My friend Megan called this weekend to tell me the good news - her ultrasound shows that a baby girl is on the way (and that she's healthy)!  It is such exciting news.  Of course, a boy would be exciting too, but there's something special about a girl.  I'm certainly no expert, and I only have one of each from which to draw my conclusions, but there are definite differences between the boy and girl in my house.  For example:

Girls make you cry (so far in a good way).  Through all of the ultrasounds we had both times I was pregnant, we were very careful not to find out what we were having in either pregnancy.  I always figured I'd have all boys since that was what my fortune-telling Italian professor told me years ago.  When I was being prepared for my c-section with Martin I was so nervous I was almost hyperventilating.  When he arrived and I heard all was well, I was so relieved.  When I was being prepped for my earlier-than-scheduled c-section with Sophie, I was more calm probably because I knew more about what to expect.  But when she said that it was a girl, I just started bawling.  I truly didn't expect it, and was more thrilled than I would have imagined.  Turns out it was good that she was a girl because on the way into the delivery room Marty told me that he'd hoped all along that we'd have a girl.  It was a little late for that, but it worked out in his favor. 

Girls really love their momma.  Although this can be sometimes exhausting, I'll admit that there's nothing like being the one that she reaches for more than anyone.  With Martin, he'd go to anyone and sometimes wouldn't even notice if I'd leave the room.  Not Sophie.  She has an eye on me all the time and it's usually pretty easy for her since she's usually in my arms or tugging on my leg.

Girls are careful.  A few years ago, my friend Sara told me about her daughter Paige carrying a bowl of snacks from one room to another.  I asked her how she got Paige to do it, and she said that she just told her to be careful.  I tried this with Martin and until about a week ago we were unsuccessful.  Every bowl of snacks would end up on the floor.  This was the same day that Sophie mastered the same task.

Girls play differently.  When Sophie plays with dolls, she rocks and holds and snuggles and kisses them.  With Martin, they get whipped across the room and ride in his trucks.  When Sophie plays with trucks, she tries to ride on them or carries them like a baby.  Martin rams them into each other and pretends that every truck is doing "some work".

Girls wear pink.  When Martin was born, the green and yellow stuff that he received before his arrival seemed perfectly suitable for him.  Sophie didn't really have the same chance because after her arrival, the "great wave of pink" started arriving.  Dresses, shirts, onesies, blankets, and even a cashmere sweater (dry clean only and babies don't mix, but it is so lovely) arrived - all in pink.  Somehow, it seemed important for her to be easily identifiable as a girl.  Luckily, the "great wave of pink" will continue to carry her through well into her 2's.

It is fun having both a boy and a girl.  It's fascinating to see how they are different as people and maybe some parts of it really do have to do with gender.  Either way, there's really something special about a girl.  And Megan, I'm so glad you are going to have the chance to find out if you feel the same.

Now, the next friend to declare pregnancy and for whom it turns out that a boy is on the way, I'll start preparing my statements for why boys are special, too.