Gender Prediction Wives Tales

Old Wives Tale #1: Heart Rate

If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. 

If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy.

Prediction outcome: Girl (but borderline - 150 bpm)

Old Wives Tale #2: Shape of Belly

If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy. 

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #3: Ring Test

Using a string, hang your wedding ring over your pregnant belly. You are having a girl if the ring swings back and forth and it’s a boy if it swings in a circle.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #4: Acne

If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl. It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #5: Cravings

People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, 

you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, 

and orange juice, you are having a little girl.

Prediction outcome: Girl (minus OJ - made me nauseous)

Old Wives Tale #6: Legs

If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl. I think it’s too early for me to tell on this one, 

but my jeans all still fit, so we'll give it to girl.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #7: Moodiness

If you are really moody, you are having a girl since you have another extra girl hormones in you. Your pregnancy will make you smile and be more happy if you are having a boy.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #8: Chinese Gender Chart

The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%. It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #9: Mom’s Beauty

Basically you are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy. It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty. If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, a little boy it is. 

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #10: Dream of Sex of Baby

If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl. 

If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy. Dreams show the opposite of what you are having.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #11: Clumsy vs. Graceful

If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl. If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #12: Side You Most Rest On

If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy. 

If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #13: Dad’s Weight Gain

If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl. 

If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #14: Breast Test

If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, 

she’s having a girl. If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #15: What Do You Think?

71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #16: Morning Sickness

If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy. If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Old Wives Tale #17: Protein

When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy.

Prediction outcome: Boy (cheese please!)

Old Wives Tale #18: Feet

Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant? 

If so, you just might be having a boy. If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #19: Headaches

If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.

Prediction outcome: Girl

Old Wives Tale #20: Baby Names

It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, 

you will have that particularly baby.

Prediction outcome: Boy

Final Score?

Boy: 9 and Girl: 11

Winner! Kinda - 55% isn't exactly sound statistics.

The list is taken from this link.

First Pictures of Baby Traxel

All is well with baby GIRL!!

Mike's Puzzle Adventures: Wolf Moon

Eleven Wolf Moon

Start: January 5, 2014

Finish:  January 22, 2014

Pieces: 1000

Puzzlers: Mike, Megan, Courtney K. and Meghan H.

Why this puzzle: The most recent in Mom's (Sherry's) game of "find the most ridiculous puzzle to give Mike as a gift". This one was for Christmas 2013.

House Projects: Master Bedroom

So the master bedroom really only needed a coat of paint or two (and a new light fixture - the fan is broken in the on setting) until it was kind enough to donate space to the bathroom project. It started like this: 

And then this happened:

(bathroom post is hopefully coming soon!)

We called this our "open concept" bathroom. Very open concept considering at this point the toilet was actually in the bedroom and the sink in the basement... but anyway, the wall went up and an outlet was added for Mike's side of the bed. 

And then came drywall. In pieces from the dining room, because the full sheets don't fit up the stairs. Lame. But hey, it's done! And it actually looks so good it stands out compared to the old beat up walls. Oops. 

Then it all had to be primed and have the DIY cheapo shelving removed.

Then the fun part started! No really, I like painting. The wall here is curved to the roof line about 3.5/4 feet off the ground. Our bed goes against it, so I did stripes to replace the headboard that we can't/don't have. 

For anyone interested, the colors are Urban Sunrise (gray), Gilded Endive (cream) and Dark Palomino (orange) from Valspar.

After painting the ceiling, Mike replacing the baseboard and LOTS of cleaning (seriously, look up at the drywall picture, that's all dust on the floor, not a tarp) we got to set it up. 

Here's the master!!

To make it "done done" we need to: 

Switch out one outlet and the light switch to match the rest 

Get a new ceiling fan that will work as just a light - not always turned on high :)

Buy new pillows for the guest bedroom shams since we stole them

Bring up a couple of decorative things from the living room

Clear all the tools and the toilet out of the closet

Move all our clothes etc. upstairs from the guest bedroom!!

Buy shelves as side tables for next to the bed

Buy a bed skirt

Mike's Puzzle Adventures: Catching Up

Mike has requested a series on here to record his puzzling, so here's catching up:

Harlequin Romance

Start: March 3, 2013

Finish: March 5, 2013

Pieces: 1000

Puzzlers: Mike

Why this puzzle: Number 2 in Mom's "find the most ridiculous puzzle possible" gift series for Mike. This one came with our Valentine's Day gift. 

Four Horses of the Apocalypse

Bad photographer wife didn't get a finished product picture of this one.

Start: January 8, 2013

Finish: January 20, 2013

Pieces: 1000

Puzzlers: Mike

Why this puzzle: This puzzle inspired Mom's "find the most ridiculous puzzle possible" gift series for Mike. This was one of his Christmas gifts for 2012.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Winter

Start: April 18, 2012

Finish:  July 11, 2012

Pieces: 2000

Puzzlers: Mike, Megan, Courtney K. 

Why this puzzle: We wanted a summer project while living in our apartment as something for Mike to do after work as a hobby. We thought this puzzle was beautiful. Which it was, along with being the bane of our existences since it's pretty much all light blue and white. 

Megan's Knitting Adventures: Catching Up

I re-took up knitting in the fall of 2012, when I realized that Mike and I both needed new hats. I decided to try knitting in the round for the first time and loved it. I made one practice hat that I liked other than some issues with the stripes. Then I got to work on our team spirit hats: Cyclones for Mike and Vikings for me.

Once those were ready to go for winter, I started on my first big project: a classic Tom Baker Doctor Who scarf for Amanda's Christmas present.

 I made it about a quarter of the width of the version from the show, so she could actually wear it if she wanted, but it is still the full 11.5 feet long. 

The pattern for the Doctor's Scarf can be found here.

After I finished the scarf, I still had 3 weeks left of Christmas break (from both classes and work as a TA) while Mike was at work. And since there's only so much housework that can be done in a 600 square foot apartment, I started another project. This was my first pieced project - a stuffed elephant for our nephew. The instructions for the elephant can be found here.

After that was done, it was time to give my poor fingers a rest for a little while! But, by mid-spring, I was ready for another project and decided to try my hand at some baby booties for a friend due in June. I found a pattern here but it's all in French, so after a little trial and error, I put together some instructions in English. The one's I gave as a gift I made in ISU cardinal and gold. 

Over the summer, I then got a pattern from my friend Jael for a simple infant cocoon (like a little sleeping bag). This is my first one in progress. The picture is from my dumb phone, so the quality is horrible, but it's mint green and purple (leftovers from Amanda's scarf). 

Now I'm working on one that will say "hi" on the side in a contrasting color. I'll put up that pattern and pictures whenever I finish it - hopefully by the time Baby Traxel comes in June!! 

House Projects: Kitchen

Project number two was a face-lift for the kitchen. Here it is before any work:

We got straight to work taking down the cabinet doors for me to face and paint while Mike worked on the stairs in the living room. 

I added 1/4 inch trim around the edges (what I wouldn't have given for a table saw and a pneumatic nailer those days!!!) 

And then they were ready for primer and paint!

In between coats on the doors, I also painted the cabinets, inside (Wet Pavement - light gray) and out (Porcelain Shale - dark grey). It's approximately like painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling in some places :)

Finally though, they were ready to have the doors and hardware re-installed! 

After removing some bead board, the walls got painted ("Swim" by Valspar). 

By removing the bead board, we were able to switch the fridge door to open the logical direction - it used to hinge on the other side. I was a little excited to not have to walk around the door to get into the fridge. First world problems. 

Please ignore the t-shirt, it's simply one worthy of getting covered in paint :)

Mike also primed and painted the dining room (which had to be primed because the previous owners had painted around their old furniture. Urgh.) The color is called "golden moon" but has since been dubbed "Mexican restaurant yellow".
It's much closer to the color in this picture than the next one - the second is really neon for some reason.

Finishing touches included a new sconce above the sink,
a shade to replace the giant funnel they had been using, re-covering the literal can lights (they had applesauce labels to start with) and the chalk board grocery list on the wall above the peninsula. 

To make it "done done" we need to:
Stain and install baseboard in a few places
Eventually switch the "can lights" for actual can lights
Grow 6 inches to be tall enough to reach the cabinets :)

House Projects: Living Room

Our very first project was in the living room. The owners 2 back had walled off the staircase to add a front closet. Then, however, the last owners had removed the closet, but not the wall!

This is the listing photo of the living room. The closet was where the chair is in the picture.

Within 3 hours of closing on the house, Mike was knocking down the wall.

The awesome thing though is what we found in the garage - the ORIGINAL HAND RAIL AND SPINDLES!! All together and labeled as "original woodwork".

So Mike worked to get it all put back together and in place. As of now, we need to create a new topper to the post (it had been cut into to make the closet) and will eventually paint the whole room, but that has been put on the back burner for bigger projects that are still in progress. We will also eventually be refinishing the treads and painting the rises on the stairs, but we want to finish our projects upstairs first so they don't get beat up as we haul tools up and down them!

But it's definitely done enough to be perfect for Christmas decorations :)

Other more minor projects have included some electrical work that my dad helped with, painting the guest bedroom (that we're currently using as our master), putting in a retaining wall ring around the fire pit, and replacing the light fixture halfway up the stairs. 

2013 Year in Review

We still exist! Promise! Here are the big events from 2013:

January:
Lots of knitting to fill Megan's 4 week Christmas break - Mike had 4 days off :(

House hunting - we looked at a grand total of 3 houses before putting in an offer on what is now OUR house.
Mike started taking classes though Cornerstone School of Theology (Old Testament and Theology 2), an approximately 2 year program that will result in a Masters of Arts and Theology.
Megan's last semester at ISU started.

February:
Valentine's Day in: watched Ratatoille and had french bread/cheese/fruit/meat and the wine and chocolate covered strawberries.

I dyed my hair red - it was REALLY red. Oops.
Started having Wednesday lunches with Melissa on campus - highlight of my week!

March:
Spent half of spring break in St. Joe's, MO with Mike (for a business trip) and then drove up to Courtney's house in Minnesota to hang out with friends.
Closed on the house on the 28th after full months working with the underwriting process - HINT: even if you have a steady salaried job and the money to put down the 20% on the house and have never been late on any payment, if you haven't had more than one credit card each, you won't have "enough" credit for a pre-approval. Get a store card. Grr.

April:
House projects like crazy (Living Room, Kitchen, and the upstairs bathroom were the biggest - bathroom post still in progress)
Mike's birthday (the parents and I got him a grill)
Elise's wedding shower
Ashley and Brandon's wedding in Cedar Rapids

May:
Megan's graduation from ISU and moving into the house on the 10th (not to mention then hosting hot pot dinner for 20 at the house that night!)  

Megan started working for D6 (the children's ministry at Cornerstone)
Gideon's birthday party and Rachel and Nick's wedding in Cedar Falls

Kidsave golf tournament for Mike in Des Moines.


June:
Jeff and Elise's wedding in Wisconsin - I began my career of music push play-er :)
DeWaard vacation at Kirk's cabin in Sauk Center, Minnesota

July:
CST classes continued (History of Christianity 1) for both Mike and I, as I started taking them through the CORE program - full class with no tuition and no degree.
Picking, pitting and baking our sour cherries from the tree outside
Watching Courtney's new puppy, Lyla

Started looking into the process to become foster care parents
Megan counselled at Kid's Camp

August:
Grunder Campout in Maquoketa
Mike's 5 year class reunion

Cousin Paige's wedding shower
Our 2nd Anniversary trip to St. Louis including meeting Jennifer and Todd for lunch, the Zoo, the City Museum and ice cream with cousins Bryan, Karen and Trenton.

Mike spent a week in North Carolina and 3 days in Missouri for work.
Megan started discipling college students through Salt Co.

September:
CST (Cross Cultural Church Planting)
Paige and Brock's wedding in Illinois

DeWaard trip to the Higbee's cabin in Branson

October:
Started PS-MAPP (the training class for foster care)
Ellie K. and Ben G's first birthday parties

Found out I'M PREGNANT!

November:
CST (Missionary Anthropology),
ISU Volleyball games
Family Thanksgivings - including announcing pregnancy to family

December:
Cribbage and hot pot night with Jake, Sarah, Zach, Emily and Dan
Announced Baby Traxel's existence to the world

First appointments with Dr. Maliki - heart beat is strong!
Lots of Christmas'

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Click HERE to see our 2013 photo album through Shutterfly 

(Once it opens, click "View Photo Book" below the preview and it will load.)