Hi there. I’m sorry that I missed my 20 week recap yesterday but I have been hit by a chest cold that’s left me homebound in PJs and resting up as much as possible.
Although it’s not exactly how I envisioned hitting the halfway mark, I’m just so grateful to be at this point with baby…
BOY!
I didn’t want to make you guys wait any longer on the gender announcement so hopefully I’ll have the 20 week recap up tomorrow. In the meantime, we are over the moon excited about welcoming a little boy into our family in May!
I wrote a few pregnancy posts in my first trimester that I kept private and unpublished. The first was at four weeks and three days and the last line of the post reads, “Oh and one last thought. My early guess/mama’s intuition is that this is a baby boy.”
From the moment I got that positive test I had this overwhelming feeling that it was a boy and that stayed with me throughout early pregnancy. At our 12 week ultrasound/NT scan, our tech said she would be very surprised if it wasn’t a boy and she confirmed it at our 18 week anatomy scan. Actually, she didn’t even have to confirm it…I looked over at the screen and said, “oh so I see it’s definitely a boy!”
I truly didn’t have a preference on gender either way (I honestly felt so strongly it was a boy that I’d have been SHOCKED if it was a girl) but I think this baby boy will be just perfect for us. I know it sounds crazy but I already feel so in tune with his energy and so at peace with him.
Now, just 138 days until his due date! I absolutely can’t wait to meet him. 🙂
Did you have a feeling one way or the other on the gender of your baby before finding out?
Moms of boys, what’s your favorite thing about being a boy mom?
That’s so exciting- a BOY! And I’m not surprised that your gut was right; I have a feeling you have topnotch momy intuition 🙂
You are going to be such an incredible mom and I’m so thrilled for you and Tanner. What a special time in your lives <3
Thank you Brittany! We are thrilled and very excited to meet him in May. <3
Congratulations on a sweet boy!! I have a 4 month old boy and little boys are the best!! They just LOVE their mamas! It’s so precious!! So happy for you!
Thank you Ashley and same to you! I hope you guys are doing well. <3
Congratulations! What a blessing. And that mama’s intuition sure is something! I knew I was having a girl right away 🙂
So cool Monica. <3 We are pumped!
I am due May 2nd and this past weekend we found out we’re also expecting a baby boy! After my 12 week sonogram I just knew it was a boy and there was no doubt in my mind. We couldn’t be happier and can’t wait to meet the little man!
that’s awesome Ashley! congrats! we are so close with our baby boys!
Yay! Congratulations to you on hitting the halfway mark! Hope you’re feeling better soon though – chest colds while pregnant and unable to take anything are no bueno.
As a mom of two boys, I can say I didn’t really have an inkling with either, although my husband was convinced with #2 it was a girl…until we saw physical evidence at our 20 week anatomy scan on the monitor that it wasn’t (just like you described – too funny). I can say though that with my first (and to some degree, with my second), the idea of having a little girl was a bit frightening to me. Not because I don’t love being female and love other women and girls (I absolutely do!), but because I spent a long time dealing with really tough self-esteem and insecurity and was terrified I couldn’t do better by my daughter. It’s taken therapy, work, and a bit of age for me to get to a place where I’m comfortable and happy with myself – and find myself somewhat sad now that I don’t have a daughter. I guess we could always try for a third, right? (gulp!)
That said, I fiercely love my two boys and their sense of fun, adventure, fearlessness (also scary at times), kindness, intelligence, and love of mama snuggles. A boys’ love for mama is strong and their sweet cuddles are just the best!
Hey Lauren – I can totally relate to your fears related to having a girl and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the same didn’t cross my mind as well. I know there will be challenges with either sex but knowing how I sometimes struggled as a girl and then being an example to a daughter can feel a little overwhelming. I would have been over the moon had it been a girl but I guess that wasn’t in the cards for us now. We can’t wait to meet our little boy and get to know him and his personality…and to experience all those things you shared that you love about being a mom to boys!
Congratulations Jen!!
I had a strong feeling that Eleanor was a girl and lo and behold! We couldn’t be more in love with her. ?
Aw, love this. <3
Congratulations on your sweet little boy! Can’t wait to hear the name you and Tanner have picked out that your Grandmother inspired you with and see pictures of him – May will be here before you know it!
It’s weird – I have a good intuition about the sex of the baby in pretty much everyone else’s pregnancy but my own. I had a hunch yours was a boy, I have correctly guessed my sister in law’s two kids and close friend’s babies in recent years, but when it came to my own, I had no clue. I leaned a bit towards boy (probably because at the time, everyone around me was having boys), but I did not have a strong gut feeling either way. The night before our anatomy scan, I had a dream that our baby was a girl and sure enough, she was ! So maybe I’m just not good at trusting my intuition when it comes to myself 🙂
Thanks Laura! We don’t have a name picked out just yet…that is SO overwhelming but we’ll get there and we are leaning towards the one I discussed with my grandmother.
SO interesting about your hunch with others but not your own. I think you are right though in saying that we tend to doubt our own intuition at times. <3
Congratulations! I am 22 weeks (tomorrow) with our first baby boy. Both my husband and I had a hunch it was a boy. We found out via the NIPT blood test at 12 weeks. I had to call into our midwife’s office for the results and during the (longggg) hold I got panicky at the possibility she may say girl when she came back on the phone. Not because I had a preference at all, just because I would have been so shocked and thrown off after my intuition had been boy. I cried happy tears with the results. I am excited to follow your journey as our due dates are so close 🙂
Hey Kristina! Congrats on 22 weeks today! And congrats on baby boy. I totally hear you on your sentiment that you would have been happy with either but would have been shocked had it gone the other way. That’s exactly how I felt. I hope you are feeling well!
Congratulations on your little boy!! I am also expecting and like you, was CONVINCED it was a boy. Until we found out that it WASN’T! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
HAHA! Love it. That so would have been me in that US room!
Congrats! We had a feeling it was a little boy and totally pictured you as a boy mom. From our days in the classroom we can attest that little boys are HILARIOUS- no one made is laugh as much. And they do love their mamas! ?
Thank you! We are so excited and can’t wait to meet him and learn all about his little personality!
Congrats! I had a dream I was having a boy and knew 99% before being told by the Doctor it was a boy. Boys LOVE their Mommy’s :)!
Thank you and that is awesome! Someone else said they had a dream too that sealed the deal for them! Very cool.
I’m so glad you are to in tune with your little boy! Congratulations, and I hope you’re feeling better soon.
Thank you Joy! <3
Congratulations!!! So exciting!! Little boys are SO much fun! I have a 21/2 year old son, and I KNEW he was a boy too! It was confirmed at his 20 week scan. I also have a 6 week old baby girl, and was SO convinced I was having another boy (we kept it a surprise the 2nd time) that I was in actual shock when she was born! Hahah! Love following along on your pregnancy journey, and wish you a continued healthy and happy pregnancy! <3
Thank you Laura! I love that you were surprised with your second. That is so awesome. Congrats on baby girl and I hope you guys are doing well. <3
(I’m sorry if this posts a zillion times…I keep getting a “time out” error when I hit submit!)
I feel like I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an a-hole, but I’m going to try: I don’t really get the whole “boy mom” and “girl mom” thing. I have an 11-month-old son that I love with all my heart, but I cannot think of anything I love about him or about parenting him that has anything specifically to do with him being a boy versus being a girl. I suppose later in life, there are some differences in how you teach your sons/daughters to navigate social pressures and social norms that are enforced based on sex, but in these early years, I just don’t see it? I know lots of babies and toddlers, and while they’re all WILDLY different, I can’t say I’d generalize anything about their behavior based on sex. They’re all just their own unique little people.
I totally get (I think) what you’re saying and agree with you – regardless of gender, our kids are all amazing little individuals. Personally, I don’t view the “boy mom”/”girl mom” thing as meaning the love for your child is tied to their gender, but rather celebrating that you’re a mom of a child who happens to be a particular gender. I also think that type of designation tends to come up when a mom of multiple kids only has kids of one gender (like me) and therefore only has one type of experience as a parent.
I hope this makes sense and comes across in the neutral and friendly way I’m intending because what you’re saying makes sense.
I am totally taking this in a friendly way. 🙂 And I do get what you’re saying. I think I just have a hard time with it because even if it isn’t intended, these terms seem to reinforce gender stereotypes that I just don’t love. I get wanting to celebrate being a mom…but I still can’t see a good reason to tie it to boy or girl, even though I don’t think there’s any malicious intent!
For the record, I’m due with my second and have a strong feeling it’s going to be another boy, so I should probably be prepared to be called a “boy mom.” 😉
I agree with it reinforcing stereotypes. Additionally I also find the whole “boys love their mom” a bit inconsiderate. I don’t even have or want children, but I imagine I would be a bit bummed if I was a “girl mom” and read this over and over.
I totally get this Simone but if I had a dollar for every time someone has said this to me since I’ve announced…I could buy myself something really nice. Not sure how it’s become such a thing. There are many new things and ideas that I am learning and hearing as I walk down this path that is so brand new for me.
Oh I know, I didn’t mean here specifically. I’ve heard it a million times too, but it makes me cringe every time. On top of being inconsiderate to “girl moms”, it’s just another way we women judge ourselves, each other, and our relationships. So damaging. After all, we are all daughters of “girl moms”!
Hey Amy – this is a great topic to discuss. And I honestly have NO input/insight to share on it as I have never done this before and I’m just going off of what I hear all the time about “boy mom” versus “girl mom.” We would have been 100% happy with either gender but I just had this gut feeling that it was a boy.
I do love your point about them all being their own unique little people. I think that’s the most important thing to remember and celebrate. Also such a great reminder that everyone’s experience is so wildly different when it comes to everything from conceiving to pregnancy to child birth to breastfeeding to the infant stage to raising toddlers, etc…and to stay open minded and open hearted about it all.
All good points, Jen, and for the record, I didn’t think you had any ill intent by using the term “boy mom.” This is just something I’ve thought a lot about after seeing the #boymom hashtag endlessly on Instagram…your blog just happened to be where I spewed those thoughts. 🙂
Yay! Congrats! Little boys are so amazing! I actually never imagined I would have a boy, I always just assumed I would have a girl. And then, on the way to my sonogram to find out, I stopped at a maternity store and the shirt I wanted was only left in my size in blue (I wanted the pink). In that moment, I said, “omg, I am having a boy, aren’t I?” – yup. My son has been my best little friend since day one 🙂 The mother/son thing very real and special.
OH WOW! LOVE this story! And yes, you and your son seem so close and it’s so sweet. <3
Congrats, Jen! I had a feeling a baby boy was in your future! 🙂 Being a boy mama is the best (not that I have anything else to compare it to but still!). You’re about to experience and feel more love than you ever thought possible!
Thank you! We are so excited about parenthood. <3
Congrats!!! I absolutely felt that way about my daughter. Just knew she was a girl!
Thank you and that’s so awesome Jen!
It was the same for me. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I had that feeling that it was a boy. Also, I had a very vivid dream at around 12 weeks of me, my husband and toddler little boy walking down the street. <3 My little boy is now 2.5 and he's just the sweetest!
Oh my gosh, your dream! That’s wild. I had a couple baby dreams and one of each sex which made me question my “gut feeling.” Funny thing is that I haven’t had one since finding out!
I had that same momma’s intuition with my first boy! We now have two handsome little men in our house-11 and 8. My favorite thing about my boys is how rough and tumble they can be one minute and the next they hold the door for me and snuggle on the couch. They melt my ♥. ?
SO sweet Jess! 🙂 <3
I’m seriously so excited for y’all!!! I just feel like I’ve been following your journey for forever and I know you are going to be such a wonderful mama!!! Boys are seriously awesome. I have to admit, when I was pregnant the first time I really was hoping for a girl, but once I learned Camden was on the way this peace came over me and I knew I was meant to have a boy.
Not only do they love their mamas, but they will take care of us later in life! I just thought about all my husband does to take care of his mom and make sure she’s alright and it made me so happy!! You will have an unbelieveable connection with this boy. For me, the toddler years have been crazy tough, but I hear the boys are the easier ones when they get a little older ?. Can’t wait to watch everything unfold for you. Congrats again!
Thank you so much for sharing our excitement Lindsay. We are SO excited about baby and would have been 100% happy with either gender. I am pretty certain that parenting will be challenging no matter boy or girl but we are so ready for the ride and for this next chapter of life. <3
Congrats! I have a 17 month old son and am 16 weeks pregnant with a girl! I definitely have a special relationship with my son, he’s a super cuddly momma’s boy. But like someone else mentioned, I’m not really sure how it would be different with a girl (guess I’ll be finding out next summer!). No matter, you will think he’s the best and love him more than you ever thought possible!
I also have no idea as I’ve never done this before! 🙂 You’ll have to report back. Congrats on your pregnancy! Has pregnancy #2 been much different than 1?
We waited to find out the gender. One of the best decisions we ever made. Hope to do it again one day! I was never attached to a certain gender during my pregnancy, it was just ‘our baby’ and I really loved living every day in the moment, knowing that whatever it was, it would be perfect for us. We honestly stopped thinking about it. My guess was girl, only because everyone guessed boy, I just felt like I needed to root for the underdog?! No real reason. It was fun! I love having a son, and I love watching him and my husband together. I’m not a very high maintence person, so I feel like dressing a boy is easier. He has a pretty mellow personality… for now! Congrats again! I am so happy for you and your BLUE 🙂
I wasn’t really attached either way to having one or the other but I just had a feeling that it was a boy so that’s what I started wrapping my head around. I would have been equally as thrilled with a baby girl. All of you who waited to find out are amazing to me. We didn’t have the willpower! 🙂
So nice to hear that you guys have fallen into a good groove as a family. <3
I had two daughters but we now have four grandsons. I always loved the boys I taught in elementary school. And having grandsons is even better. They’re so interested in the world and so fascinated with all things truck and car and anything moving. They’re honest and endearing and have a special relationship with their mamas.
Love reading this Karen and CONGRATS on your four grandsons! That is awesome. They are lucky to have you!
Congratulations! Little boys are the best! You just seem so genuinely happy. I have noticed it for a while now and have wanted to mention it, I am so thrilled for you and Tanner and this next adventure in your life.
Thank you so much Melissa. We are both so happy and excited and this is a dream come true for us. We are insanely thrilled for this new chapter of life.
Congrats!!! When we found out what we were having, the second she put the monitor on my belly, we saw it was a boy! He had his legs open like “look at meeee” haha it was funny. Super excited for you guys <3
I too also knew from the beginning it was a boy, momma’s know best!!
Haha – we had a very similar situation!
Congratulations! I felt the same – I just knew I was having a boy, which is weird for me because I usually don’t get like strong intuitive feelings about things like that. We did a gender reveal with our families (my mom was really into the idea) so we didn’t find out during the 18 week ultrasound itself but I remember looking at his face on the 3D ultrasound and being 100% certain he was a boy. Little boys are so fun, and you’re going to love being his mom so much!
Oh wow, that’s crazy and awesome that you felt that way and that you were right! We absolutely can’t wait to meet him and experience being his parents!
Congrats! Boys are fun. Running around like wild animals one minute but ready to snuggle and show a deeply sensitive, caring side the next. I have 2 boys – 3 years old and 17 months. I absolutely knew from the minute I found out I was pregnant both times that they were boys. In fact, with both anatomy ultrasounds, the tech was surprised at how anticlimactic giving the news was – both times I said, “Yup. As I figured.” haha
That’s awesome Laura! I love that contrast that you describe. So cool that you knew with both of them. <3
Congrats! I have two boys and a girl. My boys are full of crazy energy. Your dogs will adore him! My favorite part of being a boy Mom is how protective they are of me even at the ages of 9 and 6. Merry Christmas!
Hey Trish – we are hoping that the girls do well with new baby. I think they will but you never know. That is so sweet what you shared about them being protective of you! Merry Christmas to you too.
With my first child I KNEW by 7 weeks pregnant that is was a boy. I KNEW IT. I don’t know how I knew it but I just felt deep in my hear that I was carrying my son. When we went for our 18 week ultrasound to find out the sex, the Ultrasound tech wasn’t sure at first, and said, “Hmmm, I’m not seeing anything, so I am thinking its a girl…”
And I was laying on the table thinking, “No, its not, look again.” And sure enough, a few seconds later she said, “Ohhh, wait a minute! Its DEFINITELY a boy.”
It was one of the best moments of my life. <3
Aw, what a sweet story Jessica. And that moment in the US room is a good one! Haha!
Congratulations! I had twin boys last March and I have to confess, I was so sad when we did our gender reveal that I wasn’t going to have a girl in the mix. However, looking back now, I blame the pregnancy hormones for my emotions because I can’t even put my head back in that space again (if that makes sense). These were my first babies so I have nothing to compare it to, but there’s nothing sweeter than snuggling with your baby boy and dreaming about what he’ll grow up to be like. You’ve got such an awesome journey in front of you and meeting your baby is the most special thing I’ve ever experienced. 🙂