You like Gender Neutral? How about I remove your genitals?

Lately I've found myself asking, "are we still reduced to just pink or blue... really?" in the last few months.
The answer, sadly, is a resounding (and apparently enthusiastic) yes.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/97789287/gender-reveal-banners-team-pink-team?ref=market

Let me back track to say that we decided not to find out the gender of our future offspring and apparently people have a problem with this. Not just a little, "oh, crazy I had to know" sentiment, but a big menacing "you are absolutely nuts and doing your child a disservice" kind of problem.
Before you get all up in arms, I'm all for doing what you want. It's actually a pretty personal choice and people have their own reasons for finding out or not. If you are a Team Pink/Team Blue fan that's cool. I get wanting to know, and share it with your friends and family, just not what we chose.
Seriously, good on ya, but what's with the Judgey McJudgersons literally flipping out about something that impacts them exactly zero amount?

"But what will colors will you have in the baby room?!"
Well, given that TWO WHOLE colors have been eliminated from the spectrum I'm sure we'll muddle through somehow.
As a matter of fact we have yellows, blues, teals, reds, and whites. Is that okay with you?

Some other things I have heard:
* "Oh that's nice. Romanticizing ignorance are we?"
* "If I am going to be in a car accident I would like to know about it before hand... wouldn't you?"
* "So, everything will just be yellow or green, huh?"
* "Clearly, you aren't a planner, I'm such an organized person, I could never do that."

Some responses I have thought or said aloud:
*Oh that's nice, force feeding gender stereotypes in the womb. Gotta start 'em early, right?!
(I don't even think this, I just think it sounds equally absurd)
*Does the color of the car that's about to hit me matter?
*I guess?
*Nope, I am not planning anything. Baby, what baby?

The sad thing is that the impetus behind not finding out wasn't any of these angry gender issues or a personal vendetta against the social norms, it was just what we wanted. God - fucking - forbid.

After the car accident comment the response was, so you are comparing your child's gender to the color of a car?!
Well, apparently yes, since everyone else does already. But now that you mention it, did you just compare having a kid and not knowing the gender to something as tragic as a car crash???

I'm actually very Type A and plan A LOT.
But here's the thing:
I am planning on having a kid. And I am planning to do whatever I can, to the best of my ability, to not raise an asshole.
Whether or not that asshole is accompanied by a ween or a vag has little bearing.

It doesn't go away either.
Who could forget the classic Bic for Her pens... check out the Amazon reviews for a laugh.
Any kind of pink hammer or tool set, or pink weapons for the lady outdoorsmen
See the inciting incident for today's post here:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/honda-fit-she-world-only-car-aimed-exclusively-205422886.html

I get that guys have the same thing. Be sure everything is covered in camo, right? But, well, I'm a chick, so we're talking about this side.

Ugh, that fucking car.
You want to talk about tragic car accidents?
Seriously.

I don't think you're ready for this jelly, Twenty fourteen.

Another year gone by. It's hard to believe not only that we are into 2014... that's like, Marty McFly future time, but also all that has happened in the last year. It's been an excellent and crazy one, that's for sure.

We started things off right in January with a Ski/Snowboard trip up to Lutsen. It was fun, we had an awesome cabin with the busiest bird feeder ever, the weather was warm, the food was plentiful and great.
All was well until...

Yeah, I fell over while standing still.
Yes, that really happens. I proceeded to pull my MCL (knee tendon) and be out of commission for several weeks. Not cool and a bummer that I missed the last ski day.
Oh well, still fun.

March brought birthday shenanigans as usual. The last of mine to begin with a two. Sad, but not really. Who needs to mourn their 20's when you are as awesome as me? I also was able to participate in my half marathon on St. Patrick's Day. Despite being injured and unable to train as much as I would have liked, I completed it. Which was a feat in itself

The summer was spent enjoying weather, outdoors and having a blast. 2nd Annual Saint's Game Tailgating adventure, lots of canoeing - we took a small trip up to the Snake River in Pine City and had a blast checking out some new turf. I completed my firearms safety classes and had lots of fun on my first ever and second ever clay shooting adventures. I need practice but it was still great!

We shared in lots of weddings of our friends this year and have a bunch more to look forward to in 2014. I will even get to be a first time ever bridesmaid!
I took more golf lessons and shot handguns and shotguns.
I took a paddle board lesson and started riding a bike, a task last undertaken in college.

 





Late August Mark and I went to Italy for two weeks. It was incredible and fun and amazing.
Seeing Rome, Florence and Venice was such a cool experience. Seeing it with my favorite person, who had NEVER been to Europe before, was even better.
The history, the food, the wine. Each city was so unique to itself. Walking streets and looking at things you read about or see in movies so often is surreal. It was an adventure in every sense of the word. We traveled by train, plane, bus, car, boat, bike, and gondola. We swam in the ocean and tried three cities' takes on Tiramisu. We drank wine every night. I got scolded by the police, and I walked more than I probably have in years.

October brought our second wedding anniversary. It feels like it has been both ages and the blink of an eye since we got married. Hard to believe all that has happened since we said "I do." And all that we have to look forward to... We also discovered that we were going to be parents! Words can't describe the plethora of emotions for this new journey but I am looking forward to every step. We'll meet the nugget sometime in June!

November I was able to take my previously thwarted trip from Memorial Day out to New York to visit my favorite Liesl. I hadn't seen her since the wedding but it felt like we were still roomies. We walked, we ate, we talked. It was fun and needed. We saw Newsies on Broadway - Definitely a bucket list item that I checked off. It was incredible and I was so happy to share it with her. So amazing.

We just wrapped up a busy but fun holiday season.
I'm downright verklempt looking back at this action packed year and all the incredible memories it held. Next year will be a big one and I can't wait.