Well, we figured we wanted to get this out there on the heels of discussing baby clothes and gear. Are you ready for a big shocker?
Derek has talked me into not finding out the baby's gender. *Gasp!* I know, I know. Mindy has no patience and never will. How will she survive?!
He has wanted to have Baby Ratcliff be a surprise from the beginning, but I'm impatient and love to plan out colors, etc. Since we're doing mostly gender neutral gear, we figured that part won't be affected. That pretty much leaves me with the crazy impatience.
Derek and I were having a chat with some of his co-workers and boss. Henry, Derek's co-worker, was surprised to hear that we'd find out the gender. He waited with his little boy, and then Derek's boss, Michele, joined in on the conversation. She said she also waited with her daughter, now a teenager, and she said she wouldn't have done it any other way.
As Michele aptly put it, "You don't get many surprises as an adult," and Henry added, "It's the most exciting feeling to find out right there as the baby is delivered." After that, I thought about it, and Derek has finally convinced me to wait.
We figure that humans have waited to find out throughout history, and it seems much more natural to just wait. We also agree with Henry and Michele when they say that you don't get many surprises in life. Either way, we'll be ecstatic, and we'll just have more time to decide on names :)
I plan to cancel my gender scan appointment, and I plan to look away when they check the baby in the ultrasound in November. Two of my coworkers recently did it, and I think they would agree that it's totally worth it.
So folks, we'll find out in April what Baby Ratcliff will be :)
It's a personal decision, but I have to disagree with the, "You don't get many surprises," line of thought. It was just as big of a surprise finding out at 20 weeks as it would've been at 40 weeks.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know about y'all, but my life is full of surprises, especially now that little Truman is around! :)
Also, I can't imagine that waiting to find out the gender could've possibly made the moment we met Mr. T any more memorable or exciting than it already was. Most amazing moment of my life.
I agree with Justin. I was so happy to have a surprise at the mid-point of my pregnancy. I needed a boost to get me through the 2nd half, and it's so much more real knowing we have a baby girl in there. I feel much closer to her now that I know what sex she is. Before I did not feel connected to the baby really at all.
ReplyDeleteI admire you and others who wait until the end to find out, but I figure I'll have so many surprises at and right after the birth, that it made sense for us to find out early.
Good for you! I could never be that patient and I never once thought about not finding out the sex at the ultrasound. Luckily, Neil agreed with me!
Believe me, I was hell-bent on finding out, but Derek thought it would be more fun. I'm wondering if he's so passionate about it just to test my patience :) He knows I get antsy waiting for a lean pocket in the microwave, let alone a baby.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's just as memorable, so please don't think I'm saying anything against all of ya'll that find out! I guess we're just trying to be old-fashioned!
I think it is an amazing display of patience to wait for pink or blue! Way to go Derek and Mindy!
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