Baby Boy #1
When I was expecting my first son, I bumped into a real estate agent who had sold us our house. Excitedly, I shared the news with her. She replied, “Having a boy first is better, you know, to get it out of the way.” I was a bit puzzled by that statement—was a boy like a necessary evil? But I just smiled and nodded along. I had assumed that having a boy would be as ordinary as having a girl, but it turns out that people always have opinions about the sex of your future child. My Aunt Linda echoed the realtor’s sentiments, saying, “It’s great to have a boy first; he can protect his little sisters.” I chuckled at the irony—if someone wrote a play about my life, that line would definitely make the cut.
Baby Boy #2
Fast forward two years, and I was pregnant with my second boy. We had moved from Boston to Georgia, and our realtor was back in the picture. After congratulating us on our successful home sale, she added, “I just wish you were having a girl this time. That would be perfect.” I could sense the undercurrent of disappointment in responses I received about my second son. It wasn’t heartbreaking yet, but I was asked things like, “Are you planning to keep trying for a girl?” because, after all, having three kids isn’t too wild, especially when you’ve got two boys already. Just a minor hiccup, right?
Baby Boy #3
The ultrasound technician who revealed that we were having our third boy was the first to let me in on a little secret: mothers of three boys have a special place in heaven. I’m not entirely sure what makes it special—maybe it’s just peaceful, with uninterrupted bathroom breaks and the occasional unicorn sighting? When I went to lunch with my mom to share my excitement about having another son, she smiled gently and said, “The only downside of not having a girl is that girls tend to be closer to their mothers as they grow up.” Thanks, Mom! I’m doing my best to foster some serious co-dependency and a love for home improvement shows in my boys to counter that.
Baby Boy #4
After telling my mom about baby number four, she said, “Well, Aunt Linda mentioned to call her if it was a girl…” Clearly, fourth boys don’t get as much fanfare. By this time, people seemed to have given up on the hope of me figuring out how to make girls. Instead, they looked at me as if I were a circus act for having four kids, exclaiming, “FOUR boys?!” as if that were the most captivating thing about me.
For the record, we didn’t have our second, third, or fourth baby because we were hoping for a girl. Sure, I would have loved a daughter, but my feelings about it are on par with, “Oops, I should’ve gone to more movies before kids,” or “I really overdid it on the cookies last night.” My boys are incredible, and I’m sure any girls I might have had would have been just as wonderful. By the time I was expecting my third child, I realized that babies are babies. Hoping for a girl felt like wishing for a redheaded baby—nice, but not something that kept me up at night (and no redheads showed up either, by the way). I probably would have spent all our grocery money on adorable dresses from Mini Boden if I had a girl, so maybe it all worked out for the best.
And just to clarify, we’re not trying for a girl. We’re all done with the baby-making phase (knock on wood).
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Summary
When you’re pregnant with another boy, you might find yourself dealing with a range of well-meaning but often perplexing comments. From well-meaning relatives to random acquaintances, everyone seems to have an opinion on your baby’s sex. Whether it’s a realtor, family member, or even a technician, you’ll hear everything from congratulations to hints about hoping for a girl. Ultimately, the experience of motherhood—regardless of the child’s gender—holds its unique joys and challenges. Embrace the journey, as each child brings their own magic to your life.