Baby FAQs

As Paul and I spread the news about my pregnancy, we were quick to receive the congratulations of family and friends. And then came the questions.

I'm happy to answer them. I like talking about the baby, since that's pretty much all I'm thinking about right now anyway. In any case, here's a few of the questions we've received, and feel free to ask your own in the comments if I've forgotten anything!

When's the baby due?
November 22 -- Thanksgiving Day

Is it a boy or girl?
Too early to tell. 

Do you want to know if it's a boy or girl?
Paul and I are agreed: We both want to know.

Do you want a boy or a girl?
I slightly want a girl, and Paul slightly wants a boy. But really, both of us will be thrilled with a happy, healthy baby of either gender.

Were you trying?
I've been surprised by how often this question has come up. Maybe it's because we've been married for almost nine years and some people figure we would've had a kid by now if we wanted one. But in fact, we had been trying for several months. Just because we didn't tell you (and by "you" I mean everyone -- we didn't tell a single soul) doesn't mean it wasn't on our minds or in our plans!

Was there any specific moment in which you knew you wanted a child?
I can honestly say no. Right now I see it as a decision Paul and I made after many years of discussion and serious consideration. In a few years maybe I'll look back on myself as the stereotypical 30-year-old who heard the tick-tock of her biological clock. But Paul and I began seriously discussing the possibility of a child (and not just theoretically) a year or more ago.

Any strange cravings?
A few so far. At first about the only thing I could stand was hard-boiled eggs. Then a daily craving for cantaloupe. I still eat both of those, but my true loves right now are watermelon, which I'd always been indifferent to, and baked potatoes. The worst thing, however, have been my food aversions. After 15+ years of an almost daily peanut butter sandwich and banana, I only recently started eating peanut butter (on toast only) after a hiatus of a month or so, and I haven't been able to eat bananas since about the beginning of April.

How are you?
Excited, nervous and nauseous, not always in that order.

How's Paul?
The same, minus the nausea. He's also gotten very adept at catering to my every whim. That includes making midnight watermelon runs and 7 a.m. vanilla milkshakes.