It's a girl! Or not.

Column originally published Dec. 26, 2007

My wife, Kristie, and I are expecting our second child in a few months. During a recent ultrasound, we were given a due date of Friday, Feb. 29. We also were given a clear image of the part of the baby's body that tells us whether we'll be renting a tuxedo or splurging on a prom dress in 2024.

As I write this, my wife knows the answer to the magic question: "Do you know what you're having?" Everyone who knows we're expecting asks this question at least once. It's become almost commonplace for expectant parents to learn the gender of their unborn child — one of my high school friends just sent a Christmas card spelling out what their unborn son's name will be.

But I'm not sure I'm comfortable knowing in advance. The worst part is I can't even come up with a good reason — I just don't think I want to know. When I went home for lunch the day Kristie learned, it was all she could do to keep from blurting a three-word phrase that starts with "It's a." She wanted me to look at the ultrasound pictures and see if I could figure it out for myself, but I declined -- at least until I could write this column.

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