well sweet baby girl - to say that i am excited to learn your gender today would be quite the understatement. the moment i saw that positive test, i knew you were a girl. the constant morning sickness and icks, also left me pretty confident. last week, i had a few dreams about you being a girl and in last night's dream, pink balloons filled our house today. i knew it. you had to be a girl. i had a few moments of doubt in there, but that was only me trying to prepare for the other 50% chance you could be a little boy. it wasn't that i didn't want another boy. it was just that i wanted a daughter. i've always wanted a daughter. i also wanted something different this time. i know every pregnancy, and baby are different. but i wanted my experience with wyatt to be special, unique and all his. i wanted this go-round, my last time being pregnant, to be special and unique in it's own way. 

again, the puking on the way to work and before bed, was enough to give me all the "difference" i needed but you see, i've dreamt of having a daughter for many moons. mostly, if not only because of the relationship i have with your gramma. my mom and i have a pretty special relationship and i grew up hearing (in the best of times and the worst of times),"i hope you have a daughter just like you someday". well the time is about to come. and i couldn't be more excited. you are going to complete our family. you're going to be the little sister to the sweetest most amazing boy. to think about the bond and friendship you'll have with your brother someday is pretty much the best thing ever. 

when i think about how lucky you are to have such an amazing daddy, i can barely contain myself. you have such a special daddy - and i know, that he is going to teach you so much. most importantly, he's going to teach you how to love and respect yourself because of the example he will set for you. we already have so many dreams for you little peanut. and we learned pretty quickly with your brother, it's not just about the dreams we have for you, it's about the dreams we create together as a family. you are already loved beyond words. i am excited to continue thinking about who you'll be, who you will become, and how much you will add to our incredibly blessed family. in the meantime, continue to grow and cook inside this warm belly. we're half way my sweet love. let the countdown until i kiss those pink cheeks begin. 

love you always, 

mama.

bump it - 17 weeks

it's official. these bump shots make it so. i am finally into this pregnancy. i can tell you one thing, feeling like 10% of yourself for 2.5 months does not rock. i feel like a new girl today. that was the longest first trimester - fo sho. today i woke up feeling like my old self, minus the extra weight, and the protruding belly. 17 weeks into this thing? only 17 weeks? last night ty said this pregnancy was "flying by"... um... glad he thinks so. i have a pretty good feeling this week will mark it finally kicking into high gear - with one small exception. i still have to wait 3 more weeks until we find out what's cooking in there. i can not wait. understatement alert. i am dying to know. dying.

foods i am into:

• eggs - even though they kind of gross me out, i eat them anyway for the protein. i eat about 3 a day.
• cheese - string, cheddar, gouda, you name it.
• apples - really into my classic pink lady's and fuji's (always have one before bed with cheese)
• blueberries - is it just me, or are these so delish right now?!
• burgers - pretty much loving ty's the best right now. mc'd's are grossing me out. and definitely not eating the horse meat at burger king. no thank you. 
• peanut butter chocolate ice cream - prefer haagen daaz. mmm.
• steak - filet done medium are pretty good right now
• cous cous - love it with lime and balsamic vinegar
• avacado - with a little salt/pepper!
• lime anything 
• sushi, sushi, and more sushi (i'd eat it everyday)
• green tea - i'll have a cup a couple times a week and boy does it give me a little pick me up!
• apple sauce - doused in cinnamon and sugar of course

ty's been amazing, as usual. even better this time around. i am so incredibly lucky. thank my stars every night for this catch of mine. the conversations we've been having lately have been pretty hilarious. i know i am not at my best, looks wise especially. i know that every night i look like something the cat drug in. i haven't gotten my hair done since may. i finally got a pedicure this weekend - first one since december. also got my face waxed - literally, i think she waxed my whole face off yesterday. i was that hairy. thank you pregnancy hormones. 

i felt a few flutters this week, just enough to remind me i have a little one growing finger nails in there. so weird to me, still. the one thing that is so different this time around is that i am not as consumed with being pregnant. last time, i could obsess over everything - every symptom, feeling, pang, flutter. this time around, i am still obsessing over everything that has to do with that first pregnancy - my sweet baby boy. wyatt is the absolute best distraction. i can't wait to see him as a big brother. it's when i look at him i am reminded at how fast time goes by. how can it be that i was once cooking that little bean? he's changed and grown up so much. thinking to a year from now and picturing two little munchkins playing together literally blows my mind. 

counting down the days until my life changes for the better, yet again. i am one blessed mama. that i haven't forgotten in the midst of all of my pregnancy brain blunders. (adding pregnancy brain to mom brain is a horrific combination, i'll tell you that much.)