We here at themommykelly household are having another baby girl. Those of you who have visited regularly and even assisted in choosing a name (on which we have finally decided*) know that. It’s certainly no secret, nor anything at which to gasp. Quite frankly, I am thrilled. Parenting three girls sounds like heaven to me. Yes, I think pink and wouldn’t want it any other way. More on that later. On to the nonsense.

I find that grocery shopping, being the mundane and tedious task that is it alone, is just so much more entertaining with two little girls in tow (I refuse to even think about doing it with three…yet.) So with no sitter in sight this morning, pack my girls into the minivan I did for a quick trip to our local grocer. Joy. Sheer joy! I had to praise the darlings for their behavior, as they are truly becoming the best shopping companions ever. Helping to load the cart to the tune of some crushed produce and voicing decisive suggestions (okay, demands) as to what we should and should not purchase, they make the time pass quickly … or do I just go faster so as to avoid a meltdown? Hmmm.

In any case, whenever I am out with both girls of late, I face several inevitable, yet oh-so-stupid questions, the first being:  “Are they twins?” Seriously, folks, look at my children closely.  There is nothing in the world that would indicate even the remote possibility that they could be twins. Yes, they are a mere eighteen months apart, but despite the fact that Drama Queen can talk a good game, it is clear as day that Princess is older than her younger sister.

The second stupid question that strangers simply cannot resist asking is even more ridiculous than the first: “Are you expecting?” Uh, no, it just so happens that all of the fat cells in my body have migrated to my abdominal cavity. It is painfully obvious that I am pregnant, dears. Even at only twenty-five weeks I am huge. I wince at the thought of how big I will be by August. Ugh. So unless I am starving, then yes, I am pregnant.

I know that people are just trying to be kind and polite, ooohing and ahhhhing over my beautiful children and the prospects of me birthing another sometime soon, but the third and final stupid question which strangers cannot help asking tends to put me over the edge: “It’s a boy, I hope?”  Ugh. No.

Tell me, when did it become obligatory to produce a male?! Is having three girls some kind of losing streak according to people? No offense to those of you who are mamas of boys and kudos to you for raising some of the best little boys I know (my sister-in-law, NK, being the very first and utmost of these – her boys are the sweetest kids alive), but I was actually hoping for a girl from the get go. I am very pleased with being a mama of girls and love living in an all-girl household (with the exception of dad). I have no desire whatsoever to mix things up this late in the game and start learning how to parent a child of the male gender. I already have everything I need for the new baby. I will have shopping companions for life and I will be ever-surrounded with the loving and caring atmosphere that only women from the same bloodline can share.

Sure, I am dreading those years of puberty and the times when we are all facing our periods simultaneously (let’s be honest, I’ll probably be in menopause by then). However, I am ecstatic over the fact that I will never have to deal with a daughter-in-law (shazam!) and I take comfort in knowing that “a daughter is a daughter for all her life!” and I have three.  But over and above all of that, I take pride in knowing that none of my children will ever grow up to be a man. Need I say more?

* Sorry that I cannot share the name we have chosen. We’ve got to protect the children. Let it suffice to say that it was a favorite with almost all our voters and my girls actually chose it, as they rejected my top choice. One of Princess’ dolls is named Emma, so it was a no-go.  However, since this baby will be our last biological child and forever my baby, I have elected to nickname her “Baby” for blogging purposes.