose. It is the handi-work of Megan at Me and Wee. (Check out her sweeeeet newborn baby.) I poured over all the details, thinking, "I can recreate this." But now I'm wondering how that color will do for a boy's room...what do you think? Too girly? I want the color to hold up for 5 years. Hmm. Sure is a pretty, that robins-egg-Tiffany blue.


So finally, on to baby names. We've had the perfect girl name on deck since a super long road trip that we took back in 2003. It's such a great name, that I try to keep it under wraps. Trust me when I say that people I know personally have been the victim of out and out baby-name-stealing! Shameless stuff! Anyway...

Mutually agreeable boy names are more elusive for us. Only Child was named after his dad after months of negotiations...and here we are again: pregnant with a boy, and we can't agree on nothin'! Since we're not of the George Foreman mindset, we have to come up another good name. Which to my husband sounds something like Vito Corleone, or Augustus Ceasar.

We are taking any and all reasonable suggestions for boy names. My husband says I only like white bread names. Translation: strong, classic, no funny business (and I am especially fond of biblical ones.) I don't want anything that sounds overly ethnic or super hero, because, (and I realize this is a new and modern world we live in but) being of my crazy lineage, isn't that enough without having a weird name too?

(Just send your good suggestions for the sake of the kid.)

I guess this post was all over the place. That's about right for me these days.

Let's recap the lessons we learned today:
  • Don't take kids to the hospital unless they are sick.
  • Keep your pantry well-stocked with cute genitalia euphemisms; its like keeping your gun on safety.
  • Mom should always trust her instinct.
  • Dads should take turns, and let the Moms name one.
  • Mother's Day is coming...bring your A-game when you wife is pregnant. ( OK, that's a new point; just checking to see if you're listening.)

11 comments:

Girly Stuff said...

Great post!

I think you can do the turquoise room. Mostly because they will end up sharing the bunk beds in the other room and the nursery will be turned into mommy's exercise room...right?

Or spa...mommy's spa room.

You should get to pick the name because you have to holler it more times a day than daddy.

Cheri said...

Congratulations on your second son!! It took me longer than you to accept I wasn't having a daughter and honestly never truly "turned that page" until our oldest son started bringing home 12 and 13 year old girl friends. And goodness gracious oh molly, I was OVER IT and quick! Wham, I thought - God DID know what he was doing, as I'd have had any girl of mine in residential therapy when I refused to let her dress the way of the "norm" and on and on.

Realized I had dodged a huge bullet! lol And now, it is so fun to babysit and visit with other precious little girls and then give. them. back. lol

Our boys were 3.5 years apart and only became friends in the last year (they are now 16 and 20). But it is so nice to see. I grew up with only a sister, so had no idea what to do with boys nor how they acted, etc. What a trip!

And honestly, being the only girl has it's perks!

My favorite boy names are Camden and Hudson. We named number one son Ryan, then immediately wished we hadn't picked such a common name, and it was horribly common 20 years ago! Second son we went with a strong one syllable name - Holt. And we love it, except that people hear "Colt" or "Hope" and he is forever spelling his name. But he loves it.

And yes, your husband gets the gift of 2 sons. You deserve to name one, period! Congrats again! Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes wonderfully!

Cheri

Mother Hood said...

Congratulations! I absolutely LOVE having two boys. Think of all the money we'll save when we don't have to stock up on maxi pads and tampons in about 12 years!

Unknown said...

Congratulations!

Picking names was always so hard for us. mostly because I would be set on a name, ready to fight for it tooth and nail. The Mister would agree to my choice, and then I would change my mind. Which is so not typical of me. I blamed the hormones...and although I haven't been pregnant in almost 10 years, i still sometimes do...

Bonnie said...

First let me just say. Congratulations! I have two boys and wouldn't change it for the world. They spend so much time together, laughing, playing, fighting... :-).

I like the turquoise but when he gets bigger he will probably think it's girly so I wouldn't keep it too long. My boys think light blue is a girl color.. go figure.

Matthew and Mark are good strong classic biblical names??

Have a wonderful Mother's day!

Aggie2percenter said...

That color is WAY too girly! Is this some kind of negotiating tactic?

Jill said...

Congrats on your baby boy! Hmmmm, boy names. What about...

Mason, Jarrett (my brother's name and I love it), Zach, Hayes, Brady, or Jack

Can't wait to see what name y'all end up picking!

jmt said...

Okay, I find it hilarious that you mention Augustus. Hubs wanted that!! He also liked Baron, which I quickly vetoed. I personally liked Roland. I thought it sounded strong, but my friends and fam vetoed it. We never did tell anyone what names we decided on, nor did we find out the sex. It left the discussions free to float, and we didn't have to hear any griping about the name choices. :) I wish you the best of luck...I know how difficult naming can be.

jmt said...

Oh, one more thing....

I wholeheartedly agree that Only Child having a brother to grow up and be friends with is honestly the best outcome. I might be biased with having two boys myself (and them having an older brother), but watching boys be boys together...it's precious.

Megan said...

Thanks for sharing the sex of the baby with us. It is so much more exciting to know (just my opinion), but then again, I could barely wait the 20 weeks to find out.

My hubby and I both wanted another boy for "Drew's Sake." Since dear hubby had two sisters and secretly envied all those boys with brothers, he especially wanted a brother for Drew.

I, on the other hand, just wanted to avoid all the trials and tribulations of raising a daughter, but hey, God blessed us with a beautiful princess (attitude filled, I might add),and now I wouldn't have it any other way.

Congrats!

Heather said...

What a fun post. Congrats on boy #2!