A boy to bond with or a girl to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard? You and your significant other have now been thinking about the prospect of a son or daughter, especially if you have an ultrasound appointment approaching. If you're going to try to find out the gender of your child, keep an open mind since you have little choice in the matter. Think instead of the exceptional beauties and joys to be found in both sexes as well as any special sibling relationships that can be forged. More important, start thinking of your baby in terms of human potential rather than through gender-imposed limitations — after all, girls can carry on the family name just as readily as boys.

Speaking of names, you have probably already started to think about names for the little one. Below are the most popular names for babies born in 2005.

The Ten Most Popular U.S. Baby Names for 2005

(See Appendix E for a full list of the 100 most popular boy and girls names in the twenty-first century.)

The Cost of Kids

Worried about how to make ends meet as your family grows? First, read our tips on financial planning and paying for pregnancy in Chapter 3. Then sit down with your significant other and work through a budget together. Chances are there's room for cutting back on entertainment and those weekend getaways that you won't be taking for a while anyway after the baby is born.

Still concerned that you won't bring home enough income to support your family? Consider the pregnancy as a new beginning for yourself as well. If you've been thinking about making a career move, spiff up your resume and network now while your household is still relatively quiet. Even if you really love your present job, finding out what else is out there and getting an offer on the table can give you leverage in negotiating with your current employer.

Changing Roles

You, a dad? The same guy whose idea of a savings account is six month's worth of bar change filling a water cooler bottle? The guy who still collects Star Wars action figures (ahem, collectibles)? Who still calls his dad when the car acts up and has twenty more years of student loan payments ahead of him? It's hard to grasp until you experience it, but the sense of responsibility, intense love, and fierce protectiveness that are part of parenthood will make you feel more of an adult than probably any event in your life thus far. Believe it or not, some day that little boy or girl will be calling you for automotive advice (and playing with your collectibles).