Gender Reveal and Q&A: It’s a Girl!

it's a girl!

I still can’t believe Ryan and I are having a DAUGHTER! Finding out the gender made this whole pregnancy feel so much more real and we are beyond excited to meet our little girl in just a few months!

Q: how did you find out so soon? did you do the blood test?

A: I knew ahead of time before I was even pregnant that I would want to find out the gender of my children before they were born. I have too much anxiety to wait that long and I like to be prepared! Luckily Ryan felt the same way and was equally as anxious to find out the gender ASAP.

I got the blood test around 13 weeks (I would have gotten it sooner if I was able to!) and found out about a week and a half later. 

I found out on Wednesday, July 20th that Baby was a girl! I was in Bethesda for a facial appointment at a spa I was working with for my blog. I had just gotten undressed in the spa room and noticed I had received an email from the company that does the genetic testing. I thought the gender results may be included but didn’t have time to open it before putting my phone away. I honestly had forgotten about it until after I had left the spa and had taken all the photos for the collaboration. I had just gotten out of the bathroom in the shopping center when I remembered the email. I opened it up and clicked the link to view my results. It gave me the option to see the results of my genetic test with or without the gender and I clicked the one with the gender immediately. I was WAY too anxious to wait for Ryan LOL! I could feel and hear my heart beating so strongly and I just stared at the words “fetal sex: Female” for minutes. I tried to hold back tears in public and definitely shed a few on my hour long drive home. I had a feeling it was a girl but never felt confident enough to say, “I know it’s a girl.” But in that moment I was thinking, of course it’s a girl! I knew it was a girl. For an entire day, I was the only person that knew my baby was a girl and that was so special to me. I was and still am shocked and still cry because I am so happy!

Q: how did you tell ryan?

A: I will share the video on Instagram of how I told Ryan we’re having a girl! But basically I found out on a Wednesday right after the spa appointment. Ryan was coming home the following day after being away for work all week so I decided I would tell him that Thursday. We found out I was pregnant together, so I was happy I got to tell him the gender in a cute way!

I picked up a pink onesie and headband set from TJ Maxx and put it inside a box. On the outside I wrote “Don’t kill me, but I already started shopping…” and on the inside I had a note that said “for our future DAUGHTER! Congratulations, you’re going to be the best GIRL DAD!” With a printed version of the gender results. I filmed the whole thing and made him read it out loud LOL. But I will cherish those moments and the video forever!

Q: what (gender) did you think baby was?

A: I had a subtle feeling it might be a girl, and I would tell everyone who asked that if I HAD to guess, I would say girl. I was never fully confident and didn’t want to go weeks thinking it would be a girl and then find out it was a boy. I think I would have been disappointed in myself that I was wrong about the gender of my own baby! So I tried to picture myself with both genders and I felt happy thinking it could be either.

Q: Were you hoping for your first baby to be a girl?

A: Like I have always said, I would truly be happy with either a boy or a girl. Of course I am excited it’s a girl but I would have been really happy with a boy too. I will say I was a little relieved because we had a list of girl names we both loved, but had gone through hundreds of boy names and couldn’t agree on even one (and still can’t!). But if I’m being completely honest, there is a part of me that is terrified to be raising a daughter because of the crazy country and world we live in. 

Q: How does Ryan feel about baby being a girl?

A: Ryan has made it obvious he was rooting for a boy, LOL! I tried to warn him that it may be a girl so he wouldn’t be as disappointed. I know he is excited though and I’m sure once she is here he will feel even better!

Q: do you have names picked out?

A: Yes! We have a full name picked out for Baby #1 that we have already been calling her. Ryan even gave her a cute nickname!

Q: Will you share the name before she is born?

A: Ryan and I plan to keep the name between the two of us until Baby is born – we don’t even plan on sharing with immediate family. I like that it’s something special the two of us can share while she is still inside me! 

And on the slight chance we change our minds, we have lots of time to “test” the name out!

q: What are names you like but won't be using?

A: Luckily Ryan and I have a list of girl names with both love, but there are a few I liked that he didn’t: Charlotte, Isla, Elle, Elsie, and Sutton.

Q: how did you tell your FAMILY and friends?

A: I made all my family and friends guess and then sent them the video of me telling Ryan! It was so fun to hear everyone’s guesses, and especially all of yours on Instagram! A lot of you were very adamant about your predictions, haha!

Q: How many girl clothes have you already bought?

A: To be honest the only baby things I have gotten so far are two outfits. One for when I told Ryan the gender and the other was the Lilly dress for the gender pictures! I really don’t plan on buying much before the shower and am going to try to see what I can find as far as hand me downs and FB Marketplace finds go. I really don’t plan on spending a lot of money early on for baby things especially clothes. 

More questions?

Drop them in the comments and I will get back to you!

MEET COLLEEN

Hi, friends! I live in downtown Baltimore, Maryland with my husband Ryan and newborn daughter Tatum. Welcome to colleenccook.com, where I share all my favorite sales, fashion finds, beauty products, baby items, motherhood adventures, and more!