The Littlest Hartley

We call her Rumble.

We also call her baby girl and the little baby.

She's wonderful and absolutely perfect. It took us a couple weeks (and we still are) wrapping our heads around what it's going to be like to have a girl, but everyday I get more and more and more excited. Little boys are awesome and totally lovable, but I've been told little girls are too. We shall see in about 4 1/2 months. We're kinda already starting to like her.

And, just for the record, this means I am 2 for 2 and Rob is 0 for 2 on guessing the gender of our children. I'd just like it to be noted.

I'm around 20 weeks. She's about the length of a banana. We did her gender ultrasound a little early around 18 weeks. I'm in between care providers right now, so we squeeze in appointments where we can take them. At that appointment, they said she weighed 8 oz and she was lying across my belly with her head on my left and toes on my right. They also said she was perfect. It's confirmed.

I can feel her kicking regularly now, but that didn't start as early as I was expecting with a second baby. I don't feel her all the time, but a couple times a day for sure. Rob has even felt her kick which is a little earlier than Eli, I think.

Nausea is still my friend, and every time I find my head in the toilet I promise myself I won't tell her how sick I was when carrying her. Only when she is having her babies and is sick will I console her with how worth it little babies are. The nausea has greatly subsided, but especially hot days or stressful days do me in. It is for sure, for me, carrying a little girl is more difficult. I was a pro with Eli and was sure I'd missed my calling to be a surrogate. Now, I pray that I forget the sickness so that we'll try for a third one day. Ice helps, anything frozen, nothing sweet and B vitamins with iron keeps my energy level above subsistence.

We're making progress on the naming front and actually have some really promising contenders. We started off months ago with only arguments, but after the ultrasound we've made some advancements and let go of some old favorites.

I fill my head with awesome daydreams about our little family. How when they're adults, Elijah will be a sweeter guy and closer to us because his little sister draws him into family. And how perhaps Eli will have a great ability to express himself because his little sister made him play with her growing up. And how he'll be super confident because his little sister thinks that besides her daddy, Eli is the coolest thing ever ever. Little sister will grow up speaking her mind at school knowing that her big brother will have her back. She'll grow up knowing how to talk to boys unlike her clumsy mom who thought they spoke another language. And Rob is excited that Eli can fight off 8th grade boys for him so that he doesn't go to jail. We'll have boys vs girls family game night and Hartley Olympics. I'll have someone to go to baby and wedding showers with me and someone who will stay close by my side and watch me like Eli watches Rob. I will teach her unlike I will teach Elijah. She'll learn from me , flaws and all, how to be a wife, and a mom, and a woman.

Yes, God knows best. She is quite the blessed addition to our growing family. Though, can we skip the onslaught of pink? Lavender is rather nice, don't you think? And just as feminine. Also, she will be wearing Eli's 0-3 month layette because it is mostly gender neutral and contains some rather old snuggly favorites. Mmm, I can't wait.