It was a sunny day in Pasadena which was perfect as today was the day they were finding out if they were having a boy or girl. Amy and Bernadette had been planning for a month what Penny hoped it would be a small gathering, but knowing Raj was involved too meant it sounded like it was becoming more extravagant. Penny hadn't given it much thought, all these baby showers and gender reveals seemed like something only celebrities do, but as they drove over to Howard and Bernadette's she had butterflies in her stomach.
"Turn it up, I love this song," Penny smiled as High Hopes came on the radio. Leonard turned the dial and returned his hand to Penny's thigh where her dress had ridden up as he drove. She had a loose summer dress with small pink flowers on so her bump still wasn't showing, much to Leonard's disappointment.
"Oh, I have another name to add to the list," He said, turning onto their street.
"Yeah?" Penny asked.
"Avery," He smiled. "Works for a boy or a girl."
"Avery," Penny repeated. "Avery Hofstadter... I like it!"
"So I can finally have a name on the list?" Leonard teased.
"Well, now you've stopped suggesting superhero names, sure." She laughed.
Leonard pulled up to their driveway and they were both silently thankful when they only noticed their close friend's cars. He locked the car and laced his fingers with hers as they walked up to the back gate.
"You ready for this?" He grinned, opening the gate for her.
"I think she," She smiled back, smoothing her hand over her stomach. "Let's find out what you are little one."
They walked hand in hand into the backyard and Penny sighed in relief when she saw nothing crazy, just the guys next to the barbeque and Bernadette tying some balloons together.
"Hey guys," They called out.
"You made it!" Amy squealed.
"Of course, it is our party right?" Penny laughed.
"Well yes but really it's all about my future honourary niece or nephew," She grinned. "Ok so let me walk you through what we have done." Amy grabbed Penny's hand and pulled her away to the other side.
"Sorry," Penny mouthed to Leonard. He shook his head and smiled, walking over to Howard and Raj.
"Okay bestie, this is what we have been working on. Tah Dah!"
"Wow, Amy, I-" Penny began, confused as to what she was looking at. It appeared to be a white canvas with what looked like some sort of wooden fence bars over and a load of black balloons tied to it.
"Let me explain. The balloons are filled with either blue or pink paint, depending on if it's a boy or girl. We use darts to pop the balloons from above, see how they're tied onto these old fence panels here? Then paint falls onto the canvas and you have a painting to keep forever!"
"Oh my goodness, Amy that is so cool! It makes a painting? That's so thoughtful!" Penny grinned, hugging her friend.
"Don't forget we got you this too," Bernadette joined them, handing Penny a white boiler suit. "This way we can cover you in paint."
"You guys, I can't believe it!" She said looking around at the rest of the garden filled with yellow balloons.
"Penny that's not all, we have cupcakes and games and make your own onesies," Amy continued.
"Wait, I'm going to get changed into this and then let's get started!" Penny grinned as she ran off to the house.
"Where's Penny going?" Leonard asked as Howard passed him a beer.
"Bernadette and Amy got her a jumpsuit so they could cover her in paint." Howard replied, taking a sip of his beer.
"Paint?" Leonard questioned, raising his eyebrow.
"Yeah dude, we are going to pop balloons to see what colour is inside," Raj grinned.
Penny ran upstairs to Bernadette's room to get changed. She slipped her dress off and stood in front of the floor length mirror, taking in her new figure and the butterflies in her stomach that had returned. She stood face on and then turned to the side, and then back to the front, running her hand over the bump. It was unmissable like this.
"Whatever you are baby, I love you so so much." She whispered. "Your Daddy does too. He's obsessed if you hadn't noticed. And he thinks you're a girl so let's prove him that Mommy is always right."
Penny stepped into the jumpsuit and zipped it up, laughing at herself in the mirror. She rolled the sleeves and legs up and slipped her converse back on and made her way downstairs. She stopped to look at the food and decorations the girls had set up. Yellow cupcakes with baby Hofstadter written in icing, pink and blue lemonade in jugs and yellow balloons all around the garden.
"Are you ready?" Leonard said into her neck as he stepped behind Penny, wrapping his arms around her.
"Yeah," She breathed, suddenly overcome with emotion. "I just can't believe they did all this for us."
"We've got some pretty great friends." He said kissing her neck.
"We do," She smiled, thinking back to how different her life used to be and wondering if her old friends would have been this thoughtful.
"You know what all this talk of paint reminds me of? You, me, a sheet on our bed." He smirked as she turned in his arms.
"And us covered in paint! Oh my god, I totally forgot about that." Her eyes going wide as she laughed.
"That was fun," He grinned, leaning in to kiss her.
"Mmm, very." She laughed against his lips.
"Okay love birds, let's get this show on the road," Bernadette called over to them.
"Guess that's our cue," He grinned, slipping his hand into hers as they walked towards the group who were all huddled around the wooden frame.
"Sheldon, why are you in a paintball suit," Amy frowned at her husband as he walked out the house.
"I only just found out that paint was involved Amy, I thought I best protect myself and I happened to have a spare suit in the car!" He exclaimed. "Penny is the only one who had the sense to protect her clothes, I suggest you all do the same!"
"I think we'll be ok Sheldon," Howard said, passing darts around the group.
"Are you sure? Paint is very difficult to remove from clothing."
"Yes I'm sure Sheldon."
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Sheldon sighed.
"Ok everyone listen up!" Bernadette began. "On the count of 3, everyone pop the balloons from above so the paint will drop down! Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Let's do it!"
"Dude I'm so excited I'm going to pee"
"Raj, gross!" Penny laughed, glancing at Leonard who was smiling back at her.
"One, Two, Three!"
The group all burst the balloons on Bernadette's count, releasing the paint and causing it to splash down below. Different shades of paint landed on the canvas creating an abstract print of splats and dots.
"Leonard," Penny cried. "It's pink!"
"Pink," He echoed. "PINK"
"Congratulations!" Their friends shouted, throwing any leftover paint from the balloons on Penny's suit.
"A girl!" Leonard grinned at Penny, tears in his eyes.
She dropped down to the mat the canvas was on, scooping up paint in her hands.
"Pink!" She squealed, holding her paint covered hands in the air, not noticing Raj taking photos of the event unfolding.
"We're having a girl." He pulled her close, crashing his lips against hers.
"I can't believe it," She giggled against his lips, running her paint covered hands over his hair, leaving pink streaks throughout his curls.
"A GIRL!" Amy slapped Penny's ass, leaving a pink handprint on her white overalls. "Bestie, do you know how hard it was to keep this!"
"Wha- Amy!" Penny giggled, looking down at her ass.
"Congrats man!" Raj threw an arm around Leonard.
"You're gonna be in trouble with a girl," Howard joined in. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks guys and don't I know it!" He chuckled.
"My girls," Leonard smiled, pulling Penny into him.
The afternoon continued with the group drawing things in paint on Penny and taking photos to show the little girl when she was old enough. They ate themed cakes and drank the coloured drinks Raj had come up with while the boys stood around the BBQ. Halley and Michael woke up from their naps and came to join in, but Bernadette made sure they kept away from the paint.
Penny smiled as she watched Leonard and Raj play with Halley. She made them dress up in tiara's and feather boa's while they pulled her around the garden in a cart and she smiled at the thought of him playing with their girl. She was sat under an umbrella on the patio with Amy and Bernadette, as Michael happily smashed blocks on the ground next to them. Somehow her life had become full of love and these amazing people and she had barely even noticed, but she was so grateful for what had happened.
AN - So I was on Instagram and saw Jonny's gender reveal so that's where the inspo for this is from! if you haven't seen check it out, it was very cute!
