Really??

Have you ever heard of a gender reveal party? Have you ever been to one?

I'm reading more about these. The gist of it is that expectant parents throw big parties, inviting family and friends to share the exciting news about the the gender of their soon to be baby.  There are all sorts of cutsie ways of doing it. The most popular seems to the cake way. The cake is decorated oh so beautifully with gender neutral colours but the inside is either pink or blue, depending on what parts the baby is packing.  I've also seen a giant box with balloons to be opened by the parents, or lovely gift bags for the guests with favours in either pink or blue.

I think I'm a little old school.

Now I get that I'm in the minority, having never found out the gender of any of my kids until they came out of me. I didn't want to know. I think there are so few surprises in life and this one is a true one. And yes, it's a surprise still if you hear it at the 12 week ultrasound but, to me at least, it was way more exciting to wait the whole 40 weeks and to know that all that effort of pushing that little person out was going to climax with Sean saying "It's a ...... "

I didn't have trouble bonding with my children while they were in utero. I didn't mind decorating their nurseries in neutral colours. The fact of the matter is, they all slept in a bassinet in my room for the first 3 months anyway so I had plenty of time to get a gender specific room ready. I didn't mind buying gender neutral clothes. In fact, I loved that Sean had to go out on his own and buy the kids their come home outfit all on his own. It made those outfits more special. It also kept me from spending too much money on clothes they were either not going to wear or were going to grow out of too quickly to wear more than once or twice.

Don't get me wrong, I don't judge mothers who find out the gender of their babies before birth, to each her own, it just wasn't a choice I made.

But a gender reveal party? Really?  I'm not quite sure I get that. I think had I found out what gender my kids were I wouldn't have told anyone. It would have been mine and Sean's little secret. But if I had told people, I just would have told them. "I'm having a ..... and her/his name will be........"

I suppose it's a good a reason as any to have a party.  Everyone loves a party!

I'd better get going, I've got to get the preparations made for our "We're painting our hallway" party. Sean's going to paint his genitals the colour we've chosen and the big reveal will involve a striptease.  Magic Mike, eat your heart out!