Our New Neighbor

My friend Andrea, who lives down the street, had a baby tonight.
I remember when she told me she was pregnant- we were taking my little Elmo, and her little lion (G-Man, age 1.5) trick or treating- and she told me that they were expecting a girl in May. I was surprised that they knew so far in advance what it was, but in truth, they didn't, she was just hoping. We walked the neighborhood in the rain with our first-borns, my little Eleanor growing in my belly and her little surprise in hers.
We had playdates all winter and talked about our babies. We knew Nora was Nora but they weren't finding out what theirs was. She was pretty sure that it was going to be a girl- she was carrying differently, felt differently and so on. She would always bug me about what my prediction was, and I would never guess because I a) didn't want to tell her I thought she was having a boy and b)won't guess out loud anymore since I called my niece Baby Hugo throughout my sister's entire pregnancy.
I remember when she came over to meet Nora- the way she held her and cuddled her, talking about how dainty she was. I could feel that when she went home she had thoughts of baby girls dancing in her head.
Throughout her 40 weeks she has insisted that this is her last pregnancy, and that she will have what she has be it 2 boys, or one of each, and today was her day of reckoning.
At 9pm this evening, after hours of pushing, she gave birth to a baby boy. Although I haven't spoken to her directly (she had my friend who is her nurse call me) I can't help but fear the slight disappointment that I am sure she feels. I know that she is not shallow and will not be crying about it being a boy- hell she had a hard time getting knocked up both times, I know she is thrilled to have a baby. I don't think that she will resent this boy for not being a girl anymore than Tim resents having 2 girls (which is not even a little bit), but I am sure that a piece of her heart broke (ok, chipped) that she was not going to get to buy prom dresses and plan a wedding.
So here is to Andrea and her boys...she will never have to worry about party shoes, and the fragile self image of a 13 year old girl. She won't have to pick up the pieces of a little girl who has been crushed by a "mean girl" at pre school. She will get buy buying a pair of shoes, some jeans, and a few tee shirts as back to school clothes. She will not have to make the bangs, no bangs decision for a toddler. She will not have to but all new baby clothes, and the boys will be able to share a room until they can buy their big house in Barrington. She has it made...

welcome to my new little Neighbor, we have been waiting for you....Eleanor has some things to teach you, and we can't wait to meet you.....