The Gender Prediction Project: Final Countdown (Episode 1)

Yes, you read that right. I am doing yet one more Gender Prediction Project series. If you are using this to form the conclusion that I am, in fact, pregnant, well then you would be right. Michael and I decided that we would jump on this crazy little ride called parenthood one more time, and what would a Gordon pregnancy be without a fun filled GPP series? 

As usual, and to many people's disgust, we won't be finding out the sex of this baby until s/he arrives in April 2018. However, that doesn't stop me from actively predicting the sex of our newest Tiny in as many wacky, crazy ways as possible. I'll be doing all of our old favorites, with any new methods I manage to find thrown in, so please let me know if you have any suggestions! I'm willing to try anything almost anything.

No reason to delay, let's get started with some of our tried and true methods of prediction!

Mother's Instinct

If you have followed any of our previous Gender Prediction Project series you know that I have exactly no instincts, or at least very little. With our oldest my instinct's didn't kick in until 25 or 30 weeks, though I was correct that time in predicting that our first child would be a boy. However, when I was pregnant with our youngest son I was sure that we were having a little girl. I was absolutely certain about that fact until I was mid-push with him and the midwife said "Here she comes!" and I thought to myself "I'm wrong! It's a boy!" I suppose you could argue that I had a moment of mother's instinct strike me about 30 seconds before he was born, but I don't count that. 

My instinct was also completely off with poor Eleanor, who I was so convinced was another little boy that I actually asked "Where is his penis?" when she was born instead of accepting the fact that I had a daughter. I think it is safe to say that my mother's instinct is broken.

So far this method of prediction has about 33% accuracy rate for us. I'm right around 17 weeks now, and my current prediction is that we're having another little boy this time around. Michael and Eleanor hope that I'm wrong, while the boys seem to be leaning more towards team blue this time around. We'll find out in about 25 weeks one way or the other though. 

Mayan Gender Test

This is a fairly simple prediction method even if it isn't always so accurate. You simply take the year of conception and the mother's age at the time of conception and use those two numbers to figure out the sex of your unborn baby. If both numbers are even or odd you should be welcoming a daughter. If one number is even and the other odd, which number doesn't matter, you'll be having a little boy. For example, a mother who was 30 when she conceived in 2010 would welcome a little girl into her home. If the same mother conceived in 2013 before she turned 33, so at 32, she should have a son. 

I was 24 when we conceived our oldest in 2008, I was 26 when we conceived our middle in 2010, and I was 30 when we conceived our current Earthside youngest in 2014. According to the Mayans this means that I should currently have three daughters, but we all know how that turned out. 

This is another prediction method where we have only a 33% accuracy rate so far. Given that I was 33 when we conceived this tiny one earlier this year (2017) I should be expecting yet another little girl. Your guess is as good as mine though, and we're all probably just as likely to be accurate as the Mayans. 

First Word

This is one of the few old wive's tales that doesn't apply unless you already have children, so I'm sorry to the FTMs (first time moms) out there. You won't be able to do this one until you are on your second baby. 

The story goes that your child's first word can determine the sex of your next child. If they said "Dada" first your next baby will be a boy. If they first yelled out "Mama" then your next baby will be a girl. Obviously this doesn't apply to my oldest. We just got lucky with him, I guess. However, his first word was "Dada" after I spent months working on it while his daddy was deployed. This predicts a son for our next child, which we had. However, his first word was also "Dada" which means that our daughter should have also been a boy, which she most certainly is not. 

We currently have a 50% accuracy rate with this one. After months of trying by both my husband and I, our daughter's first word was "Mama" (I cried) which predicts a little girl for us in the spring. Fingers crossed. 

Math Has All The Answers

This is one I didn't do during the other GPP series, but I can easily do it for all 4 pregnancies now. It's also simple, even for those of us who are not naturally math inclined. You only need to add your age at conception to your month of conception. If the sum is odd you are having a girl. If the sum is even you are having a boy! Congratulations! (Please don't actually make any major decisions about your child based on this. I have no idea what you are having!)

For example: With my oldest I was 24 and we conceived in July. 24+7=31 so odd=girl Then came Bash. I was 26 and we conceived in November. 26+11=37. Another odd=another girl. With Eleanor I was 30 and we conceived in January. 30+1=31 which is again odd=girl. Much like the Mayans, math seems to think I should have three daughters. I don't. 

With an unimpressive 33% success rate so far I have doubts that my age of 33 in July means that 33+7=40 (those numbers keep going up) and even=a little boy this time around, but it's as good a method of prediction as any of the others we've seen today. 

If you're keeping track, and who isn't, that has our current predictions even at Boys:2 vs Girls:2. This is probably as accurate as we're going to get considering it puts our odds right at 50/50. 

Have you tried any of these methods of prediction? Were they right for you? Do you have something you think I just have to try? Let me know, and I'll see you next time. Until then, happy predicting!

*Disclaimer: This, and all posts for The Gender Prediction Project, is something I am doing for fun. I am not a doctor, and I make no claims that these methods of sex prediction work. This should in no way shape or form be taken seriously. Please do not go out and buy clothes, furniture, toys, paint, or wallpaper based on any of the prediction methods you see here. These blog posts should be taken with a grain of salt, and if you choose to participate in them along with me, realize that there is no way to know the sex of your baby 100% until they are in your arms and you are looking at the evidence with your own two eyes. Even ultrasounds can be wrong, so join in at your own risk! ;) Happy predicting!*

Dear Bean

Dear Bean,

This is it. These are our final days, possibly our final hours, together in the way we are now. Sometime soon, very soon, you will be joining our family out here and Earth side. I am so looking forward to it, but I am also very sad at the prospect. It is never easy for a mother, or perhaps it is just me, to let go of those precious moments that only we get to have while you are safe inside, whirling, twirling, and kicking out your own special little patterns. I will miss laying there at night after everyone else is asleep feeling you dance around in your own private suit. I will miss resting my hands on you and having you stretch and kick against my palms. I will miss the bond. These moments where I am closer to you than I will ever be again. I will miss it all. 

I guess I will miss keeping you selfishly to myself. :)

But there are people out here that are so eager to meet you. It wouldn't be fair if I deprived them of you much longer. Your Daddy and brothers are all so excited, and ask after you daily. Parker and Sebastian want to know when you are coming. All I can tell them is that you will be here when you are ready. Perhaps tomorrow. Perhaps next week. But very soon.

Then life will never be the same again. You will be here, and everything I've known will change. It will change for the better, of that I am sure, but there will be so much change. I'm ready. I think I'm ready. I'd better be ready, because it's almost time.

When I say things will never be the same again, please know that I don't mean that in anything except the best way. Everything will change. It's happened twice before, in the moments that I first welcomed your brothers into the world, and everything changes...For the better. It all changes for the better. It can be scary. I'm a little scared about how you are going to change our family. My life. But I am oh so excited too!

I can't wait to meet you, Bean! When the time comes, remember, we're in this together. Labor will be only a moment in time, and then you'll be in my arms. That's when the real adventure will begin.

I love you. Forever. See you soon.

Love,
Mommy

Party of Five

Guess who's having a baby? I'll give you a hint. She's 30, already the mommy of two amazing little boys, and she's writing this blog. :)

That's right, after over a year of trying, we found out back in January that we are again expecting another little in our lives. I'm thrilled! Nervous, but thrilled. There has been so much going on in our lives lately. As my mother said, we've gone through just about every major life change that you can think of in just a matter of months. (My husband's career change, moving several states, two family losses in just a week, and having a new little person on their way!) It's been much, and overwhelming, but here we stand.

Soon there will be five of us standing here. :)

So, now the news is out. The battle lines are drawn, and someone is going to be disappointed come October. Privately (or not so privately, since I'm typing it here), I think that Sebastian has probably chosen the "winning" side in this battle of the sexes. Not that we wouldn't all be thrilled to add a little more pink to our house of blue, (except Sebastian, who is highly against the thought of a sister) but Mommy has a pretty strong feeling that I'm growing another little lad in there.

Of course, I had a very strong feeling that Bash was going to come out a little girl too, and we all know how that worked out. Perhaps my Mommy Radar is a little off. I don't think so, but we'll find out for sure come October. :)

I will be doing the Gender Prediction Project again with this pregnancy, because I had so much fun with it last time. I'm looking to add even more old wive's tales to it this time, so if you know any that you think I should try, leave a comment! I look forward to trying some new things out this time around.

One Step Forward, Two Back

Doctors appointment today. Usually those are not met with any kind of excitement, but I happen to enjoy my RE (Reproductive endocrinologist), Dr. Krueger. He's that doctor everyone should have. The one who listens to you. Really listens. Laughs with you. Dotes on your children and their obvious brilliance. The one who makes you feel like you are the only person he has to see that day, and that you are the center of his entire practice. 

I am not a doctor person. Dr. Krueger isn't just any doctor. He truly is an awesome man who (whether it's true or not) makes you feel as if he cares about you and your desire to self-populate the world, Dugger style. (Disclaimer: I in no way mean that as a bad thing. I absolutely adore the Dugger family. They are seriously one of my favorite families out there, and I've never even met them!) He also makes you feel like he understands your disappointment when he is sitting there with bad news.

Today he didn't have bad news, but it wasn't great either. Certainly not what I wanted to hear.

On the plus side, the base didn't lose my blood work this time. Dr. K had it in his hands when I walked in for my appointment. (I had called ahead to make sure they had it before I scheduled my appointment. Base labs have screwed up too many times for my liking.) After the news before Christmas that my prolactin levels were decreasing, apparently on their own, and were down in the double digits, I was expecting more good news today. I was disappointed.

My thyroid has apparently lost it's mind, or is going through some kind of midlife crisis, or something. Who knows what, but my levels have gone out of wack enough that Dr. K is almost doubling my prescription to try and get them back to where they need to be. Possibly because of my thyroid and possibly just to keep us guessing, my prolactin levels have jumped up again and are back into the triple digit range. Yay!!! (Dripping sarcasm there...Oh when will they invent the sarcasm font?!)

I suppose I knew that my levels wouldn't be where they should be yet. Despite diligent temping and excessive use of OPKs on my part, I have yet to detect ovulation, which most professionals agree is sort of essential to the fine art of baby making. However, I had secretly hoped that Dr. K would take a look at the paperwork, tell me that my levels were right on the brink of normal, that I should expect my cycles to return any day, and that he looked forward to my pregnancy announcement. Yes, I knew that wasn't likely, but I had hoped. Darn hope.

On a positive note, once my body decides to cooperate Dr. K says he has full confidence that I will manage another beautiful baby. He also is encouraged by my regular, horrible ovarian cramps, saying that it could be a sign that my body is trying to work the way it's supposed to. Like an engine trying to turn over. If not, it is something else we might have to check out, though I refuse to consider the chance that it could mean that yet another part of my reproductive system is faulty. I absolutely refuse to go there right now. No reason to borrow trouble. I think my Grandmama would be proud of me. :0)

So, now I have new medication and I will go back for another fun round of blood work and results in April. I'm trying not to think about how this is the last possible month I could conceive a 2013 baby. After all, my dates and plans have never worked out just right. I know God has a plan I just can't see clearly yet, and if we'd gone with my blueprints instead of His, I wouldn't have the two amazing little boys I have now. And I couldn't trade that for anything. Not ever. I might not get my 2013 baby, but I'll have the best little baby 2014 has to offer. :0)

It was the first time in a long time I'd left Dr. K's office feeling down, but I am willing to give myself 2 or 3 days of pouting before I pick myself up and go on to the next step. And hopefully the news in April will be nothing but positive.

The Gender Prediction Project Wrap Up

So this is very late. Sebastian is 9 and a half months already, so I certainly meant for this to be written months ago. What can I say? Life gets in the way of my blogging a lot. Which really is a shame, because I could really use the outlet most of the time...but I digress.

Anyways, here are the conclusions and wrap up of my Gender Prediction Project 2011. At least I got it posted before we got pregnant again. :0) (At which time I will be doing another round of the Gender Prediction Project because I thought it was fun, even if most of the ways people seem to predict are wrong.)

It's A...

...Boy!

I am pleased to announce the arrival of Sebastian Robert-Magnus, born August, 20, 2011 at 1:11am weighing 8lbs 15.4oz and 21 inches long. There will be a birth story and about a million pictures to follow, but I wanted to let everyone know that our newest little miracle is hear and healthy!

And, of course, I had to show him off!

Pooped

I. Am. Exhausted. I guess this is something that comes along with being 36 weeks pregnant. It could also have something to do with going out to see teh midnight showing of Harry Potter last night and then waking up at 7am to go in and have my gallbladder checked...but let's blame it on the pregnancy. :0) It's just easier.

On the other hand, everything is done (with the exception of my belly cast which we plan on doing tomorrow), and am think I am as ready as I can ever be for Little Legs arrival. 

The Great 35

Nope, I'm not 35 years old or anything, but I did a post like this on my other blog when I hit this milestone with my son. I felt I should do it now too. Today I am 35 weeks pregnant. It is also 35 days until my due date. Pretty neat, huh?

I think I am as ready as I can be. I don't have my belly cast done yet, but my bags are packed, my pre-admissions paperwork is filled out and I'm in the mindset of "I'm going to have this baby soon". I'm still a little scared and worried. How is Parker going to handle it? Will labor go the way I would like it too? But, in the end, none of these are things I can predict ahead of time. They are all things we'll just have to wait and see.

So now we wait.

The Gender Prediction Project Entry 6

Yesterday marked 34 weeks pregnant for me and my little Legs. I'm excited, and nervous, and excited, and scared, and excited...did I mention that already? lol! I have my bags mostly packed except for the last minute things I'll need to throw in like the camera and laptop. I've got the things together for my son's overnight bag. The breast pump is bought and waiting to be used, I got my Moby Wrap in the mail today, and the Moses Basket is all washed up and ready for baby. Clothes are washed, diapers are stacked, I even have a little gift for Parker from his baby brother and sister to give him at the hospital when they meet...so why don't I feel ready? I am sure there is a multitude of reasons, and I am just as sure that everything will fall into place like it always has been when Legs arrives. 

And until then, we still have 6 more weeks (approximately) of gender guessing to go!

The Gender Prediction Project Entry 5 The Chinese Gender Chart

Ah, the Chinese Gender Chart. Some swear by it, some scoff, some don't even know what it is. I, personally, find all of these gender prediction methods fascinating (or at least amusing), so I had to add it into The Gender Prediction Project! The things is, there are so many versions of this chart running around on the internet that I can't use just one and say that I've done my job for this highly scientific project of mine. So I decided to have one full entry dedicated to nothing except the Chinese Gender Calender...or at least all of them that pop up on the first page of a Google search.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Chinese Gender Calender is said to be over 700 years old and over 90% accurate "when used correctly". Using it correctly means calculation your lunar age for many of the charts, though not all of them seem to make this distinction via the interwebs. It was "recently" discovered in an ancient royal tomb in China and has been correctly predicting births around the globe ever sense. I guess we shall see about that! Let the Chinese Gender Charting begin!

Come On Down!

So, maybe there is too much TV in our house. It's always on. It's not so much that we sit around watching it, but the last time Michael was deployed I get very used to having it on in the background so the house didn't seem so quiet, and so we do that often now when we are sitting around playing or coloring or whatever it is we have decided to do that day.I find I need the background noise.

Something we do watch on occasion though is The Price Is Right. I've loved that show since I was a very little girl, and Parker has a couple of games that really grab his attention when they come on, not to mention that he gets a kick out of them calling people's names and yelling "Come on down!" It makes me giggle when he yells it back and claps as whoever it is jumps and screams and makes a general fool of themselves "coming on down". (I have always sworn that if I was ever on the show I would be the person who calmly sauntered down the isle, shaking the occasional hand, before getting to my little price podium and politely greeting Drew.)

The Gender Prediction Project Entry 4

Well, here I am again. 10 weeks until my due date of August 11th and I am still going strong as a member of Team Green! I'm proud of myself. For some reason, it has been much harder this time around not to look at the ultrasound techs, doctors, and my own grandparents (who are the only people who know the gender at this point) and beg to be let in on the secret! I have no idea why it is harder this time around, but I am very, very eager to meet my new little Mr. or Mrs. Not that I wasn't with Parker...it's just different this time around.

So, I figure what better way to pass the time than to continue on with the Gender Prediction Project, and invite others to do the same. After all, even if you know what you're having, you still have time to kill until they get here, right?

Anniversary & Ultrasounds

Today was my husband and my six year wedding anniversary...and I'm not going to lie, it really stunk. I know it's not the "strong" thing to admit, but it was really horrible having him so far away for our anniversary. I also, unlike many of my military wife counterparts, don't mind admitting that I am scared to death for him on a regular basis, and I would be lying if I didn't say that I thought to myself at least once today 'What if I never see him again?'. 

That being said, it didn't ruin my day. I didn't dwell on it. It's a part of the lifestyle and you get through the hard days and move on, but it really did stink. It's not our first anniversary spent apart, nor will it probably be our last, but knowing that doesn't make it a whole lot easier sometimes. Still, I remind myself that, for now, he is OK. He will be home soon, and this is just one day of many that we have to get through. And will. So many other people have it so much worse, especially on a weekend like this one. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you know there are women out there celebrating Memorial Day at services to honor their fallen husbands.

Besides, today was also the day of our make-up 3D/4D ultrasound!

Ladies Day Rescheduled & Ina May

So Ladies Day, my day I've been waiting for for months and months and months, turned into a slight bust. We went alright, and everyone was excited and cooperative...except for Baby Legs, whose cooperation we desperately needed.

My surprise for my grandmother, mother, sister, and cousin (who is also Parker and Legs's Godmother) was to take them to a 3D/4D ultrasound so that they could "meet" Legs. I was giddy with excitement! It was something I'd wanted to do when I was pregnant with Bubba, but the money we had saved up for it ended up going towards a car emergency, so it was a no go. This was to be my first chance to experience something like this, and I loved that I was going to get to share it with the most important women in my baby's life. (And Parker, of course.)

28 Weeks

I am 28 weeks pregnant as of yesterday, which puts me into my 3rd trimester according to most standards people go by. (I have heard anything from 26 weeks to 29 being your 3rd trimester depending on the doctor you are talking to or book you are reading at the time. This pregnancy stuff is so confusing!)

Since I have been so neglectful in updating my blog, it occurred to me that I haven't had the chance to share any pictures of my growing belly. Usually the rapid expansion of my stomach wouldn't be such a cause for joy, but under the circumstances I am very proud of my baby bump. (Which was measuring 31 weeks at my doctors appointment on Monday! Mommy's little overachiever.) Besides, I am just dying to share!

Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

I love being pregnant! Yes, I am sick as a dog with no end in site. I have heartburn whenever I eat anything yummy, and sometimes I feel like a whale...but I still love being pregnant. For all the bad (and every pregnancy has various stages of bad) there are things that are just so good that they make up for anything I have to go through to experience them!

Wordless Wednesday: Legs

The Gender Prediction Project: Entry 3

Time for another fun installment of the Gender Prediction Project, brought to you by the color yellow and the number 4. :0) I'm having a lot of fun with this little experiment of mine. Looking up various methods of gender prediction has certainly given me a plethora of material to work with, not to mention several great laughs! I still haven't gotten adventurous enough yet to pee on anything, but maybe next time. :0)

The Gender Prediction Project: Entry 2

I had wanted to post a few more of the gender prediction experiments today, but didn't feel like peeing on anything. :0) Luckily, there are several that can be done while I'm laying in bed at night getting ready to go to sleep. (Which is what I am doing right now after a day full of packing and sorting.) So, without the necessity of much more energy than I need to type, I can share a couple more of my "results" with you. Prepare to be amazed!

The Gender Prediction Project

Part of what was so wonderful about having Bubba, apart of course from just becoming his Mommy, was that we waited to find out the gender until he burst spectacularly from my womb. In reality, there was nothing spectacular about his birth until his arrival. It was a horrible experience that I am going to go out of my way not to repeat this time around, made worth it by the amazing little person I now call my son. Having my husband look down at me, tears in his eyes, to tell me "It's a boy! It's a boy!" was easily one of the top 3 moments in my life, and one I wouldn't give up for anything. We have decided again to wait it out and see what this new little one will be whenever they choose to enter the outside world. It's driving people crazy, but we figure God gives us so few great surprises in life, why would we want to spoil this one by peeking early? Besides, I might need incentive to keep pushing if things get rough. :0)