Slightly OT - "....as long as its healthy"

The following is a post from my private baby blog, which is currently available to friends and family by request. I thought it belonged here as well.

I don't know how many times I hear this or read this in the run of a month. Some expectant mother is asked, "Are you hoping for a girl or a boy?" And she invariably responds, "Oh, I don't care, as long as its healthy!" And I hate it. Once again, I'm sure to be accused of being overly sensitive. But really, would you love your child any less if it wasn't healthy? As someone who has a child with "special needs", who has seen more specialists and therapists than most senior citizens, I can absolutely say that such a child is a blessing in disguise. You come to appreciate those milestones and successes so much more than the parent of a normally developing child...because you don't take it for granted that walking/talking/playing/reading/whatever are just going to happen naturally. And it truly teaches you more about yourself and your capabilities as a parent than almost anything else possibly could.

So when I'm asked whether I'm hoping for a boy or a girl, I usually respond with something ridiculous like, "Oh, I don't care, as long as it doesn't have 2 heads." Gender does not matter to me. And whether or not the baby is healthy doesn't either. Quite honestly, I'd have another 10 just like Jesse if I thought that I could keep up with them!