In which I answer your baby questions

If you haven’t yet seen my post from this morning, I’d advise you to scroll down and check it out. No worries, I’ll wait.

*hums while waiting*

There… now you’re all caught up on our big news. And you don’t think I’m claiming to be some baby guru know-it-all who will answer your baby-related questions that are keeping you up at night. I’ll just answer your questions about one specific baby: our baby.

I still can’t get over how wonderful that sounds: our baby. Our baby. Our baby. Sigh.

Moving right along… here are some of those spoken (and unspoken) questions:

Q: When are you due?
A: Late July… the professionals say July 19th, which is suspiciously close to Jeff’s birthday on the 21st.

Q: So, how many weeks along are you?
A: 13 weeks. Almost to the end of the first trimester!

Q: How have you been feeling?
A: Overall, very good. I had zero energy for most of December (just coming out of that fatigue now), but haven’t been actually sick. I felt like I was going to get sick a few times, but thankfully the feeling always passed.

Q: Are you going to find out if you’re having a boy or a girl?
A: Yes.

Q: Speaking of which, what is your preference? Boy or girl?
A: Honestly, I don’t care. Really. I never really believed parents-to-be when they said that before, but it’s true. However, Jeff’s family runs very strongly to boys so I will be surprised if we have a girl. Even though my mother-in-law thinks the baby will be a girl. (Sorry, Alice!)

Q: Will your blog turn into baby central?
A: No, not completely. This is primarily a personal blog, and, obviously, this is a big piece of my life right now… and will become even more so in the months ahead. However, I think this blog will be good practice for me to keep other things in my life active and fresh as I make sense of this new thing called motherhood. While I will soon be adding “mama” to my identity, I don’t want to find my entire identity in that one role.

Q: What’s the likelihood of red-haired offspring?
A: Okay, so I admit that I’m the one who most often ponders this question (along with a few family members). I’ve secretly wished for a little pack of cute curly-haired redheads for longer than I’d care to admit. Here’s a quick run-down of the genetics at play: Jeff is one of four boys, two of which inherited their father’s red hair. On my side, I’ve got my dad and brother with red(ish?) beards, my own red-ish highlights from the summer sun, and a great-grandmother with full credentials. I really haven’t a clue what that all adds up to… I just hope I get at least one red-haired kid!

Q: Do you have a nickname for the baby?
A: Sure do — we’re calling him/her Roo for the time being. Think Kanga and Roo from Winnie the Pooh. Jeff made a comment about my “baby pouch” early on, and it just kind of stuck.