the tie breaker

We don't really have a pet name for this baby in the belly.  The kids call it "mommy's tummy baby".  Matt has, off and on, referred to baby as "number four".  I often just point to my belly and say "this one" :) 

Well, this past week it kind of took me off guard when Matt rubbed my tummy and said "how ya doing number five?"  The more we picture our family with John Paul safely tucked into our little home, the more we think of ourselves as parents of five. 

Five!  And with two older sisters, and two older brothers, this belly baby is our tie breaker.  Which way will the pendulum swing - more boys in our family? or more girls?

Probably 90% of the people who guess based on how I'm carrying say "boy".  I hear "all in the front, high, round... that's a boy!"

Exhibit A:

And I always respond, "but I've carried every single one of my babies exactly like this"

Rolling towards 36 weeks and it's hard to imagine that baby is going to gain maybe 2 (!?!?!?) more (!!!!!) pounds!!!!  oh dearie me. 

36 weeks used to be when we traveled - so in my previous three pregnancies I spent this week packing!  And yes, I am soooo grateful to not be packing up loads of luggage.  Instead, I'm working on my to-do list (still getting longer at this point) and trying to get the big three ready too.  Julianna was a new three year old and Lydia one short day past the 19 month mark when we welcomed our last little baby to the fold so in many respects this is a new experience for almost everyone! 

[Yes, our kids are closely spaced.  With the addition of John Paul it looks like this:
Julianna, followed 19 month later by
Lydia, followed 19 months later by, 
Isaac, and 22 months later, totally unknown to us at the time,
John Paul's birth.  John Paul will be 14 months old March 1st. 
Belly baby will *hopefully* be here before April!]
 
And this little tie-breaker belly baby?  Will come home from the hospital wearing one of these hats!

I''m not as convinced as the masses that baby is a boy.  But I also can't mentally commit to girl.  I just hover in the middle, curious and waiting.  Honestly, at this point after not knowing for so long it seems odd to me that one day in the not too distant future we will know! 

A little girl caboose to our current kid train seems almost two cute for words.  Oh I love being a momma to my girls.  Three boys born in three years... just amazing.  Matt said if baby is boy we'll buy a triple bunk, double the carpet padding in their room and hope for the best :)  And as precious as my girls are, my one (currently in the home) little boy has stolen my heart as well. 

At the end of the day my honest to goodness opinion is I JUST CAN'T DECIDE!  So we'll wait and see just what God has set for our family! 

I see the doctor again tomorrow morning.  Last time I went (around 32 weeks) baby was mostly head down, but in a pretty non-committal position.  He/she looked like they might change their mind and pull a little flip at any moment!  So I'm looking forward to double-checking tomorrow.