Kick it...and I'm not talking about The Beastie Boys

As I laid in bed the other night, propped on my pillow, deep in thought...not really, just watching TV...and "WHAM", Jamie sounds startled, arms flailing away from her body; I dang near pee myself because the commotion frightened me terribly. She looks at me all giddy and smiling and says "I think I just felt the baby kick!"..."there it goes again!"

With confusion, uncertainty, worry, intrigue, joy, disbelief, I began to smile and she grasps my hand as I wrestle it away from the blankets and place it directly on her belly. Nothing! I'm thinking I missed this milestone, or maybe it's as stubborn as me and my wife!!! So, she holds my hand down on her belly, with her hand, and jiggles at the babe and "KABLAMMY" this little mythical being, that we've only seen as much as Sasquatch, blasts a left hook into my hand! I ripped my hand away so fast and just as quickly put it back. The babe kicked one more time and my face lit up like the Grinch when "his heart grew from two sizes too small"..."to three sizes too big!"

We're half way until we get to meet our babe!!!

Kicks!

20 weeks brings the first kicks!  

I've done some reading that you can start to feel your baby moving around at about 15-16 weeks, although many first time mothers miss it.  And really, that's more like "Jonathan's done some reading..."  He keeps me informed!  Anyway, I'm pretty sure that I'm the first time mother they refer to in these readings.  Around weeks 18 & 19, I thought I felt something inside there, but it was quick.

Last night, however, we felt the first official kick that I'm aware of (I'll add that disclaimer).  It was around 9:30 pm and, luckily, Jonathan was home for the evening!  We felt 3-4 kicks, which was pretty exciting!  I know the thing will won't stop from this point forward, so I'm sure that excitement will wear off, but nonetheless, and exciting milestone to report!

Boys vs. Girls from the XYs of the Spryn Household

While my wife continues to propose these preposterous indicators of a boy or girl, it is in the greatest interest of Drake, Dace and me to keep the dominance in the household. All three of us are anticipating a boy in hopes of putting the series at 4-1. However, we will be excited for a healthy baby in any instance. Folklore indicates Coakley girls are ruthless, persuasive and never wrong...all characteristics of a boy. It's a win win for the family!

Although we have no plausible method in determining the sex of baby Spryn, we will continue to speculate and make attempts to make the data work for us.

Sincerely,
The XYs

Boy or Girl? Predictor Test #2

Jonathan and I visited the doctor just a bit ago for our first tummy ultrasound.  In addition to a ton of measurements and pictures, we have a new heartbeat -- 154 beats per minute.


That leads us to Predictor Test #2: The old wives tale of a fast beating heart...

• Fetal heart rates above 140 bpm suggest girl
• Fetal heart rates below 140 bpm suggest boy

Results of the heart rate test suggest... GIRL!

That brings our score to Girl 2, Boy 0.

Boy or Girl? Predictor Test #1

Let the questions begin (more like continue...)

• When are your due?
• How are you feeling?
• Have you been sick?
• Are you finding out what you are having, boy or girl?
• What names do you have picked out?
• Have your started your nursery?
• Are you coming back to work?

The list goes on and on.  All part of the deal, I suppose.  The biggest question seems to be in relation to boy or girl.  Of course, there are many "tests" out there to predict the sex of your unborn child.  Since we plan to skip that ultrasound option, we might as well indulge in these tests.  So... here we go with test #1!

Test #1:  Ancient Chinese Gender Chart/Predictor

Accuracy of this predictor tool is said to be 50/50.  I mean, you can't get much better than that, can you?! This tool uses your Chinese lunar age and a month of conception to determine boy or girl.  

Results of the Ancient Chinese Gender Chart suggest....  GIRL!

Stay tuned for future tests!  I've read some pretty interesting ones online.  Where do people come up with some of these?  A cabbage test?  Drano test that must be completed outdoors? (<- I think we'll be skipping that one!)