Baby #2 - 19 Weeks

Hello little baby boo! Today marks 19 weeks that you've been in this belly of mine and well, here you are hanging out while I type away:

You've been making your presence more and more known around here. I'm still the only one that can feel you. While I'm excited for your Daddy to feel your jabs and kicks, I secretly like this short time frame. Kind of like it's just you and me. You're flipping around in there and doing whatever it is you do, and it's just for me to feel. You did quite a bit of that last night and it just took my breath away. I would say even more so than it did with your brother. I get it now. I fully comprehend what you are inside my body and it's amazing. I felt overwhelmed with gratefulness and your little moves put a smile on my face in the midst of chaos. You're such an incredible blessing.. how big I hope you never really understand.

Our appointment to see you and find out if you are a boy or girl got moved up a day. Woohoo! I'm so excited. We'll find out on the 26th instead of the 27th now. A-okay by me! I subconsciously think you are a girl. You get all of the girl pronouns from me. I'm using she and hers every time I talk about you without even thinking about it. It just comes out. I'm also carrying differently this time. You're much higher up than your brother was, which I'm not sure, but I think suggests girl.  But I had a VERY vivid dream last night that you are a boy. The 26th can't come soon enough. I want to give you a name. Like I mentioned before, you're already named if you are a girl. We have just about come to a conclusion for a boy name, but that has been hard this time around! Your daddy wanted to call you William, but I nixed that. That was my grandfather's name and my cousin just gave her new (perfect and adorable, btw) son the middle name of William. I know it doesn't really matter, but I like to be original. The middle name will definitely still be a family name regardless, but my first name choices got the axe from Daddy as well. I loved either Declan or Benjamin. Oh well.. I think we have found one that we both love though! Just waiting on you to show us your goods!

I still don't have a big appetite with you, but I've been getting little cravings here and there. Nothing too serious. I can't get enough oranges right now. Tangelos to be specific, but I eat two a night and think about them throughout the entire day. Potatoes. I'm baking one for lunch as we type. Every once in a blue moon I'll want some sugary candy. Not chocolate. Same exact things I ate with Andrew. Tally mark number two in the boy column. I'm not really big on meat. The thought of a burger turns my stomach. I'll eat a little something with dinner because I should get the protein, but mehh...

Let's see - Current events?
Today marks the 11th anniversary of 9/11. That was an awful thing that happened 11 years ago and I'll explain that to you when you're ready. It's a big part of why Daddy does what he does for a living and we are so proud of him.
Elections are coming up soon and your mama NEEDS to figure out how she's going to vote! We're choosing the man to lead our country for the next 4 years.
Teachers in Chicago are on strike. They want more money and stronger benefits, also they want to know they'll still have a job in the future. In the meantime, about 35,000 kids are out of school because their teachers are protesting... unions...
We're all waiting on cooler temperatures to make their appearance. It's almost officially fall. Your mama does not like summer.

That's about all for now little bean. Keep doing your thing in there.. growing and staying healthy!