Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Is it a girl? Is it a boy? Twins? Due in a week?

As the due date comes closer and closer it is quite amusing to see the reactions from people regarding the (second) baby’s arrival. There is a sense of excitement and anticipation even amongst strangers. It’s a fun game to play – guessing the gender of the baby based on how you are carrying the baby, if you look like you are glowing etc etc. I remember how during my first pregnancy about three or four weeks before due date I would get so many questions about my due date. And because I am petite I guess my tummy showed so much that so many people asked me if I was either due right then or if I was having twins. This time around surprisingly no one has asked me if I am having twins but people have begun asking me if I am due to go very soon. We went to the beach last evening and I had a drink at Starbucks. The clerk made an error and charged me a lower amount for the drink. She called the manager who came to fix the error. He told her “Ahn, it’s ok, she has a baby coming soon anyway” and didn’t charge me the full amount for the drink. He was a tall, plump guy with a rather cherubic face who then cheerfully looked at me and said, “You look like you are ready to go soon”. I said “Yeah, kind of”. And he said “I would say in a week?”! That was a pretty close guess and I could see he had fun guessing and then checking with me to see if he was right.
The other day I was at the grocery store waiting at the cash register and the clerk, an older Chinese woman said “Let me guess what you are having, you are carrying it in front, I think it’s a boy”.
Hmm…as I am writing this post I realize I haven’t really even written about this in my blog – if I am due to have a girl or a boy. So let me leave it at that until the baby arrives!
A friend wrote to me after seeing my recent photo “You look like you are going to have a boy because you are glowing and they say if it is a girl she robs you of all your beauty”. Interestingly the same week, two of my relatives used the same phrase in Tamil to guess the gender of the baby. I find such traditional phrases in any context very cute and interesting. Translation doesn’t do it justice though. They said “Nee Azhagu vittundrukke, unakku ponnu dhan porakka pordhu” – translating literally, it means “ You are emanating beauty, so you must be having a girl” quite the opposite logic of what my friend said about the same thing. I too see a pregnancy glow when I look at pictures of some friends/my sister's during their pregnancy. I do believe though, "Pregnancy glow is in the eye of the beholder!". I don't see any glow when I look at myself in the mirror!
It’s fun to see how people – both known and unknown – love to participate in this guessing game. Something about the arrival of a baby is exciting and makes people want to know more details and want to converse about it. As the due date comes closer, I find myself receiving more calls from people wondering if the baby has arrived. Somehow they think if I haven’t called them it could be because the baby has arrived. A very close friend from India who normally doesn’t email and calls very infrequently (nevertheless is one of my closest friends) suddenly mailed me today asking me if I was in the hospital and if the baby had arrived! He is usually completely preoccupied with his work and on a normal day would casually leave an intentionally rude message "only called to quickly check if you are still alive, not much else, bye!". Another friend who lives very close to our place called me a little while back and said “Haven’t talked to you in two days, was wondering if the baby had arrived”! It is as if every one is eagerly waiting for the grand arrival of the little one. And I totally relate to it because a close friend was due to deliver on May 26 but I did not hear from her till May 31. I was so eagerly waiting for her call but I had already called her on the 25th with the “SO?!!” opening as soon as she picked up the phone. I didn't want her to feel pressured especially since this was her first child and she was already nervous about the labor pains etc. Every evening I would tell my husband “Haven’t heard from N yet, wonder if she is in labor now”. Some people find these sort of questions and guesses annoying but I actually really enjoy it. As long as it is obviously meant in a lighthearted manner which is usually the case. It makes you feel connected as human beings and makes you enjoy the true magic of bringing a new life into this world!

23 comments:

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Oh so is it a boy or a girl? :-) On that note, I trust the chinese completely. A chinese woman at a Payless shoe store told me when I was carrying, that I would have a girl. She was the only one to say that, everyone else including me guessed that it was a boy.

So, I would say that you are having a boy. I hope you get to read this comment and not go into labor before that ;-p

Good luck and am waiting for the pictures.. :-)

Unknown said...

Gosh, am so excited for you....all the best, and let us know straight from the hospital....

Gauri said...

Here's wishing you all the very best Noon !!

Hoping and praying for a safe delivery and a speedy recovery.

Hugs

Gauri

Anusha said...

yay! finally we get to hear abt the pregnancy :)
send me your pregnancy pic and I'll throw my guess in!

DDmom said...

Felt like I was reading about myself :)
Couple of weeks back at the department store, an old lady at the billing counter says your baby has dropped, you should be staying home, it can happen any time. My mom freaks out and we are home in the next 5 minutes :)
Similar comments about the shape of the tummy. I was surprised when the hospital nurse said 'Ask the doc to do another ultrasound. I think you are having a boy'.
Good luck! Hope to hear the news soon!

noon said...

Hi Poppins,
Boy or a girl?! :) Two weeks to due date - you shall know soon unless baby decides to wait a few more days after due date! ;) Yes trust the Chinese wisdom! :))
No signs of labor at all so far! Last time I waited till due date and I walked and exercised so much - would go for a long walk uphill in a lighted park at the town center - around 10.00 pm every night...still nothing. Had to be induced eventually. Let's see how this one behaves!

noon said...

Karmickids,
Thanks! It is so much fun to hear from you all and to share the excitement and also feel the warmth and welcome feeling from everyone!

noon said...

Hi Gauri,
Thanks...Yes amidst all the light hearted fun I keep praying that the delivery should go smoothly and baby should be healthy. I have to have a speedy recovery to be able to take care of my first one too. Otherwise it will become too much for my mom. God please!

noon said...

Hi Kodi,
Yeah I guess I have not talked much about the pregnancy - so much else has been happening - really the second pregnancy is so different from the first - I hardly focussed on the pregnancy this time. Guess this is the sign of things to come for how the second child will also be raised - more laid back and relaxed hopefully! If I find your email id in your site - haven't checked - will mail you a pic - let's see if you guess right! :)

noon said...

Rbdans, Quite something that we are due around the same time. Will think of you around then - wish you also a safe and smooth delivery and a healthy baby. Funny your mom panicked and you rushed home in 5 min! :) Last time I was at an art festival close to my home just the day before the due date and an older American woman was at her display booth and told me - you must be ready to go soon, when are you due? She was quite shocked when I told her I was due the next day. But really you can't sit at home all day waiting for labor to start! Anyways good luck to you!

Trishna said...

Heyy Noon, Trishna here from My sunshine...I had been meaning to come by n check on u .. but just didnt happen.. how are u feeling? hope to hear about the baby's arrival soon.
All the best. Wish you have a safe delivery and a super speedy recovery. Get as much rest as you can.

Maggie said...

Ah the home stretch! I was in a big hurry those last two weeks - it seemed to take forever and I just wanted to see the baby already.

But now I wish I had slowed down and enjoyed those last 10 days more...

You take care and all the best!

noon said...

Hi Trishna, I just saw you have quite a few posts since the one where you said you have been busy and didn't have time to post...will read it sometime hopefully. Had my doc appt today - no change in due date - have two more weeks - but who knows! Thanks for your wishes...

noon said...

Hi Moppet's mom,
I feel that way now - there is a very nice Tamil phrase for this feeling - not sure if you know Tamil. Anyway - I was able to wait so long but now the last two weeks I feel impatient. But this time around it is mixed - the impatience is more from anxiety to just deal with it - how will my son cope with my absence during delivery - having never been away from me for more than 2-3 hours...meaning he will know I am around even if he is playing with some one else. That is my predominant concern now. Just praying that everything should go well and he should adjust to the change well. Thanks for your wishes...

Rohini said...

Yup, the last few weeks are quite inetersting for other people - I was constsnaly askes 'You're still here? (at office)' and everyone kept guessing I was having a girl - because I was glowing...

noon said...

Hi Rohini,
Thanks for stopping by...yeah I can imagine esp if you are working while pregnant - people will ask "you're still here?". When I was a single student we used to do that to a friend who was a post doc who was working pretty much till she was ready to go into labor...I didn't realize the seriousness of labor etc at that time so it was all so light hearted...

Tharini said...

Oh wooow! I love this time, when evry new day you wake up and think...is this going to be it? I am soooo excited for you...wow! Send me a pic too and I'll throw in my guess. :)

And pl. pl. don't stress after the baby's here abt your son. The adjustment issues ARE going to be there, and he most likely will act differently, but it is just a passing thing....you'll feel like a unit again in just 2 months. Pls pls....get your crucial rest the first 2 weeks at least, and you'll bounce back that much faster.

God speed.

noon said...

Hi Tharini,
Thanks! Even more than me every one around is eagerly waiting - my sister went to Boston to attend someone's graduation and she called in the middle of all that to see if I have gone into labor - she is planning to be here with me around my due date. She is so worried the baby may decide to come before she gets here! :)
Amazing how nature keeps some things still a mystery...just can't predict - well I mean natural labor - induced etc is difft.
And yes, you guessed right - I am constantly worried about my first child - how he will handle it and I look at him now and feel so bad that he will get so much less attention from me in just two weeks time...Am just counting on the second one being a easy child somehow so I can somehow manage some time with the first also...let's see!
Thanks for your wishes...

Sunita said...

I think 9 months is easy but the last 9 days just seem to go on forever. First time here. Take care and will come back for the pics

noon said...

Hi Sunita, fellow Geminian!
yes last night days are longer than the last 9 months. But it is fun in a way - as I have written in the post - the sharing of this excitement and mystery of when it is going to happen etc with people...makes it fun.
Happy birthday - whenever it is - during the Gemini phase!

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Noon, Is there an email id by which I can reach you?

Just Like That said...

Boy or girl, I hope you have a healthy happy baby and a safe delivery.
Will be back to read more, but just wanted to give you my wishes.

Just Like That said...

I read the heading of this post yesterday, and wished you.
Today, am back to read this at leisure, but, Poppins has already spread the glad tidings - Dlittle is out! Its a GURRLL! :-D