Because of a Cowboy

Cowboy or Cowgirl?

It was a busy morning, helping get everything set up. My heart fluttered with excitement as I stood around outside the house, chatting with my extended family. My aunts, uncles, and cousins flew in from down south.

They usually planned their yearly visit in the fall, but I guess my little one would be the first baby born into our family in like, ten years, so it was a big deal. They also wanted to see Whisper, who was still doing good after being home for a week.

Toby put his arm around my waist. I was twenty-four weeks along, my belly looking nice and round in this adorable pink and blue chevron dress I bought just for this occasion.

"What are you guys hoping for?" asked my cousin, Morgan.

"A boy!" I said. "I have a boy name picked out already, but none for a girl."

"I'm also in the boy boat," Toby said. "With uh...the other four people or so."

We chuckled and looked around. In this themed cowboy/cowgirl gender reveal, there was a pretty clear divide. My siblings thought it would be done to get one of those charts that predict the gender based on old wives tales to display for everyone.

I circled the answers for my cravings, skin, tiredness, etc. Literally every single answer I circled was for a girl.

"I don't believe in that old wives stuff," I said, proudly tipping my blue cowboy hat.  

Everyone started pointing and turning around. We did the same.

The first one I saw was Will, who was walking Monet. My buddy looked so cute in his blue garland necklace and bowtie. Next was Watson, who was walking Jenny, our little three-legged lady who was popular with the public.

Jenny wore a pink garland around her dark grey neck and had a cute pink bow attached to her prosthetic leg. Watson braided pink ribbons into her long, black mane as well.

Since the party started, there was a crate filled with hay out in the distance. A rope was sticking out of each end. I watched as my brothers brought Monet to one side and Jenny to the other. I had no idea what was in the crate. This was all their idea.

Will tied one end of the rope to Monet's halter, and Watson tied his end to Jenny's halter.

"Is everyone ready?" they called in unison.

On the boys' cue, my whole family counted out a big "Three! Two! One!" and the boys backed up the horses. It was like a clothesline, with onesies attached to the rope rising out of the hay.

They were blue.

"It's a boy!" Will and Watson said.

The big cluster of family in pink cowgirl hats let out sighs and a big "aww!" Toby, on the other hand, was screaming and doing laps around the yard. I didn't think I'd ever seen him so excited in my entire life.

"Alright! Everybody pay up!"  Grandpa Winston said.

Groups of aunts and uncles let out frustrated sighs as they handed my grandfather several bills. He laughed and stuffed them into his wallet.

I ran out to the field and hugged my brothers.

"This was perfect. Thank you both," I said.

"I told you this was a good idea," Will said to Watson.

I reached my hands out, petting both Monet and Jenny. "And you two were great!"

My mother came over with her camera. Toby finally came back so we could take pictures. We held up the onesies and a "it's a boy!" sign made by my twin brothers. 

My family gradually came over one by one to congratulate us both. They've always known Toby and were happy for him as well...we may or may not have told them that he wasn't my little boy's biological father. 

It was such a blissful, happy moment for everyone...until I saw something coming up the ranch's main entrance. It was a motorcycle, and I could tell from a mile away who was riding it.