Trusting Belle

Belle overheard people ask if we knew if we were having a boy or a girl and therefore learned that the information was available.  Belle made it clear that she was not interested in the baby's sex being a surprise; she wanted to know!

When the baby's due date came and went and the baby remained in utero, Craig and I decided that Belle had waited long enough, so we decided to let her, and her alone, find out the sex of the baby.

At my first post-due date OB appointment, we asked the ultrasound tech and OB to write down the sex of the baby and put it in a sealed enveloped which we gave to Belle later that evening.  The privilege of the information came with a laundry list of rules (see below), to which Belle eagerly agreed.  

Belle never spilled the beans; she never even let anyone know that she knew the baby's sex.  She reported that, when people asked her if she knew if she was having a baby sister or brother, she replied, "it's a secret."

There are 60-years-olds who can't keep a secret or keep a poker face as well as six-year-old Belle did.  We are so proud of her.

We chose to let Belle learn the baby's sex to demonstrate that we respect her opinion and to show her that she is a valued member of the family.  Mom and Dad are co-bosses, but she matters, too.  We care deeply about her and her preferences and want for her to be happy.  It is also a bit of a big big sister privilege, and perhaps even a bond or connection she'll feel toward the baby (she knew it was a girl before anyone else).  Belle is one spectacular kiddo and we feel so lucky to be her parents.

THE RULES:

1. We will love the baby no matter what sex it is.

2. It is possible that the information is wrong; there is the small chance that the paper will say BOY and we have a baby girl, and vise versa.  Nothing is fool-proof.

3.  Belle should wait until we leave the room and then count to ten before she opens the envelope.

4. Belle should NOT respond audibly to the information (we do not want to hear her reaction at all)

5. When Belle is done, she should put she paper back in the envelope and then hide the envelope somewhere we no one is likely to stumble upon it.

6. We are not telling anyone that she knows. The information and the fact that we trusted her with it was for her to enjoy among us three only.