My first daughter was due 10 days before Christmas, 11 years ago. When she still hadn’t show up and the stockings were being hung by the tree, we were sent in for testing. The ultrasounds came back fine and little baby was still stewing, and Hubby and I were ready to go back home and enjoy the holidays before the next steps.
Until the tech said “You didn’t want to know what you were having, did you?”
We had waited 40 weeks without knowing, and now, the day before Christmas we had the gender card dangling in front of our eyes. They knew, and we could too.
And we did. We were able to deliver the news, (since we didn’t have the actual baby) that we were welcoming a girl into our family.
We were joyful. Thrilled.
And it was different.
My husband had spent the better part of 9 months passionate about being an easy going parent. He wanted kids who would travel, and be independent.
Wait, what he meant was, he wanted BOYS who would be independent.
With the new knowledge that he was having a girl, things changed for him. Suddenly he was searching how young girls could start doing self defence classes, or “safest neighbourhoods in Vancouver” This was new territory for him and he was terrified.
A few days later we welcomed our daughter and we both had 2 years to adjust to pink before we welcomed another girl. Three years after that the little boy threw our world for a loop and we had to figure everything out all over again.
Our daughter is now 11. She is passionate and fiercely independent. She contributes to our family, helps around the farm and is an amazing companion to both of us.
My husband grew into having girls, and the girls taught him that we are all individuals and our gender does not define us. Proven by the fact that this is what is on my daughters Christmas list this year.
A hexbug robot. Full of small working parts. Major “assembly acquired” for this one.
And I think that is pretty awesome.
It was for barely a moment a decade ago that my husband thought things would be different because he had a daughter. He mourned the fact that he would miss the toys he grew up with and spent hours playing.
But only for a moment.
Until he realized that girl or boy, there is no difference. Some girls like barbies, others go wild over a scarab hex bug.
And what he has realized of late, some little boys like barbies too, and that is just fine as well.
So push the boundaries, challenge your kids minds and let them discover their own passions and interests. You never know what you may find yourself helping build on Christmas morning if you do!