An XX or an XY?

Blue or Pink?

We’re tres marias. My husband Khristopher has five sisters. Girls rule (with nine girls) in my Mommy’s side. Girls also outnumbered the boys in Daddy’s family. My in-laws already have two granddaughters and a grandson. A baby girl adorns my parents’ grandparenthood.

Obviously, we are a family of XX chromosomes! It’s no wonder why both our families (my husband’s and mine) hope for a baby boy.

Long before our marriage, we’ve already had those what-to-name-our-future-kids and how-many-kids-you-want talks. He convicted he wanted his first born a boy; a junior at that — another Khristopher. I begged to disagree. With a positive purpose though. A cheesy one — I want him to be the one and only Khristopher in my life. Contrary to what he thinks: that I don’t like his name.

On the other hand, people who notice how pretty I carry my extra pounds and my bulge can’t help but insist I am having a girl. Mommy & Daddy observed it as well, they stated, “Looks like it’s a girl again.” Some meticulously examined the shape of my belly. Pointed or round? Another queerly studied my nose and concluded that a baby girl is on the way. Others took a peek on my neck. Is it darkening? How about my underarms? Do I look more masculine or feminine?

So it is blue or a pink? A toy train or a barbie doll? An XX or an XY?

To cut the suspense, I underwent ultrasound yesterday afternoon at 3:20. Dra. Chuson showed and explained, one by one, the baby’s brain, heart beating at 147, rail-like spinal column, legs, shoulders, nostrils with no signs of cleft palette; measuring every part — from head to toe. It was amazing how she said the baby is “chewing.” The silhouette of its face astonished me. Beholding the form of its head kept me in awe. I could just imagine how my husband quietly flashed his big smile. It slipped my head to take a glance on his reactions as my attention was pasted on the screen. It would’ve been another amazement.

“How about its gender doc?” he excitingly butted in.

Scrolling down between the legs, pointing the cursor to a flat surface emphasizing a distinct line, she surely uttered, “It’s a baby girl!”

Way before this official declaration, my motherly instincts were already at work. I had this in depth yet unsure feelings of cradling a girl inside of me. Perhaps that was the reason why as early as the second month of pregnancy, I looked for my Mommy’s Hawaiian-English dictionary; literally browsed each page; knitted some two to three words pleasing to the Filipino ear; and came up with a considerably, nice-sounding Hawaiian wahine (girl) name.

My husband, in a couple of times was tempted (but denied) to put his hopes high for a Khristopher Jr. Yet certainly, both our prayers contained hopes for a healthy, normal, and strong baby leaving behind the least thought of preferring a boy.

Now buying blue boots and bibs or pink panties is definitely out of the question. Besides, having a baby is already an extreme blessing and a bliss, more so a healthy and normal one. Requesting for a boy instead, is too much and unnecessary.

Khristopher and I couldn’t wait for the coming of our baby girl. Pink ribbons, lacy hats, butterflies and sunflowers, cute knickknacks. Can’t wait.

That night he, as usual, spoke to the baby in my tummy telling her how happy we were to find out she is a girl.

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