Quote Originally Posted by mountainman
Ok, so NLXBB, roughly 5 weeks old from seed start, 12/12 cycle for 3 nights so far.

I'm noticing bud like structures starting at internodes that have already sprouted an additional branch while being significantly far away from the rapid growth area at the top of the main stem.

They're hard to spot with the naked eye, as you can see in the picture. It's pretty much impossible to see in the picture, but it's between the small internode stem leaf marked in blue and the nearby young branch sprout. This goes for two plants which both clearly are exhibiting preflower growth.

Now, on one I can't really tell yet, but on another, It looks like a slightly elongated upsidedown teardrop, but no hairs yet. What I'm wondering is: am I just wishful or are these plants pretty clearly showing sex already? I've heard that young female flowers often look male-like, but not the other way around, so I think that it's female.

Yes its sometimes hard to determine sex. Both will have nodes but only females will have the pistils.
The nodes are what you have circled in the pic but what I cant see is if it has pistils.
Pistils are white hairs that come out of the node. I think the seed place I buy from has a gender section just a sec I will get you a link to compare with yours.
Here it is and you can also google sexing cannabis plants for some more pics.
http://www.dope-seeds.com/gender.htm
DFG