Okay... this one took me awhile 🥴 (Long post warning!) ⬇️ After the handful of DMs relating with so many of you, I promised that I'd create a post airing my experience with a phenomenon that is hardly ever talked about... gender disappointment. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I heard from other mom's how they felt too embarrassed or guilty to even admit it publicly, or how they were afraid of sounding ungrateful when there are so many people in the world who just want a *baby* but can't have one on their own. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The way I see it... and why I call it a phenomenon.. is because gender disappointment is a moment of time when two completely separate but conflicting feelings exist. On one hand, you're so excited for a new baby. You wanted this baby, dreamt for this baby, and it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl because it's a BABY. 😭❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On the other hand, when you've experienced one gender... and only one gender... it's a grieving process. Not because "you didn't get what you want," but because life didn't (or hasn't) panned out exactly how you envisioned. It's not easy to close the door on the fantasies of dolls, tea parties, dress-up, prom dresses, weddings, and everything pink. Not that a boy can't do those things too... But because it was an experience in life that you've longed for, and it turns out that it's not going to happen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That grief doesn't negate the joy for the new baby. They exist together. And it's happy and sad all at the same time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My life is still happier than I could have ever imagined it being, and I feel SO incredibly lucky each day to wake up to my family. I'm MORE than okay- I'm excited! ❤️ But it's no secret that I longed for a daughter. And you're not alone if you've struggled with those same thoughts. ❤️❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀