surprise surprise

It seems like the first thing people ask you these days

when you tell them that you are expecting is

"Do you know what you're having?"

I'm generally a bit cheeky and reply

"A baby. Fingers crossed anyway."

But of course I know what they mean.

With the progress in ultrasound technology

it's now pretty much a standard 

that you can find out what gender your baby is 

when you are scanned around 20 weeks.

And from the people I speak to

it seems like the vast majority take up the offer.

Our beautiful boy was a surprise.

Throughout my pregnancy he was fondly referred to as Dollop

because I didn't like calling my unborn child 'It'.

And I have no hesitation in saying that we will have a surprise again this time.

The baby that I am currently growing in my tummy has been fondly named Splodge

and that is what it will continue to be called 

until he or she appears and can be given a real name.

We loved having a surprise last time around

and I guess it's quite natural to want to repeat things the second time around.

I know that every parent is excited to meet their baby

but I know that for us

the anticipation of also finding out if we were going to have a son or a daughter

made it all the more exciting.

One of the most entertaining things about being pregnant

was getting to hear every ones theories on what they thought I would have based on

the shape of my bump,

the height of my bump,

how my skin was,

whether I had morning sickness.

One woman told me with absolute certainty that a Gemini mum and a Libra dad having an Aquarius baby

meant that it was most definitely a girl!

I got, quite literally, hours of entertainment out of it.

All the while knowing that I really didn't care what my baby was

as long as it was healthy.

I think of it as being a bit like knowing what your Christmas presents are before you open them,

it's still so very exciting,

but I don't think it's quite as exciting as a surprise.

And it's funny because I am a bit of a control freak at times

and most people think that finding out would appeal to me.

Believe me it does,

but after using all my willpower not to find out last time

I'm so so glad that I didn't.

There were time that we wished we had found out,

especially towards the end when I was big and fat and twiddling my thumbs waiting for my baby.

And every time we disagreed about names

my husband would point out that if we knew the sex it would be half the work.

But we survived.

And when he was actually born

despite the fact that the only instruction on my birth plan was that I wanted my husband to tell me what the baby was,

he forgot to look

and I forgot to ask,

until we were prompted by the midwife who was desperate to see our reactions.

The thing was that, actually it didn't matter.

We wanted a baby.

And that was what we had.

We love it instantly

and whether it was a boy or girl really didn't matter.

Another thing which I have heard an awful lot of this pregnancy is

"Oh, wouldn't it be lovely if you had a little girl?"

Well yes, it would.

But no more or less lovely than having another little boy.

I guess a lot of people crave one of each and that's why they say this

but I can honestly say that I will be thrilled either way.

I'd love a little girl on day 

because I would love to one day have the relationship which I share with my own mum.

But I'd also love another boy too

especially to get to see the beautiful boy with a little brother.

Maybe it's because I don't feel like this is my last baby.

I know that you never know what's around the corner

but I just don't feel 'done' yet.

I can't imagine not being pregnant again after this time.

I guess time will tell.

Splodge may arrive and complete our family in a way we couldn't imagine.

But whatever happens

our little Splodge will definitely be a surprise come September,

and we will be over the moon with our baby,

whether its a boy or a girl.