Oh, hai blog, how's it going?  Say hi to your mother for me.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.  Something about it this year was just off for me (the hubby expressed this, too) and we both woke up a bit sad Christmas morning because we didn't have gifts to exchange with each other.  We both know that's not the point and not really a big deal, but it was our first Christmas living together on our own (last year we were living at my parents' house) and gifts would have been a sweet addition - but we just love having those days where we get to wake up together because they're rare, so that was quite a gift in itself.  (I usually leave for work before he's even awake.)

We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with his family.  Then yesterday we went to NY state to visit my grandmother, Baba, so she could meet my sister's newborn, Brooke, Baba's great-grandaughter.

happy Brooke (will be two months old this Wednesday)

Here's the thing you have to know about Baba: she is a fountain of folk wisdom.  She grew up in the Ukraine and never went to school a day in her life (because at that time, in that place, girls were raised to work the farm, get married, and have babies - what would you need any schooling for).  But she turns out to be really, really - like uncannily - right at times.  She theorized once that "everyone has cancer" and that it just depends on who it "comes out" in.  Years later, I read a NY Times article about a group of research scientists who had just concluded the same thing.  Because things like this happen all the time, no one in the family was surprised - just amused.

There are several people in my family who I think could have done amazing things had they had the proper education and motivating influences.  I think part of the reason I push myself to keep working and learning and achieving is so I can honor these family members who worked so hard so I can live the life I do - so I can give credit to all they may have done.

Four generations: Mom, Baba, my sister (with TJ), me (with Brooke)

So when Baba asked me when we find out what we're having and I said probably this Wednesday (if the baby cooperates) and she said my mom told her I felt the baby move (which is true - I think I have a little) and wanted to know what side I felt it on, I knew why.  Left side movement: girl.  Right side movement: boy.  (By the way, it's left . . . so we'll see.  My sister also did the "necklace test" and it came out as two girls - meaning I'll have this girl and then another - so, again, we'll see!)

But that was it.  Everyone was like, "Okay, we thought it's probably going to be a girl and Baba says it will be so, yeah, it's probably a girl."  The hubby said we didn't need a sonogram because we had a Baba-gram.

We'll see if she's right but I wonder why I'm even wondering.  From the beginning I've had a hunch toward girl.  Whenever I talk about the baby, I automatically use female pronouns and have to stop myself to say "he or she."  And now we've had the Baba-gram, so what more do we need?

Okay, so we do have that official 20 week sonogram on Wednesday since they have to check out many other things besides the sex (and, besides, it could be a boy - and I'll be 100% thrilled either way).  I'm looking forward to the rest of the tests, too, because I just worry . . . daily . . . even though Baba told me I look great so that means everything is perfect.

How can you not totally love and trust a grandmother that lets her one year old great-grandson jump on the bed with his boots on?  (With a little assist from my brother)

Families can be frustrating.  They can get to you in ways that no one else can . . . but they can also just simply get you better than anyone else.  A day without presents can bring the holiday home in ways that a mountain of beautifully wrapped packages can't.