Treasuring the Present: Boy or Girl...

Hubby and I are having...

...

...

 ... a Boy or a Girl!

via

There is no denying it -- our baby is either a boy or a girl.

Chris and I both want...
BOTH!

Yes, we want a healthy baby... but we want both a boy and a girl.  We hope that this baby will not be our only baby... we want at least one boy and at least one girl -- at least one daughter and at least one son -- hopefully two of each, eventually.

So then, the questions becomes which do we want FIRST... a boy or a girl.

I have thought a lot about this question... not that Hubby and I have a choice on this matter... but it is fun to think about.  Since I am not planning a purple or green nursery (A blog topic for another time -- How did Pink and Blue become the signature colors of boys or girls?  The beauty lies in Purple and Green, people!!  Embrace the purple and green color scheme!)  There are Pros and Cons to having either first.

Pros to a Firstborn Son:

• A big brother and male leader for future siblings
• We are almost completely sure of the name for our first... and second sons (for daughters, Chris and my opinions mix like oil and water)
• Chris' sister has a baby girl who will be about 6 months older than our child, and it might be nice if they were not the same sex.  If Zivah is allowed to do something or wear something, it might be easier if we had a boy the same age instead of a girl asking why she isn't allowed to do/wear the same thing.
• Chris' father and grandfather are still alive, and if we had a son, we would be able to have 4 generations of Miller men together.  That would be beautiful and very meaningful.  Tomorrow is promised to no one, and so this would be such a blessing.    (My only living grandparent is my mom's father, so we will be very blessed to have four generations of family together, but it is not so monumental as four generations of Miller men... or four generations of mothers and daughters).
• On Chris' side, his grand parents only have great-grand daughters (and his parents only have a grand daughter).  If we had a son, he would be the first male of the next generation on that side.
• Chris is so excited for a son... a miniature Christopher James.  I am excited for a son too... I'm just a little afraid of a miniature Christopher James.  :-D

Pros to a Firstborn Daughter:

• A big sister and a "little mother" for future siblings
• On my side, my parents only have grand sons.  If we had a daughter, she would be the first female of the next generation on that side
• I want a sweet, perfect, frilly, joyful little girl... because I was as sweet, perfect, frilly, joyful little girl.  I am hoping to see myself in a daughter someday.
• I want little dresses, bows, curls, ribbons, nail polish, and tutus to scatter my house someday.
• I'm not sure that I think girls are easier per se... but I've been a little girl, so in my mind, a girl is going to be easier than a boy... and maybe if we have a little girl first, she can sort of tone down the craziness of her little brother when he arrives a few years from now... maybe... wishful thinking?
• I am so excited for a daughter... a miniatures Brookie.  Chris is excited for a daughter too... he just seems to think she will be a tom-boy (he's nuts)!

So... there you have it.  We want both, daughters and sons and there are about equal the numbers of pros and cons to our having either one first.  I can't wait to re-read this post when our sons and daughters are in middle school and look back at who I THOUGHT the children would be compared to who they ACTUALLY ARE.

Today, I am treasuring the present -- that we have so much to learn about our child.  We have a lifetime ahead of learning about our child... the first question -- is it a boy or a girl... and then a lifetime ahead of learning all the traits and characteristics that makes our firstborn boy or girl an unique individual.  What color eyes, or hair will he/she have?  Will the child be a miniature Chris, or a miniature Brooke... both or neither?  We have so much to learn about our baby, and today, I am treasuring that all of these discoveries are ahead.

The bottom line is we are so excited to be having this baby, and whichever kind we are blessed with first -- a son or a daughter, we are prayerful that he/she will be healthy, happy, and God-honoring.  We know that God has perfectly knit this boy or girl together in my womb to be the firstborn of our family, and our faith and our family's future rests completely in Him.