Girl or Boy?

Manu and I discovered that I was pregnant after the preggy test showed two bars – which can only mean one thing -- positive. Weeks before that I actually felt being “pregnant” and when I missed my period I knew I was conceiving. Aside from being regular, I have never missed a period in my entire adult life. So, when I saw the result of the test, it was more of a confirmation than a surprise – at least to me.
For Manu, I believe, it was something else. His reaction was a bit off-handed and the least I expected. His face was not a picture of a future dad floating in cloud nine. His was a portray of someone flying somewhere in the milky way without oxygen mask and astronaut costume. He was totally pale, and was practically seeing stars. Well, he was in the universe, wasn’t he?
I’m not saying that he didn’t want us to have a child yet. On the contrary, we planned this conception really well. But when reality hits home, I guess, it could sink pretty scary.
The episode of the pregnancy testing will forever register in my not-so-big memory storage. I remember being upset of seeing his reaction. Ideally, I wanted him to jump of joy until the neighbor below us would start banging their roof, direct to our bathroom floor. But adding insult to the injury or adding injury to the insult, whichever, Manu was accusing me of not doing it the right way. That since the instructions were in français, I could have misunderstood everything. In the midst of our chaotic emotions and confused neurons, I was deeply, deeply happy. I am going to have a child. And he likes it or not, the test was telling the truth.
Anyhow, Manu adjusted really quickly to the idea that I’m going to be a whale for the next nine months. Although, I have never received a “you-are-going-to-be-a-great-mom” bracelet, he was nevertheless a very supportive, thoughtful and responsible partner. I couldn’t ask for more during the duration of my pregnancy.
Manu was really vocal and expressive when David was still inside me. By then, we didn’t know it was a boy. First of all he wanted it to be a boy, girl, he thinks, would be his constant headache. He could not imagine his daughter, all grown-up, flirting with other boys. He also thinks having a girl would be a constant unwanted noise in the house. And most of all, he thinks, if it’s a girl, there will be two naggers in the house, constantly bickering about nothing, and him caught in between. I have known a bit of this chauvinistic side of Manu before, but boy, how it surfaced wildly during our gender-preferences discussion. On the sweet innocent side, he thinks, it’s really ideal to have a boy first then girl next. The big brother will take care of the younger sister, so he says. Just like the way my two big brothers took care of me.
For me, at the early onset of my pregnancy, I was thinking of wanting a girl. How can you resist all the pink silky ribbons, pink little socks, sweet pink hats and alluring pink dresses with tassels and laces? Besides, I practically grew up in a testosterone-loaded environment, my mom sick-worried I would turn out a tomboy. I have five brothers and most of my high school and university friends were guys. I thought a baby girl would be a blast! This was my longing during my early stage of pregnancy, but as second month came, my mind has changed. I wanted a boy for a really conventional- down-to-earth reason – to carry the name of my husband. (Mind you, in our modern civilization, girls have the choice to carry the names they wanted). Anyway, come the middle of my pregnancy, I didn't care anymore if it's a girl or a boy. All I ever wanted and prayed for was to have a healthy child – be it a boy or be it a girl. And with this came the realization that we are entering a new chapter of our married life.