"There can be little doubt that pregnant Victoria Beckham, mother of three boys, wants a girl."

"Perhaps this time Posh Spice will get the girl she's always wanted."

"Will Victoria Beckham get a baby girl at last?"

I never thought I'd confess to feeling sorry for Posh Spice of all people, but in this case I can't imagine being in her (teetering) (thousand-dollar) shoes. The world cares about exactly one aspect of her fourth pregnancy: whether or not she's going to FINALLY have a girl.

There's so much speculation and hope in the media about this maybe-girl at the moment; what must it feel like to have millions of people laying bets on how your family is going to grow? UK bookies are giving odds on the baby's sex, for god's sake. (They're also taking bets on the name. Favored choices? Juliet and Sandra.)

I remember when I got the ultrasound results of my second pregnancy, and the brief stab of disappointment I felt upon learning I was having a second boy. It was strange and shameful and I couldn't help it—I'd allowed myself to hope, just a bit, for one of each. I'd run my fingers over little dresses and striped tights and daydreamed about pigtails. We'd picked out two names, just in case.

It was a complicated reaction—yes, that pang of ... well, what. A missed opportunity, I suppose. But also overwhelming gratitude for being reassured there was an active healthy baby in there at ALL, joy for learning we had another boy and for knowing, all of a sudden, that his name was Dylan; that indescribable weepy moment when an ultrasound technician you'll never see again tells you one of the most unforgettable sentences you'll ever hear.

I sort of wanted a girl but I was so happy to have another boy, and now, of course, I can't imagine it any other way. At any rate, it was something I kept close to my heart at the time, and it would have been unbelievably hurtful to repeatedly hear people express their sorrow over the results of my ultrasound. "Oh, bad luck. So sorry." Because you know that's how people will react if Posh has another boy.

Maybe Victoria does want a girl. But it feels a little sad for the public to be so excitedly rooting for a female Beckham baby. It makes you wonder if a boy will be celebrated by fans, or simply viewed as the one they got when they tried for a girl.

What do you think about people hoping for a girl from the Beckhams?


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