15 Weeks: Gender Dreams

I'm terrible with surprises. There are plenty of surprises in our military life. If I know there's a "surprise" that I can find out about, I must find out so that I can feel like I have at least a little control in this life. 

So there has never been a question as to whether or not I'll find out the gender of any of our babies.

I had two pre-ultrasound dreams when I was pregnant with First. In both, my baby was a boy. And he was! (I also dreamt that I tried to take him home from the hospital in a backpack, and proceeded to lose him in the backpack. That did not happen.)

When people ask, I tell them that I think this one is a girl. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps because it's a default feeling as one of two sisters? Maybe because I'm hoping for a break from dirt-eating and bug-squishing?  

Then last night I had a dream of the 20-week ultrasound, in which I saw a baby boy in there. I woke up thinking how fun it would be for my kids to be brothers. Will my dreams hold true this time?

Either way, please don't tell me "congratulations" when I announce what gender we're having. I mean, come on. It's not like I'll be devastated if the ultrasound doesn't match my imagination. Though, I will admit, I felt a strange and wholly unexpected sense of pride in First being a boy. If I were a queen, I would keep my head! Was there forgotten rich uncle in our family with a secret Luca Brasi-style wish that our first child be a masculine child? 

Ultimately, the child that's in here is perfect exactly as she or he is. Whatever her disposition, whatever his interests, this child is going to round out our family so well.