place your bets

This picture was taken on Saturday at a baby shower that my sweet and beautiful neighbor threw for me. (I did NOT intend to have a baby shower this time around, but my neighbor insisted, "Every baby needs a celebration!" Between that and the surprise shower that my friends at the school had for me, I feel completely spoiled and have been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of people around me.) Anyway, I am putting it here so you get an idea of how large this baby belly has gotten in these final days-- I don't quite have it in me to pose sideways in front of a mirror :).

As the "due date" rapidly approaches I find myself thinking about this baby's birth and subsequent life in our family more and more. As part of my hypnobabies practice I have been visualizing and creating the birth that I want in my head. The other day I was imagining the moment that the baby comes out and is placed on my chest. I was picturing how overwhelmingly joyful that moment will be and then quickly remembered that I would need to check and see if the baby is a boy or girl. Can you even imagine how exciting that moment is going to be?! It makes my heart pound just thinking about it. I am SO happy we have that thrilling time ahead of us. People think that I should have some sort of intuition about the gender, but I truly don't. At first I thought girl. Then I pulled out some little boy clothes and thought boy. I've gone back and forth a couple of times, and the truth is really that I will be so surprised either way. I know that seems strange, but picturing either gender honestly seems shocking and exciting in different ways. So, you tell me. 

What do you think this baby is, boy or girl?

Place your bets, and, if you'd like, guess the date the baby will come, too. If I am feeling generous I will send a little prize to the person who guesses the gender correctly and is closest on the date.

In case this information helps:

My husband has thought it was a boy all along.

Little G has thought it was a girl. Which is totally surprising considering his dislike for all things "girlish." 

The actual due date is March 11th. I was 5 days over my due date last time around. I have definitely been having more contractions and showing signs that my body is progressing towards labor more than I did at this point last time, but I still have absolutely zero plans of this baby coming before the due date. We are patiently waiting and feverishly cleaning and cooking freezer meals in the meantime :).