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Friday, April 1, 2011

You Think You Know, Huh, Stranger?

In a random blog-perusing-nursing-session this morning, I had to chuckle at this post by kojo designs -- The Universal "Baby Girl" Symbol. Ah yes, every mom's frustration with the stranger gender specifying syndrome, which this mom of a cute little girl knows the solution for.

But I'm a mom of a baby BOY. 

One of the reasons I wanted to find out what we were having while I was pregnant was so that I wouldn't acquire a host of yellows and greens and other such neutrals that shout "Guess what! I'm cute and I could be a boy, or I could be a girl! Guess again!" and therefore have to create signs that declare "I'M A BOY" to hang obnoxiously above his head so that my you-offended-me-because-you-think-you-can-tell-a-girl-apart-from-a-boy-and-you-suck-at-it vein wouldn't start throbbing in my forehead.

So the greens and yellows and neutrals that did end up in Jimmy's wardrobe are only worn around close friends and family who know he's a boy and will never ever doubt it.

But there are still those know-it-all's who can't notice the blues or the camo or the planes and cars or the duh-look-at-those-big-boyish-hands, not to mention the lack of pinks, ruffles and bows that this mom would dress her baby girl in if she had one. The worst was the friendly lady who boasted of her four grandchildren who stopped me and my cute baby in a hotel lobby. She gently tickled and gushed over his cuteness and inflated my mommy ego.

(Confession: I take a lot of pride in being this baby's mommy, so I immediately fall in love with anyone who is charmed by my baby boy.)

"Boy or girl?" She asked with a smile.

I gulped in shock; staring at the train running across the bib of the baby-boy-in-my-arms' overalls; you did not just seriously ask that, did you?

And before I could respond she gently stroked his fuzzy red head and declared, "You're just too pretty to be a boy aren't you? Yes you are!"

"Maam, I truly am so sorry your grandsons are ugly," I replied while the words that came out of my mouth were actually; "No, you tell her that you really are a boy!"

So anyway. With all these baby girls that all my friends and family are having, I think I shall do them a favor and learn how to create these super cute bows and such so at least people will know what a baby girl looks like. And in the mean time I guess the little Jimmy boy will just have to continue sucking on blue pacifiers and wearing his shirt that declares, "daddy's happy I'M A BOY".

5 comments:

LeAnna said...

Gaaaaah, yes, I know this one well. I had Sprig dressed like a girl, all covered in a PINK polka dotted blanket and someone assumed she was a boy because her car seat is grey and black. When my son was little people would always ask, too. Despite all the boy gear. Most people are smart enough to ask and then wait until you respond. Ha!

beka said...

straaaange! i've totally seen it though. weird people, assuming and not noticing details. what the?

Jenna said...

A few days ago, I was thinking of commenting that Jimmy is looking like his daddy (in the Grateful 32 post). He's definitely all boy!

Lisl said...

Hmmm...and here I assumed that if I lived in the States, I wouldn't have that problem. Here in Thailand, people will wear pink on their boys...etc.! And Jube has these blue blue eyes and blond hair so I still get asked now and then,"Puu ying, puu chai?" (Boy or girl?)So this next baby is a girl, but I anticipate the same question, even though I plan to dress her in pink, etc.

Anonymous said...

ah! i was asked that just the other day!!! he's over a year already!!!!!