Adababy Itsa...

I can't wait to make that phone call. :) I'm almost 19 weeks along, le bebe is now about the size of a sweet potato, its current resting place is supposedly the size of a cantaloupe (though somehow still fairly hidden in my long torso), and I go in for a gender sonogram on Monday! It'll be so nice to have a pronoun to use safely.

Evidently, being able to find out the baby's gender is a fairly new luxury. Using ultrasound technology didn't become commonplace until the 1980's, so before then you relied on old wives' tales, and even then it was a coin toss. For my parents, who were cautious of using the expensive newer technology, my heartbeat was quite misleading. ;) And actually, even the ultrasound can be misleading!

For me, signs point toward a little chiquita, but I will be curious to see if these rumors actually apply:

heartbeat

A little girl is said to have a heartbeat quicker than 140 bpm. Mine's been coming up at 157 bpm.

mood swings

A girl, with all of those extra female hormones, is said to make you extra moody during your nine months. Mmmmm…I may be guilty.

cravings

A baby boy makes you crave salty and sour, while a girl brings out the sweet tooth. I'm having such a hard time passing up dessert displays. It's also said that dairy cravings indicate girl, and spicy and protein-rich foods indicate boy - I'm wanting more of both of those!

boobs

If you notice significant growth in this area, start buying the pink! They're up at least a cup size over here. (It is not helping my posture!)

face shape

If your face rounds out while you're preggers, it's said to be a little girl. You know, it's tough to tell on this one. I've been feeling a bit chipmunk-y lately, but it also might be something only I notice.

complexion

Supposedly, when you are expecting a girl, she will steal your beauty from you. I'm not going to lie, some evenings when I get home from work I swear up and down that she's in there. Though I've also had a few people comment that I'm glowing every now and then.

hubby weight

If your partner gains some sympathy weight, it may be a girl. (...)

morning sickness

Signs point to pink if you've been suffering from morning sickness. I have not been that sick, actually. I did suffer from nausea a few times during the first trimester, but nothing too overwhelming.

baking soda + urine

This gender test is based on pH levels. Any fizz when you mix points to blue. I tried this at about three and a half months, and no fizz! (There's also a similar test that involves Drano which I have not tried. Maybe this weekend.)

bump locale

If your baby bump is higher up, it's a girl. Lower is a boy. I don't have any visual clues yet on this one, but when I try to feel where the baby might be, it seems pretty low.

bump shape

A little boy will make for a pointier belly, all out in front. A girl will be more rounded, and you may get wider. Again, it's tough to tell right now.

wedding ring

This is another one that I'm unable to do at the moment, but seems like fun. Tie your wedding band to a string and have someone hold it over your belly. If it sways back and forth, you are having a boy, and if it circles it'll be a girl.

ancient mayan prediction

The Mayans looked at the age of the mother at conception and the year of it. If both are odd or even, it's a girl. If one is even and one is odd, it's a boy. I conceived in 2012 at the ripe old age of 26.

Geez, after looking through these, it looks like having a little lady in the belly makes for a rough nine months! But whatever he or she turns out to be, it will all have been worth it. :)

...any bets?

[ baby boy shoes can be found at Tea Collection (and are listed as both boy and girl shoes); baby girl shoes can be found at this très chic french online shop, Little Fashion Gallery. ]