I seem to have annoyed my sister again today.  It's a gift, I guess.

The issue today was the sex of her unborn grandchild. This is her first, and she's very excited because it's going to be a girl. Maybe. I pointed out to her in an email and on her Facebook posting, that ultrasounds are not infallible, and that she shouldn't get too wedded to the idea of a granddaughter. She took exception, and was upset that I wasn't more supportive.

I thought it was rather ironic, actually, coming today as it did. Today is the fourth birthday of my youngest grandchild, the sweet, brown-eyed boy who was supposed to be a girl. That's right. Two ultrasounds confirmed that fact. My son already had one daughter, and although we were a tad disappointed that the new baby was going to be another girl, we embraced her, and planned for her. For my granddaughter's second birthday, just weeks before her new sibling was to arrive, I bought her a book about sisters. Her other grandmother bought her a bracelet set, two little silver circles, one saying Big Sister, one saying Little Sister.

I still have the texts my son sent the night the baby was born. One says "Here she comes!" and just minutes later, "It's a BOY!" We were stunned, and thrilled, and so excited. I was so happy for my son, who now had a son of his own.

But underneath the laughter and amazement was, surprisingly, sadness. My daughter-in-law in particular was affected by this. For four months, ever since the second ultrasound had confirmed the results of the first, she had daydreamed about two curly haired little girls in matching dresses, about tea parties and ballet classes and two sisters playing together. Of course, she loved (loves!) her son, but when the time came to bring him home, the pink blankets and sleepers and onesies all had to be replaced. The cupboard full of Big Sister's baby clothes, so carefully washed and folded for Little Sister, had to be packed away again. It was almost like a death, the death of a dream. Luckily for all of us, there was the birth of a new dream, the promise of trucks and trains and all things blue.

If I upset my sister, it wasn't intentional. I laugh about it now, the grandson who was supposed to be a girl, but if I can spare my sister and her daughter-in-law even a little bit of hurt, then I don't mind if they get annoyed at me. Better to be annoyed at me, than to have to exchange all those pink clothes.