Boy or Girl?

As you all know, we're not finding out whether the baby is a boy or a girl until the delivery. Apparently, this doesn't happen a lot over here. Everyone is so curious to know what we're having...so are we! Lots of our friends have bets going as to what we're having. Most of the women end up doing tests on me to try and find out. Here are some of those:

1. Scissors/knife test (no one was harmed during this test, I promise)- My neighbors had me walk out of the room while they put a pair of scissors under one cushion of the couch and a butter knife under another cushion. They told me to come back in and sit down on one side of the couch or the other. I ended up sitting on the scissors. Result: Girl, but I have no idea why.

2. Salt test- Another neighbor threw salt on my head when I wasn't looking. I touched my nose first instead of my mouth after she did this. Result: Boy.

3. Ring Pendulum test- this one I'd heard about in the States. My friends took a gold ring and chain and held it above my belly. If it swings side to side, it'll be a boy. If it rotates in a circle, it'll be a girl. Result: Girl.

4. Face test- this one is the most hilarious to me. They say that if you still look pretty, you're carrying a boy and if you're getting uglier, that means it's a girl because she's taking all of your beauty away. Now it makes me laugh if people think we're having a girl.

They also have the same kind of old wives' tales about how I'm carrying. Everyone loves to ask me how much weight I've gained too. The other day, one of my neighbors told me I'd gotten a lot fatter since she'd seen me last. Nice.

People LOVE babies here and give pregnant women the royal treatment. When I'm around friends, I'm really not allowed to do anything. Pregnant women tend to go on bed rest in the last trimester, even if there aren't any problems. This past week I've been out and about at 9 months and I've gotten scolded that I should be home. What am I going to do at home all day when I feel fine, just wait? Funny.