Do (did) you "want to be surprised"?

BlueSkyJaunte · 07-13-2005, 02:44 PM

I don't get this.

My wife's pregnant and she's about 1/2 way thru. She's getting a sonogram next week, and I definitely want to know the baby's sex immediately.

She doesn't. She wants to "be surprised". So I'm supposed to find out and not tell her or hint in any way?

How can you plan without knowing ahead of time? I sure as hell want to get the room painted and furniture bought/installed BEFORE we have 8 lbs. of squalling infant to contend with at all hours.

How can having a new baby in the home not be enough of a mindf*ck?

Someone tell me I'm crazy...

PS Whenever it's kicking her bladder or keeping her awake..it's a "he".

Icemaster · Icemaster's Garage

Congratulations. First?

You're not crazy, she is. Both times the wife had a sonogram, there was no way we couldnt find out, it was too damn obvious.

We found out then kept it a secret from everyone else. Drove them ape$hit.

Had the same reasoning that you do, how do you get the room done without knowing.

MikeSid · 07-13-2005, 02:55 PM

First...Congratulations.

We agreed on this issue.... to find out.... so we could do the nursery in an appropriate color, buy clothes, etc. I can't imagine putting that stuff off. I barely got the nursey done anyway. Come to think of it...it's one of the only projects I've ever really finished. If we didn't know the sex ahead of time, I guarantee you I'd have never gotten the damn nursery done!

But apparently your wife likes the suprise. So...assuming you are going to be doing all the painting etc... Go ahead and do it. She doesn't have to see the room or the clothes and she will be doubly suprised....and you'll be prepared.

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

No; I would want the paternity test done before the delivery date...

M.D. Holloway · 07-13-2005, 03:05 PM

Congrats!

The first was a surprise and second was found out. As far as the paint of the room - My son's room was white walls with a bear chair rail border, my lil girls was a nice earthy lite green - I didn't think I would like the color at first but it looked great on the walls. They get older and painting the rooms is easy - his was blue, the new house it is gingerbread, my lil girls new room is pink.

As far as clothes goes - for the first few months they where those one-zy things anyway and trust me, you will get all sorts of clothes for the kid once it is born. It givs the relatives something to buy him/her.

I say make it a surprise - what the heck. The sonogram is pretty accurate but not 100% - what it you expect a boy and get a girl? vice versa? I liked not knowing what our first was and I wish our second was a surprise as well. many nights before the birth all sorts of images come to mind, mostly projections of the future and it made it even more interesting not knowing what was gonna come out - doubled the intregue!

Superman · 07-13-2005, 03:06 PM

Congratulations, again. As I've said, this is going to be BY FAR the funnest toy you'll ever have, bar none.

In this current question, you are set up to lose. Unless you agree to not learn the sex. If your wife has ovaries, then she will discern from you the sex of the baby. No way you can conceal that. From me, yes. From her, no way. If you know it, she will read the signals and know it too, and you'll be indicted for disclosing the secret. Nevermind that you tried your hardest to conceal the information.

If she's really serious about not knowing, then you need to not know also. This is why so many baby's rooms are painted yellow.

gassy · 07-13-2005, 03:08 PM

Didn't find out with the first two, did with the third. The experience was not lessened one bit...amazing.

pbs911 · pbs911's Garage

I'm with Widebody, I'd want the paternity test before the delivery.

VaSteve · 07-13-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Icemaster
Congratulations. First?

You're not crazy, she is. Both times the wife had a sonogram, there was no way we couldnt find out, it was too damn obvious.

We found out then kept it a secret from everyone else. Drove them ape$hit.

Had the same reasoning that you do, how do you get the room done without knowing.

My boy was "balls out!" No mistaking that!

It was a freaking riot keeping the secret. When he was born I got a nice digital photo with his leg crosses over it. I showed the folks (before they could see the baby). I had a long sleeve shirt on to cover the blue band. They said "what is it?" I said "a baby!!"

We painted the top of the nusury yellow and the bottom blue. Wife doesn't like pink (neither do I

) so that was our excuse. Nice stuff animal border with one pink animal.

My sister in law was pissed. She thought for months it was a girl.

VaSteve · 07-13-2005, 05:29 PM

Oh and BTW. Don't try the following:
- have a pregant wife
- have the engine out of the car
- start painting the baby's room
- look for a new job

All at the same time! It all turned out well. Furtunately.

lendaddy · 07-13-2005, 05:45 PM

My first was "spankin tha monkey" in his sonogram, kinda took the drama out of it

We` knew/know on both and`can't imagine waiting "sooooooooo much to prepare for). Second is due in October

BlueSkyJaunte · 07-13-2005, 06:22 PM

Paternity test not necessary. Child was conceived in Japan--I'll know when s/he comes out if I'm the father or not.

This is our first. Given my wife's tendency to overplan for anything an everything I'm surprised at her insistance at not knowing the sex. Shrug.

VaSteve: I'm trying to avoid that very thing.

Well, switch chopper for car and I might be in exactly that situation.

Thanks all. I'm new to this stuff so any feedback/advice/caveats are welcome.

LeeH · 06:39 PM

Aaron - Congratulations! I was in your shoes when we were expecting. I desperately wanted to know and Tammy didn't want to know. The concept of having a child was hard for me to grasp. I explained to her that knowing if we were having a boy or a girl would better allow me to mentally prepare for fatherhood.

The doctor had placed the answer in an envelope in our file. Christmas fell right at mid-term for us. I was relieved when I opened one of my gifts to find that little envelope inside. I definitely would has slipped if I was the only one who knew, so I'm glad she caved.

Dennis Kalma · Dennis Kalma's Garage

Just keep in mind the process is not perfect. Our second, turns out the umbilical cord was in the wrong spot at the wrong time and they deduced it was a boy.

Wife, on the other hand, was totally convinced it was a girl, to the point where we painted the room pink, bought little girl things etc etc.

When my daughter was born, wife was unsurprised, doctors were in a state of shock.

Score:
Women's intuition - 1
Doctors - 0

Dennis