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?