It’s a girl! But we already knew that. I hate to say I’ve ‘come to terms’ with the idea of being a girl mom because it sounds like I didn’t WANT a girl. I truly, TRULY wanted a healthy baby and so far that’s what we have. But for the first 12 weeks I convinced myself our Hannah Beth had a penis.
I’ve been settling into a baby registry of pink and bows. But I still have mini anxiety attacks over raising a girl, ESPECIALLY in this political and social climate where being a woman is hard. Here’s my internal argument which I have on a daily basis:
I don’t how to take care of a girl! I KNOW how to take care of a boy: True, but you didn’t know how to take care of a boy, yet here we are six years later with a boy who is thriving. You’ll figure it out.
Mothers and daughters have difficult relationships: Probably true, but despite some hard years, I have an amazing relationship with my mom.
But I can’t do hair/makeup/style: This is true. Have you seen my frizz lately? If I can’t buy my shampoo from Harris Teeter Express Lane, I won’t have any. And why do I use a grocery store pickup? Because I think my weekend sweatpants have a hole in the crotch. Which would make sense because I’ve had them for a minimum of eight years. But guess what? There’s YouTube and my awesome Momma community who will come to the rescue. And ponytail holders.
Girls notoriously have mood swings, attitudes, and are referred to as ‘spirited’: Probably true? I have no idea. I know lots of little girls who are ‘spirited’ and their parents adapted. You’re supposed to raise the kid you have, not the kid you expected or hoped for. Also, as for mood swings and attitudes … boys have them too.
So as my brain is busy telling me why having a girl is going to be a nightmare, my heart, and soul (and friends, and family) are telling me how amazing and special it will be and how S. and I will rock at raising an emotionally intelligent little feminist.
