As soon as I knew I was pregnant I was convinced it was a boy.

But then I kept having dreams about girls.

Now I don't know anymore.

I don't know the heartrate so you can't use that theory.

If you carry high, it's a girl. If you carry low, it's a boy. - Old wives' tale
This theory is based on sexist assumptions (girls need protection, boys need independence) and therefore pisses me off. Plus, I'm still too small to see if I'm carrying high or low.

If you have severe morning sickness, it's a girl. - Old wives' tale that has supposedly been confirmed by science
I was pretty nauseous, but I'm not sure it was "severe" and my puking was pretty limited compared to some.

If you have severe morning sickness, it's a boy. - A French lady I know
See above.

If the baby is really active, it's a boy. - Old wives' tale
Again, sexism. The baby was pretty active the first time we saw him/her, very active the second time, not too active the third. Now I feel him/her sometimes and it's all or nothing. Some days it's full on tap dancing and others just the rare tap.

If you crave sweets, it's a girl. If you crave salt, it's a boy -Old wives' tale
I guess salt is more what I crave. Ice cream and some fruits are the only sweet things that sound good and I have barely eaten chocolate in the last four months, which is very strange for me. Give me something with vinegar or butter and I'm happy.

If you're really horny, it's a boy. - My friend Evelyne who developed this theory with friends
(I can't believe I'm telling you this) I'm not. Let's just leave it at that.

If you hang a wedding ring from a string over your belly and it goes in a circle, it's a girl. If it moves like a pendulum, it's a boy. - Old wives' tale
I hung my wedding ring from some koigu and it didn't move. Frog tried too. It just hung there. He said that maybe it is really a tadpole.

Here's a photo of my 18 week belly.

Gosh. Looking at this photo, I think I look kind of big, but nobody even notices I'm pregnant... I had just eaten a huge Japanese meal. Maybe it's yakinikudon and gyoza in there, not baby.
Lay your hands on it (the photo, not the real belly, please) then cast your vote.

voting is all over

I'll leave the poll in this post until we know and leave a comment to tell me why you picked what you did!

The old wives' tale to which I faithfully subscribe requires a rearview photo. The deal is that if you look not at all preggers from behind, it's a boy. It's allowed me to predict for over twenty years with only one mistake that I know of and in that case the baby turned out to be breach so he was lying sideways and throwing off the tale's ability to tell. Anyway, would you post a rearview photo - and don't announce right there on the front page for those of us who want to keep guessing!

Hard to tell but I guess girl. Of course it's based on my pregnancy's. My first was a girl. No sex drive, not too sick, carried high. Next two were boys. Big sex drive (I know, like you want to hear this from a stranger), Very sick ( to the point of being in the hospital for fluids),and carried very low.

So I guess girl based on that :-)

As long as he or she is healthy right? That's all that really matters :-)

Gotta tell you, I think it's a girl, and for the record, I am right about 50% of the time.

I guessed girl...because they are more fun to knit for.

Not very scientific, I guess.

Boy or Girl, its going to be a French American Canadian! I am so happy for you and cannot wait to meet the little tadpole once you come back to this side of the globe! Hope to speak to you soon, Lauren

I picked boy because you thought at first that's what you had. I've also heard something similar to carolyn, that if you look ugly during your pregnancy its a girl, but if you look ravishing and hot, it is a boy (girls steal beauty, etc.). Talk about sexist, but it is what the Brazilian women patients in Worcester, MA think!

Both times I was pregnant my husband and I very quickly agreed on a boy's name but had a very hard time with girls' names (we didn't find out the sex ahead of time) - fortunately each time we had a boy :-) I voted boy just because, but my friends and relatives have all been having girls this year so who knows? Either way the baby will be adorable and well-dressed!
(Forget the drawer - our kids slept in a basket, about 3 feet long with a handle, the first several weeks. Very easy to pick up and move from room to room!)

One of each! That's what I had the first time . . .

my guess is it is a girl... gut feelign:)

many many blessign of good health fo ryou and your wee one:)

I have to guess boy based upon my husband's theory that if you are horny it is a girl. (Opposite of the one listed in your post) He claims that the extra estrogen or something the girls give off in the mom make her horny(not that he has any real scientific experience or know how).

A girl! Because I want it to be. Because knitting for girls is so much fun!

I say girl! Don't know why, just do! :)

Based solely on my own experience I will guess a boy. I craved what I called "savory" food (I couldn't eat sweets due to low blood sugar - sounds backwards I know, but it's true) and was always wanting to put "more salt" on my food, which is rare for me. Also, I had some morning sickness, but not enough to debilitate me or send me to the ER like some I've known. Best of luck and key-ooote belly!

I can't believe the first time I leave a comment is guessing the gender of an unborn child! I picked girl because of your girl dream. But this is not reliable. According to Chinese old wives tale and verifies personally at least 5 times, no not 5 babies by me but 2 of mine and three of other people's, if you have beautiful skin, meaning better than prepregnancy, then it's a girl. If your skin starts to break out and basically getting worse than before, then it's a boy. I think this is actually sort of scientific, since you'll be getting double dosage of female hormone if you're carrying a baby girl.

Hi Kate, I truly believe it's a boy, and I also wanted to say that...

you've been tagged!

It's a cooking meme, and you can find it on my blog.
I know it's in french but feel free to post in english and tag other expats !

Happy kniting and take care of yourself.

Alice

A few words about sweets and bigger butt.
I grew to like sweets and my butt also grew bigger, but I got a boy.

i picked girl, no idea why, though. you look very cute!

I don't know why but I say girl. You look wonderful, not at all big! (That will come, trust me!) I don't mean that in a bad way, either.

me again! i can't mail you for some reason. you may very well get fifty mails from me at some point when it's sorted ...

anyway, in case you see this before i tomorrow: the bus is supposed to get in at 13:15, according to the web site.

woo hoo!

I voted for a boy. But not because I have a theory. After toying with those theories when my son was in utero, I realized how fun the speculation is, but how dangerous the bases for those theories are. So ... I am hoping you have a boy. A boy with a hip knitting mom who dresses her little guy in bright and beautifully designed knitwear will become a sensitive thoughtful man. I bestow this wish upon your cute little belly.

test

i think it's a girl. mostly because i want to see your own baby in anouk. ;)

I say it's a girl because a boy would look funny in the Samantha sweater :-)

Your pregnant belly is adorable.

That's all I'm saying. My vote will remain in secret. ;-) ;-)

I have to agree with Leslie and Ashley about the weight gain/body shape being connected with the sex. I almost always get it right with this one. I heard that it is because of the extra estrogen (estrogen being a fat-stored hormone) that causes women to gain weight all over with a girl. Those carrying boys theoretically carry all their weight in their belly, and look like basketball smugglers. This theory has failed for me on exceptionally heavy and exceptionally thin people. Even so, I would be hard pressed to guess this early. I would have to see you over the course of the whole first and second trimester (everyone is huge in the last trimester, right?) to make an accurate prediction. If you had to twist my arm though, I'd say boy. Good luck during this extremely exciting time of your life!

my vote would be for a boy, partly because you thought it was a boy at first and I think that the Moms first instinct is usually right, but also because although I was a little sick with my son, with my two girls after that I was sick all through the day, not just in the morning.
As we all say " just as long as it's healthy, it doesn't really matter" Best of luck to you all.

I was going to say "girl" based on your dreams and then I saw the picture and "boy" popped into my head. So my vote is for "Boy." I can't wait to find out what the real answer is. :)
I thought for sure I was having a girl for the first 3 months of my pregnancy then somewhere in the 2nd trimester I could no longer visualize that baby girl in my future, it was all boy all the time. Of course I didn't tell hubby that till after Cole was born. :)

I say it's a girl because of the dream! With my first I just *knew* it was a girl. I dreamed it was a boy and of course I had a boy. Same with the next three.... I just *knew* I was going to have another boy... and each time I dreamed I was having a girl. They all came out girls.

And this time I've also had the *girl* dream. I'll know in a few weeks if it's a girl or boy and we'll see if the dream selection method is still working!

I picked GIRL becasue they're more fun to knit for. Not very intuitive.

well your french posters are all saying that everyone is having a boy and the funny thing is, everyone i know here are having girls. i guess in the grand scheme of things, it all works out. bunch of boys in europe, a bunch of girls in the US.

anyway, i picked girl because i just did. i went with my gut.

I guessed a boy because you initially thought you were having a boy.

When I was pregnant w/ my oldest boy I was positive, absolutely positive that I was having a boy. I just knew it, can't explain it, I just knew. Upon confirmation via sonogram that it was definitely a boy, I lost all feeling whatsoever w/ regard to the sex and at one point my Mom almost had me convinced the sonogram was incorrect and I was indeed carrying her grand daughter. lol No so,on July the 8th many many years ago (okay 10 soon to be 11) my beautiful baby boy was born.

With the second BOY, I hoped and hoped and hoped it would be a girl but knew in my heart of hearts it would be another little guy. He's the light of my life and wouldn't trade him for no stinkin girl (just joking). No more attempts here for a little girl, I knit for all my co-workers and their little girls.

I opted for a girl, but the truth is I have no idea. It's just that everyone I know has been having boys and I there to be more little girls to knit for in the world.

I guessed girl, cause I haven't got a girl everyone else has to have one!

I picked a boy because all my foreign coworkers here in France have had boys recently. I think it must be some combination of the French water and the English language... someone should do research into this theory...

My mother always said, "As long as it's healthy, the rest is just icing on the cake." But with that said, I picked girl.

Although I recently read in a US magazine that stressed out pregnant women tend to give birth to boys--something about the hormonal balance. And they sited several women--one of them being JK Rowling, who had a girl before the Harry Potter books came out and then had a boy afterwards.

But really, who know!

Good luck and looking forward to hearing the outcome!

- Leslie

Its hard to tell from the pic. I need another shot from the front. I'm not sure if you've heard of this one, but "they" say if you carry wide, its a girl, if your belly is straight forward, its a boy.

An older man told me I was having a boy, based on this theory and he was right. And I was able to guess the sex of one of my co-worker's baby. So if you don't mind, one more shot, please? :)

Boy is my guess...but definitely just a guess. Looks like your poll is showing a pretty split divide. :)

I don't know why but I got the vibe that it was a girl. (Maybe that's because I spent all last weekend holding the most adorable baby girl ever.)

I craved KFC chicken sandwiches with the first; had heartburn for 9 months with the second; everything made me want to puke with the third. They were -- all three -- girls!

And I'm guessing boy. Maybe it's because I just snuggled and cuddled with one (wearing a Tanguy hat!) this weekend!

I am saying a boy!!!! Yipee! Maybe its just cause I want little boys :)

I say boy. (I had very distinct "girl thoughts" too when I was pregnant--you could have knocked me over with a feather when the tech said it was a boy). By the way, I hope you do get to enjoy the fringe benefits of being really (really) horny while pregnant--my hubby and I did!

i picked boy. after two girls and one boy i thought boy because my little frog prince was much lazier than the girls. the girls jigged and jived all the time. also, the little bit o' morning sickness i had was with the frog prince. and you look great!!! enjoy because girl or boy, it'll be your little dumpling.

I know it's a girl.... (will explain later) I can't wait to see and hold and love the new little baby.

I'm guessing it's a girl, so you have a little Anouk to knit - and keep in the family!

I have seen you pre and post Higuma... it is the Yakinikudon and Gyoza :)

Its a boy, Its a girl, its one of em... :)

The best answer I came up with to respond to the question, "Do you know it it's a boy or a girl?" was, "Yes, it's a boy.....or a girl." I voted boy because I have two and I'd love to see the great patterns you'd come up with for boys if you had one, too. When I was pregnant with my first, I knew a woman who could tell you what you were having, but she had to take a look at you during your 7th month or later. She said that she hadn't been wrong in about 20 years. Her family corroborated her story. I secretly wanted so badly to prove her wrong, and guess what? She was right!

It's a BOY! The computer screen felt warm and sticky. We all know boys can be warm/hot and sticky. Ooops maybe I spilt my coffee again..... Hmmmm still going with the boy theory. Could be the coffee was a sign..... :)

No idea, I thought 'girl' first, and when I found out it was a boy, I was very happy, too. And now he's here, all I ever want is boys, they are so lovely (well, at least I think mine is). Take care!

I picked girl, just 'cause.

I'm saying girl. No specific reason, just that's what the cute pic of your belly made me feel.

I'm sticking with my boy prediction because A: I still think I'm right, and B: because Dad has been the only guy in our immediate family for way too long. Also, I just took an informal poll at work and the results were on my side: 4 say boy, 1 says girl, and 1 says twins (she didn't see the picture, so don't get offended). I can't wait for my nephew or niece!

I said girl, because I dreamt of manicured & polished fingernails when I was pregnant with my daughter -- finally had to go out and buy some polish to exorcise the dream . . . She is much fancier than I! - So I'm going with your dreams to say "girl".

I am 53 yr. old and have a daughter and a son. When I was pregnant the first time I was convinced it was a boy from the very begining. Moderate nausea,dreams of sex not babies!,and it was VERY active. Back in those days you didn't get to find out the sex. Well, at delivery the DR. announced "it's a girl!" I said,"are you sure?"(thinking boy for 9 months), he said, "yes, I've seen them before."
so much for those boy feelings. I vote girl.

I said girl only because my second girl is due in 6 weeks and I was a little sick with them both but not at all with my son. As for how you carry, I've carried all my kids the same, all out front.

I'm going boy - gut feeling, haven't been wrong yet this year. I had severe morning sickness (boy), I carried out in front (boy), I craved salty to begin with then sugar in the last trimester (supposedly boy), the ring thing worked (use a finer thread like a piece of hair or sewing thread - wool is too thick), my acupuncturist was right based on heartbeat and other stuff only she knows about, and I dismissed everything else. Hope you're feeling ok at the moment, and I do hope you let us know the results :)

I voted "boy" because when I was pregnant, I could not knit a stitch without feeling like vomiting, and I had a girl. You're able to knit so you're having a boy. Totally unscientific I know. As for craving sweets, I found out I was horribly diabetic a few days after I'd consumed a pound of chocolates. Best wishes for your pregnancy and baby.

I say boy - upon laying my hands on the screen of my computer, the word "boy" leapt into my head and has remained there. Plus, I've got a 50% chance of being right.

Based on the coin-hanging trick, I'd have to go with hermaphridite, but that wasn't one of the choices in the survey. Of course, guessing that may freak the expectant parents out a bit.

The best guess I could really give would be based on how many brothers and sisters Frog has. I'm not much into the old wive's tale stuff, myself.

Based on one of the ultrasounds we had for my first, my father told me the forehead was too big for a girl, so it must be a boy. Our DAUGHTER came out with a lovely forehead just right for her face. I think that was just about the weirdest guess I ever got.

I said girl. you're carrying much higher than I am (I'm at 21 weeks) and we just confirmed boy by ultrasound. And I'm only 5'1", so you'd think I'd be popping a bit higher, cause there isn't as much room in there. Can't wait to hear the final results.

i need to see a front shot, please. if your waist is gone, it's a girl. if it's still there, it's a boy. also, the weirdest i've heard is from a coworker with babies on the brain: if you pass the preggers lady a coffee pot or similar, it's a boy (or girl, can't remember) if she takes it with both hands and a girl (or boy) if she takes it with just one. mhm.

btw, i was *this* close to getting tickets to paris this morning ...

it's a boy. that's what you thought at the outset. the first thing i thought about each of mine (three in total) was right.

I'll vote for a boy, just on a "feeling," but the important thing is that the little tadpole is happy and healthy in there!

I know! I know! It's a BABY! Heh. I got so tired of people coming up to me and saying "What are you having?" That I started just answering, "Puppies." I have a girl and I barely gained any weight and never craved anything. I did have aversions though and I had morning sickness the entire damn nine months. I had amnio so I knew exactly what was going on.

BTW-I was very sick at the beginning of each pregnancy, and I craved greasy salty things. The weirdest, grossest thing I craved? Cafeteria style breaded chicken patties (you know, the compressed ones with the icky breading), instant (INSTANT!?) mashed potatoes and gravy. Second-Friendly's and Wendy's hamburgers and fries. I never eat that stuff, but I loved it then. They were all active, but one was more active than the other two. The horny thing? Not so much in the early days, but it did pick up. High or low? I am 4'11" and had babies ranging from 7 lbs 6 oz to 9 lbs. I carried way out in front. WAY! Enjoy it!

I guess girl because: All three of my pregnancies I was convinced I was having a boy. All three times I was wrong. So I am probably wrong now too. Whatever it is, hooray, I love babies. It's the big kids that send me over the edge ;)

I say boy, but just cause it's the feeling I get. If I knew you in person, I would be better equipped to say, but I'm usually right about these things. (now, watch, I've just jinxed myself!) I heard a funny wives tale the other day, from my husband's phd student. She's from China, and they say that if you are nice, you have girls, and if you are mean you have boys!! I'm not saying anything about you and Frog in the least, it's the Chinese, not me...:-)

I say girl. Your belly looks an awful lot like mine did at 18 weeks, AND you were wicked tired in the beginning, as I was. You look fab, by the way!

A boy because that was the first thought I had when I started reading the post.

I picked a boy just because almost everyone I know in real life *and* most people I know in the blog world have all had boys. Besides, the world needs more cute knits designed for baby boys and you'd be the perfect one to do that!

here's another one for you: if you gain weight in your face also, it's a girl = she's stealing your beauty. thus if you gain weight everywhere BUT your face = it's a boy.