Week 35

How far along? 35 Weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain: Somewhere between 26-30 lbs. would be my guess

Maternity clothes? Yep. And I've moved on to Justin's stash of old t-shirts. It is not appropriate for me to wear my t-shirts out in public, even if I'm just out for a walk.

Stretch marks? Haven't seen one yet.

Sleep: We got an AC unit which has helped us both sleep a little more soundly. Dream-wise? Last night I dreamt I delivered the baby at home by myself (no big deal) but couldn't keep the baby awake to eat for more than 30 seconds. The book I'm reading suggests keeping tired babies awake so they get a full meal vs. a "snack," and dream baby was not cooperating! 

Best moment(s) this week: Getting our hospital bag semi-ready, hearing that Heather B. made and mailed some cookies to me and also finding out that the case of they missing birthday cookies I mailed to Tara more than a month ago has been solved. They were there the whole time, but the morons in her apt. office didn't have their act together. 

Miss anything? My Cali friends and California produce.

Movement: It appears BT likes to stretch, just like me. This morning I think it was doing a near-perfect headstand, with it's little feet trying to push my sternum out of the way. Justin also got to feel one of BT's more rambunctious moving moments...the ones that usually happen when JT is at work. He was so excited! 

Food cravings: Berries. Burritos (satisfied). Heather B's cookies (soon to be satisfied). Mom's mac 'n cheese (satisfied). I've definitely had stronger feelings about food this week than at any pregnancy point so far.   

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: ??

Labor signs: No, but some of the BH contractions are combined with lower back pain and I catch myself holding my breath.

Symptoms: I cried during the Olympic swimming tryouts when they showed the parents of the winning racer. There was just so much joy on their faces that I cried tears of joy right along with them. JT doesn't understand how that works out exactly, but I told him it's good that he's gone during the day when I watch TV...

Belly button in or out? Still an in/out.

Wedding rings on or off? On. 

Happy or moody most of the time: Anxious and tired.

Looking forward to: Baby's due date, 4th of July celebrations with friends, week 37 when BT is considered "full term," friends coming to visit next week and the sun being around for at least 10 days, according to the forecast.

Freezer: stocked!

 

I've been planning for a few weeks to stock the freezer with meals for when BT arrives. I can only imagine the last thing I'll have time for in the first few weeks is actually making a meal...that is unless BT is a perfect little angel and likes nothing more than sitting in its bouncy seat on the kitchen floor, watching me make a seven-course gourmet meal.

Not that I've ever actually made, nor do I have plans to make a seven-course gourmet meal.

One can still hope for a perfect little angel BT, right?

I've slowly gathered recipes for freezable crock pot meals (thank you, Pinterest), gladly accepted a few bags of mom's marinara to freeze, stocked up on ground turkey to freeze and have also portioned out and ziplocked serving-size scoops of the cranberry-nut trail mix from Costco. They used to sell single-servings in a large box, but now it only comes in a huge bulk bag...think you can fool me, Costco?! That's why I asked for a food scale last Christmas. Muuaahahahaa.

It was a rainy and unseasonably cold yesterday so I decided a crock pot meal was in order. I also decided yesterday was the day I'd purchase all necessary ingredients to make the rest of the crock pot recipes, so off to Super 1 I went.

It must have been my lucky day because Super 1 also had a sale on mac n' cheese...only 98 cents a box! Fun fact: the spiral mac n' cheese is considerably (that's a relative term) more healthy (again, a relative term) than the regular mac n' cheese.

Here are a few of the meals from Pinterest chillin' in my freezer right now. Two of which we've already taste-tested, so I threw in a few of my own tweaks and serving suggestions:

The pictures and recipes are from the blog Ring Around the Rosies.

Note: I'm using pre-frozen chicken breasts that are a tad on the small side compared to the large, fresh chicken breasts I see at the store. That said, I eyeball the amount of other ingredients and then determine if I should add an extra chicken breast to the bag. Example: I put three in each bag for the Chicken Teriyaki and I'm glad I did.

Note II: Each recipe calls for the listed measurements and ingredients to be split equally amongst two bags/containers so you get two meals from each recipe. Each serves two adults dinner for at least two nights. The Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Black Beans and Corn also made enough for a few lunches on top of two dinners.

Note III: Make sure to thaw each bag in the fridge a day beforehand before use. Don't put 100% frozen ingredients in the crock pot.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn

Sounds like a dish I know the California peeps will love!

• 6 chicken breasts
• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 large bag of frozen corn (or two smaller bags)
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 finely chopped red onion
• 2 cans of black beans (I did not drain them)
• 2 tsp cumin or chipotle powder
• salt/pepper to taste

Instructions: Split everything into two containers. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for container: Place in fridge a day ahead to thaw. Cook on low 7-8 (check at 7 hours) hours or high 4 hours, serve with hot tortillas or tostitos. Dress with sour cream, guacamole, and/or cheese.

Make sure to check this around hour 7. Ours started charring a bit close to hour 8. 

I shredded the chicken once it was done cooking and then put it back in with the corn and bean mixture. Made for easier serving. 

For serving, I used Mission's Corn & Whole Wheat Artisan Style Tortillas and much preferred that flavor over regular corn tortillas. I also sliced up avocado (instead of guac) and diced tomatoes for a fresh factor.  

Teriyaki Chicken

• Medium bag of baby carrots
• 1 red onion into large chunks
• 2 large cans pineapple (undrained)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 chicken breasts (I suggest 6 if the pieces are smaller)
• 1 cup Teriyaki sauce

Instructions: Follow directions above, and split everything into two gallon freezer bags. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for bag: Place in fridge a day ahead to thaw. Add 1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce to crock pot, Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Serve over hot rice.

I served it over brown rice and it was delish! The original recipe called for a medium-large bag of carrots, but that's A LOT of carrots compared to the rest of the ingredients, so I recommend just a medium bag or 2-3 cups per container.

Lazy Day Stew

Haven't tried it yet, but I have two bags sitting in my freezer! Yes, I did add in lima beans. We'll see if Justin picks them out or not :)

• 4lb cubed stewing beef
• 4 cups baby carrots
• 4 cups baby red potatoes (cut in half)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 10 oz package dried lima beans (optional)
• 2 cups celery, chopped (4-5 stalks)
• 4 tsp quck-cooking tapioca
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce (1/2 in each bag)
• 2 cup water
• 2 Tbs brown sugar

Instructions: Follow directions above, and put everything into two one gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for bag: Place in fridge a day ahead to thaw. Cook on low 8 hours. Eat as a soup, or serve over hot noodles or rice. Add a bit of shredded cheddar or mozzarella.

Chicken Divine

Have yet to try this one too...two bags are in the freezer. I think the cream of chicken and milk in this dish will make it deliciously comforting and filling. 

•  
• 6 chicken breasts
• 4 cups baby carrots
• 4 cups fresh broccoli (chopped)
• 2 onions
• salt/pepper to taste
• 2 cartons of cream of chicken soup (add 1 each at cook time)
• 2 cup milk (add 1 each at cook time)

Instructions: Split everything into two containers. shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for container: Place in fridge a day ahead to thaw. Add 1 cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of milk, cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4 hours.

I'm also thinking 1 cup of rice + 1 cup water (so 1/2 c. ea. per container) would work well in here. Or just serve it with prepared rice. 


Savory Chicken

I have yet to make this one...I'm out of room in the freezer!

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 4 Tbs white wine
• 2 bay leafs
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion (put one small in each bag)
• 1 cup chicken broth 
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 cups broccoli (*add when cooking)

Instructions: Follow directions above, and put everything (except broccoli) into two gallon freezer bags. Shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. Instructions for bag: Place in fridge a day ahead to thaw. Cook on low 8 hours, *add broccoli during the last 30 minutes.

No-Bake Energy Bites with Chocolate & Peanut Butter

So...you're pregnant and find yourself craving a cookie. Unfortunately, you're out of some essential cookie ingredients. Plus, it's a hotter-than-normal day, there's no AC in the house and you also have found yourself lacking the energy needed to actually bake cookies.

Solution: make some no-bake energy bites!

I found this recipe on a food writer's blog called All About Food. I originally stumbled upon her blog for work, but began following it for pleasure. I like her writing, her recipes and her occasional shout out to Scandinavian heritage and recipes (she's from Minnesota). If you're in CA and have a Meyer lemon tree [sad sniff], I suggest you try the Meyer Lemon Honey-Yogurt Tea Cake she featured. DELICIOUS!

The bites have been great little snacks to have in the fridge and one is enough to get me through a hunger twinge between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner.

Whether you're pregnant or not, I suggest making these and keeping a batch in the fridge. I can see where they'd be good to have around if you're a new mom (hello to all my new mom friends!), have a house full of kids home for summer break or just want to treat yourself with a not-so-devilish sweet treat every now and then!

Plus, how can you go wrong with a peanut butter & chocolate combination??

No-Bake Energy Bites

Recipe from All About Food.

·         1 cup old-fashioned oats

·         1/2 cup peanut butter

·         1/3 cup honey

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 cup coconut flakes

·         1/2 cup ground flax seeds (much cheaper if you buy whole flax seeds then grind them in a coffee grinder)

·         1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Let mixture chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll into 24 balls and enjoy. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

(via)

Week 34

How far along? 34 Weeks, 2 days.
Total weight gain: ~1-2 lbs. since the last dr. appt. 
Maternity clothes? Yep.
Stretch marks? Haven't seen one yet!
Sleep: Well...it's hotter lately, I have bizarre dreams (even more bizarre than usual...the latest featured the Kardashians...?!), I get some wicked Braxton Hicks when I lay back down from getting up to use the bathroom...I believe I'm being trained for long nights?
Best moment this week: I believe BT flipped from being heads up to heads down! Also, Justin got home late Thursday night from his SoCal trip and has no more long, plane-required trips planned until the end of August. Lastly, the coffee stand I swing through from time to time gives out free donuts on Fridays. Ehem. 
Miss Anything? I think I covered most of them already.
Movement: The other morning I felt what I believe to have been a foot figuring out it could hook itself under my ribs. Also, BT shifts from side to side occasionally, causing my tummy to be lopsided. When this happens, Justin calls BT a spawning salmon :)
Food cravings: Heather Brackett's amazing chocolate chip cookies. Rumor has it she's making some Friday and mailing them to Spokane! They're made with browned butter, peeps.
Anything making you queasy or sick: No.
Gender: Your guess is as good as mine! 
Labor Signs: None (at least I don't think so).
Symptoms: Losing my memory and occasional heartburn. Oh, and that hill I walk up to get to the park? I'm not going to walk up it anymore. I did earlier this week...at the slowest pace yet...and by the time I got to the park I was feeling lots of pressure and a pins-and-needles sensation in the baby area. I sat on a bench for a while until most of that passed, then experienced some Braxton Hicks while doing laps around the park. Since then, I've been driving to the park. Genius! I still get contractions with any exercise, but the prickly pressure pain isn't as intense. No more hills. 
Belly Button in or out? Still an in/out.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Though it's hotter this week so we'll see what happens. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Doing just fine, thank you very much.
Looking forward to: Finishing the cradle bumper project, Justin being home more often, the pork tenderloin with a blackberry compote I'm making for dinner tonight, the caramel macadamia nut crunch frozen yogurt I bought at the store and, call me crazy, but some good ol' summer weather! Enough of these thunder storms...bring on the sun!

Boom!

Baby Shower in Seattle

JT and I went to the Westside the weekend of June 9th for a baby shower hosted by my friend Sarah. We headed over Friday so Saturday before the shower we could go to my favorite restaurant in my old neighborhood, check out a friend's consignment shop for more baby goods, make plans for date night out on the town and simply spend time together while it's just the two of us.

We hadn't been back together since the day we left in late Dec. 2008, with our car packed to the brim as we started our California adventure!

Seattle skyline from Kerry Park

Sailing class at Shilshoe Bay Marina. It looked terrifying. I won't be trying it soon...I have a big enough issue about large ocean animals, like whales that eat seals, as it is. 

The absolute best dish at El Camino in Fremont: quesadillas de camarones. El Camino...try it, love it. 

Coming in at a close second: plantain chips, guac & salsa

BT and me at Kerry Park

The theme for the shower was "Ready to Pop!" It was held in the EMP suite at the Alexis Hotel downtown. Sarah's bro works there and kindly gave her the hookup! JT and I even got to stay in the room that night -- it was pretty suite!

Sarah made all sorts of pop-themed treats:

 Fruit POPs

Cake POPs

Blow POPs and Ring POPs

And the ladies and I had a fun time snacking, chatting and finally seeing each other after a long, long time apart!

Noshin' time

The grandmas and me: Mom, me and Karen

College roommate and buddy Tara

The girls...Back: Sarah, Tara, Karen, Danielle, Season, Linsley. Front: me, mom. Popout: Marianne, Sarah's mom (she was playing photog)

Gtown, represent! Season, me and Linsley

Thanks, ladies, for a great day celebrating BT! I've been busy washing, hanging and putting away all of BT's new goods and can't wait to use my pedicure gift certificate!

Awww, look at my handsome husband! (And no, I'm not just saying that to distract you from my "storing up for winter" cheeks.) I'm feeling all lovey-dovey lately (hormone rush much?), and as such this pic made me feel like I'd like to take a moment to say how much I appreciate Justin. He's a hard worker, a provider, a believer, a builder, a lover, a comforter, a comedian, a protector, an encourager, one of the 100s in our strived-for 100-100 marriage (see the 3rd letter in this Pioneer Woman post for details), a mental sanity checker, a friend, a partner, a supporter, a listener, an adviser and much more. The guy even cleans the shower now that I can't bend over to reach the bottom of the tub! 

These are shots from the suite window...a beautiful night in Seattle!

Before we headed back Sunday to Spokane, we went to breakfast with our friends the Goulds and Justin's parents.

Then we spent 3 hours at Ikea. Yea. While there we got in a fight (who doesn't at Ikea -- they even made a 30 Rock episode about it), made up, found the perfect wardrobe for BT, found things we didn't really need but wanted anyway, identified our dream living room, discovered the warehouse didn't have the wardrobe doors we wanted, settled on different doors and then spent about 30 minutes rearranging the contents of our car to fit the wardrobe pieces. Thank goodness for blue Ikea rope and a back window on the car that opens so we could stick the box out the rear.

Whew! It was a jam-packed weekend, but we made it out of Ikea alive and back home in one piece, fueling up on Pita Pit in Ellensburg on the way.

Sweet Baby James

Justin took advantage of the time baby James was in town to test out his wiggly baby photography skillz. 

The following were snapped while Justin and dad entertained James between the time the babysitter left and when BT's baby shower ended. 

Not only did JT do a nice job getting James' attention for the camera, he captured a few of James' classic faces and a couple shots of James as he got the hang of crawling. 

"Oh! Hey there, Cousuncle Justin. What am I doing? I'm just sitting here, playing with my books and toys. What is that you have in your hand?"

"Well if you won't tell me, I'll just come over there. You see, I can crawl now. There's no stopping me!" 

"Humm...the contraption you're holding up to your face...it makes a fun 'click' sound."

"See how cute I am? May I see it?"



"Please?"

"Only when I'm bigger? Ok...so tomorrow is probably ok then, right? Yes! I can't wait for tomorrow!" 
(I think like to think this means James is super excited.)



"For now, I'll just read my book. But don't think I'll forget about tomorrow!"


-----------


And here are the two together:

Too cute!!

Week 33

How far along? 33 Weeks, 3 days.
Total weight gain: Last week I was up 25 lbs. I do not wish to nor will I weigh myself at home just to find out for this. I'll leave that blow for the Dr.'s office. 
Maternity clothes? Yep.
Stretch marks? Haven't seen one yet!
Sleep: I thought I was getting up a lot last week to use the bathroom...this week I'm up even more now. We're rolling (no pun intended) through the TP like crazy!
Best moment this week: Celebrating BT in Seattle at a shower with family and friends. (More on that later.) Justin and I also enjoyed a date day/night in Seattle before and after the shower. We went to El Camino in Fremont for the quesadilla de camarones (freaking amazing) and the plantains & guac, went to Shilshoe Bay to take pictures, drove by my old apartment in Fremont, pointed out old haunts and said "remember when...,"drove around Queen Anne, stopped at Kerry Park, walked along the pier, went to dinner at The Fisherman (The Crab Pot was our intention, but it was already 9 p.m., we weren't hungry enough for The Alaskan seafeast for two and the and the wait was suuuppper long), ate ice cream and just enjoyed spending time as just the two of us in the city where we spend our first few years in love.  
Miss Anything? My hips not aching in the morning. A full cup of coffee. A caffinated latte later in the day if I feel like it. Being able to walk through Ikea for hours without my feet running out of room in my shoes.
Movement: BT gets the hiccups more regularly now. Poor little thing. I hate getting the hiccups myself and can just imagine the little babe practically convulsing with each hiccup, not understanding what's going on. I can feel BT's hiccups on the inside and the outside when BT really gets going (which is cute, but I still feel bad for it). 
Food cravings: No, although I wrote about local (Bay Area)  halibut and white seabass for the newsletter that went out Wednesday. That night we had homemade fish tacos (so good!). One can only write about a topic for so long before one needs to eat said topic!
Anything making you queasy or sick: no, but suddenly our water has a weird taste...? I'm also really enjoying the chocolate frozen yogurt I picked up at the store.
Gender: Still going to be a surprise. Even the Old Wives' Tale test ended in a tie. 
Labor Signs: None (at least I don't think so).
Symptoms: People sure like to smile at pregnant people! I know I do it too; it's just strange being on the receiving end :) Does it continue once the kid is born or is it then that people become annoyed that there is a wee babe nearby? Also, BT keeps me quite toasty at night. I might be slightly chilly or at least comfortable, temperature-wise, most of the day, but once I lay down in bed I get super hot. Sometimes a sheet is even too much. This makes for an interesting night as Justin is usually the one that's overheated, not me...it doesn't help that I pile all the extra blankets on him during the night. 
Belly Button in or out? Still an in/out.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Though I don't put it on every day right now...I don't usually leave the house. Not that I have to leave the house to put on my rings, but I rarely even get out of my sweatpants...so...
Happy or Moody most of the time: Both, I suppose, though I don't have much to complain about and would like to think I'm happy most of the time.
Looking forward to: Justin being home this weekend! We're also going to pick up things on my "must have before BT comes" list. 

Baby Shower in Grandview

I can't believe it's been two weeks since Maggie, James and Aunt Kathy arrived for baby shower weekend...will the next few fly by at the same rate? AH!

I miss this sweet face - James is such a happy little guy! Also, no, that isn't a real spider. It's a rubber toy that James enjoyed throwing around and chasing...he really got good at crawling during his trip to WA!

The shower for BT was wonderful and filled with friends and family -- many I hadn't seen since moving back to Washington! 

I loved all the decorations, details, games and food. I even saved some of the decor to put in BT's room and baby book (I should get one of those, now that I think of it). 

 Delicious salads and desserts!

 I'm going to hang some of the tissue balls in BT's room!

Aunt Barbara's diaper wreath loaded with lots of goodies for BT.

 I LOVED the little owls everywhere! Some were standing, some were on the wall, others were hanging down -- every little detail was so cute!

BT loaded up on all sorts of goodies, from Bumbo seats and books to car seats, nail clippers and everything in between! 

A special thanks goes out to Aunt Barbara, Aunt Kathy and Maggie for hosting and putting the shower together, as well as Brianna, Carrie, Francie and all the little girls who helped with decorations, food and making sure everything came together for the celebration!

BT, who communicates through rolls and punches, sort of like the Morse code, told me it had a great time and can't wait to use all the fun toys, take baths, dry off, be read to and stay safe with all the goodies :) 

Nanny and me. She makes 92 look good! The arrival of BT will soon make this a four-generation photo.

That's an Old Wives' Tale!

Boy or girl? That is the question.

Maggie sent me a list of old wives' tales, which are said to indicate the gender of a baking babe...she did note, however, that the girl who did this originally showed results for a boy and she had a girl.

Either way, let's play for a verdict!

Old Wives' Tale Test #1: If you prefer sleeping on your right side, it’s a girl. If you prefer the left, you’re having a boy. This is a tough one...I've been mostly a lefty sleeper since JT and I wed, as he prefers the right side of the bed and I prefer facing out. However, whenever I flip to my right side I feel more comfortable than I do on the left...right side sleeping is short-lived though...so...inconclusive. 

Old Wives' Tale Test #2: Extreme nausea means you are having a girl. No nausea. Boy. 

Old Wives' Tale Test #3: If your hands are dry during pregnancy, expect a boy. If they are soft, you’re having a girl. Super dry. No lotion can keep the cracks from appearing on the backs of my hands. Boy.

Old Wives' Tale #4: If you’re craving citrus while pregnant, you’re having a girl. I like lemony things, but I do not crave citrus. Don't think I ever have...it has to do a bit with how difficult it is to access the fruit and that I don't care for any pith to be left on the segments. I'll take a banana over an orange any day. Boy. 

Old Wives' Tale #5: If altering hormones make your skin break out, expect a girl. Occasionally, yes. Girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #6: If you feel as if you’re gliding through the day, it’s a girl. Feel like you’re stumbling around and clumsy? It’s a boy. Broken glass count: 2. Fall count: 1. Near fall count: too many to count. Dropping things I believed I had a good grip on: at least twice daily. Boy. 

Old Wives' Tale #7: If your face gets fuller it means you’re having a girl. I think it is fuller. Anyone else thinking of Jeff Fuller right now? Girl.

Old Wives' Tale #8: Craving salt during pregnancy means a boy is on the way. Needing a little something sweet means it’s a girl. Do pickles count as salty? Cheese? Crackers? If we're taking "crave" literally, I haven't really craved anything. I don't always go for something sweet, nor do I always go for something salty or savory. So...inconclusive. 

Old Wives' Tale #9: If you’re experiencing pregnant mood swings, expect a girl to arrive soon. How moody does one have to be for it to be considered a swing? I've had days where TV commercials, amongst other things, make me weepy. I've had days where TV commercials, amongst other things, make me upset. My educated guess is Justin would say I'm moody, but not overly so. I can confidently say I'm definitely not in one type of mood all day long. This question is making my mood swing towards irritated, though ;) I can tell you that much. We'll go with moody. Girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #10: If you’re carrying the baby low it’s a boy. If your bump is high, it’s a girl. There isn't a lot of room here for anyone to tell if it's high or low. I mean, my ribs practically rub my hip bones as it is...no one has said, "you're carrying high," or "you're carrying low." Most people look at me and say, "it's hard to tell!" so...inconclusive.

Old Wives' Tale #11: If you’re carrying baby in front, it’s a boy. If the baby weight is spaced all around your middle, it’s a girl. Probably more front than middle or back, though I've tried to avoid looking at other areas or my rear reflection as much as possible...and I believe people are just being nice when they say, "you're all belly!" because I know my arms are beginning to look like ham-hocks. Now, I'd classify arms to be more of a front entity than a back, so...front (?). Boy.

Old Wives' Tale #12: Swing a pendulum around your middle. If it swings back and forth it’s a boy, if it circles it’s a girl. We did this around month 4-5 and at first the ring did nothing. Then it sort of went in a circle, then a line. The more we did it, the more circular it looked, though anyone in the room would say it did both. From my perspective, it did more of a circular jaunt around my middle. Girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #13: If someone asks to see your hands and you display them palm up, it’s a girl. If you show them palms down, it’s a boy. I'd probably do palm up. Girl. Unless they asked to see the nails on my hands, but that's very specific. We'll stick with girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #14: If a toddler boy shows interest in your belly, you’re having a girl. If he ignores you, it’s a boy. Can't say I've been around any toddler boys. James is too little to be a toddler, but he still showed no interest in the belly area. A little girl I was around a few weeks ago is past the toddler age, though she did have a hesitant pat or two of my belly once she saw a few others doing the same. We're going with inconclusive here. 

Old Wives' Tale #15: Eat garlic. If the scent seeps out of your pores it’s a boy. If you keep smelling sweet, it’s a girl. No one has ever said to me, with a scrunched look on their face, "Good golly, woman, it smells like you went to Olive Garden last night!" So...I suppose I keep smelling sweet (?). Girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #16: If you pick up a key by the round end your baby is a girl. If you pick it up by the long end expect a boy. I pick up mine by the key chain. Inconclusive . 

Old Wives' Tale #17: If your age and year of conception are both even or odd, it’s a girl. If one is odd and the other is even you’re having a boy. Age: 29. Year: 1982. Boy. 

Old Wives' Tale #18: If your baby’s heart beats more than 150 times per minute, it’s a girl. Less than 150 you’ll have a boy. At the last appointment, BT's heart rate was a healthy 140. Boy. 

Old Wives' Tale #19: A child tends to be the same sex as the parent who was less stressed at the time of conception. Uhhh... it's hard to say because it's...well...unknown. But ... Girl. 

Old Wives' Tale #20: If you dream about having a girl while pregnant you will end up with a boy, and vice versa. I've dreamt of babies, but they've all been quite conspicuous about their gender. I do not remember a dream about a baby being a boy or a girl so...inconclusive.  

Final Score:

Old Wives Votes for Boy: 7

Old Wives Votes for Girl: 7

Votes for inconclusive: 6

Final conclusion: Well...that's interesting. I went through them all again and got the same answers. I even spent a lot of time reconsidering answers to those I answered as inconclusive. 

What do you think?