So I'm 22 weeks today. Here are some updates since I posted last.

I'm a lot bigger. Check out my bump at 20 weeks.

Perhaps the biggest news is that "It's a boy! But we had guessed that. For names, well, we're still coming up with a list. A long list. Suggestions are welcome.

Other news:
1. Kicks are stronger. One made me jump in class. Thankfully, my students didn't notice.

2. Our house is half torn apart. Having your house half torn apart when pregnant is no fun. Mike and I sleep in the baby's room because that's the room that's done.

3. Taxicabs slow down for me, but no one yet has offered me his or her seat on the train.

4. The first outfit gift I received was from the Myers, and it was a Green Monster onesie. The little one also has a Pedroia shirt. Such a fan.

I thought I bet to start posting about the pregnancy here. I'm currently 19 weeks. I felt the baby kick for sure the first time last Wednesday in the middle of teaching class. It was a strong *bump* in the middle of my belly, and it surprised me, though I didn't show it to the class. For weeks, I'd been feeling a flutter. But one can never know what the cause of that is. This, on the other hand, is a kick.

Next week we find out the sex of the baby, though all signs point to a boy. We asked our friends' 3 year old daughter, and she, who apparently thinks all babies are girls said it was a boy. Then, last week, when I walked into Mike's 96 year-old grandmother's house, she immediately announced, "you're having a boy!" as if she were definite. Apparently, she could tell by the way I was carrying.

Information you may or may not want to know but you're reading this blog so I'm going to tell you:
1. I found out I was pregnant Christmas morning.
2. I had morning sickness from weeks 6 through 11, and then for a one night at 14 weeks. Morning sickness started at sundown and continued until noon the next day. I did not throw up. But sometimes I felt so nauseated, I wished that I could.
3. I had aversions more than cravings during the first trimester. I didn't want to eat anything but I knew that if I didn't eat anything, I would feel more sick. So I ate, but I didn't look at my food. I had some cravings for grapefruit. And I bought a lot of it.
4. The baby's in utero name is "The Dancer" a.k.a. "Cooper II."

Here is my year-end survey. Even though I'm busy this year, had to do this!
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? I got a job as a professor!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? All my resolutions always have to do with going to the gym. And I always go until I have a horrible ankle injury...which I did last year and this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? For shizzle. My Lizzle. Becky and Ricky gave birth to a beautiful and talkative daughter named Elizabeth (Lizzle).
4. Did anyone close to you die? Not corporeally.
5. What countries did you visit? Italy! Finally after many a year of wanting to go the prices were cheap enough. AND we visited Venice during Carnevale.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? A lot less life drama and a lot more stage drama.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I'm not sure yet.
8. What was your biggest success? Getting a job at NYU!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting a shitload of other jobs?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Damn those pesty ankles.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A fabulous, glorious, angelic new refrigerator. If only you knew what the old one was like, you would know why.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? A lot of various people. It turns out that 2009 was just a terrible year for most, and most people I know banded together amongst the horribleness. I applaud you.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Joe Lieberman.
14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage. Where else?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? A job! At NYU! Working in NYC!
16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Empire State of Mind
17. Compared to this time last year, are you a.happier or sadder? b. thinner or fatter? c. richer or poorer?
a. happier definitely. I mean the end of 2008 was the economy crashing. b. I was thinner and then I sprained my ankle a million times. Sigh.; c. richer. It seriously helps to not be in school anymore.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Theater.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Commuting. Two hours each way is a bitch.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? I spent it at our friend Josei and Paul's, with baby Kase and Grandma Lee Ann.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I suppose I did. Shout out to Elizabeth.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Lost, Law & Order SVU, The Closer, The Wire (which I just discovered over the last year). I liked Grey's Anatomy until this season, which is unbearable.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Hate is a strong word.
24. What was the best book you read? I don't know.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Lil Wayne. I didn't like him and then all of a sudden I started to.
26. What did you want and get? Again. Job.
27. What did you want and not get? A walk-on at Law & Order.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Inglourious Bastards I think.
29. What did you do on your birthday? Ate out? I think. I don't remember right now.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? One must not focus on the past, but on the future.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Designer jeans. The same pair, worn as much as possible.
32. What kept you sane? Not really sure...almost not getting something and then getting it?
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I still fancy Obama. On the bad days, when I remind myself that he is President and not Bush, I still feel better.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Health care.
35. Who did you miss? All my buddies from Cornell.
36. Who was the best new person you met? Lizzle!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009? Things have a way of working themselves out.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I'm going in. And I'm a go hard." Thanks Lil Wayne.