Pregnancy the Second Time Around

When I was pregnant with Max I tried to do about weekly updates throughout. I know I don’t have that much to say this time, but I figured I’d check in at least once so I can document how pregnancy number two is going. Ironically, I think I’m probably the one most looking back at those old posts wondering how I felt last time and what is coming up!

In case you don’t feel like going back to 2013 and reading all those weekly updates, I’ll sum them up for you. Trimester 1- I feel like crap and I hate being pregnant. Trimester 2- I am still not a fan but at least I don’t feel terrible. Prenatal yoga and maternity clothes are good. Trimester 3- My  liver decides it ALSO hates being pregnant and starts trying to attack both Max and me. While I dip my feet in ice to try to keep myself from itching them off, Max decides to GET OUT almost 4 weeks early. Smart kid, I tell you.

This pregnancy has been similar so far regarding how I feel. I found out I was pregnant earlier this time, but right on schedule at about Week 6 the nausea started. I’d say it was pretty comparable to how I felt last time, but instead of backpacking around Europe, this time I was teaching kindergarten, managing a two year AND moving… all great things to do when you don’t feel well. But honestly, being busy helped a lot and gave me less time to think about not feeling well. I started to feel better around Week 14ish.

I also shared my news a little earlier this time because I’m not as concerned about work, so it got me through that last week or two of feeling bad because I was telling people, which is always fun. One of the highlights of this pregnancy so far was telling my kindergarten students. I decided it would be fun to tell them on the last day of school with a “Hangman” game. When they finally figured out that I wrote, “Max is going to be a big brother!” they were SO excited. I didn’t expect them to get it right away, but they were immediately giving me name ideas (Rocky, anyone?). This time I’ll be sharing it with my new class in my summer letter which I’m sure won’t be the most welcome news for them but I’m hoping for a similar experience to last time where everyone was incredibly supportive.

Also in Week 14 I found out I’m having another BOY, which also set up the excitement of Max getting a little brother that I hope he will LOVE just as much as we will. I love the process of getting to know this little guy inside me. Just like Max, he loves to kick at night and moves around a lot. Unlike Max though, he was not a big vacation fan. With Max I always felt better on days I didn’t have to work, but with Baby #2 I always felt better at work. Future workalcoholic in the making? It’s fun to speculate about what he will be like, and if he’ll have anything at all in common with Max or if they will be nothing alike.

As for me, I’m nesting a little more this time. I think I had a pretty realistic picture of how hard it was going to be to have a baby before Max, but this time I have not just a realistic but a very clear, practical understanding. I realize I won’t be doing a lot of working out, so I’m trying to squeeze in all the swims, prenatal yoga, walks and lifts I can do. I know I won’t be on my computer much at all, so I’m trying to get all my photos backed up and organized (by year, nothing ambitious). I’m hoping to sell or give away baby clothes as soon as #2 grows out of them, so I’m trying to get things organized and sell and give away other items before I’m worrying about baby stuff. I know I’ll need all the money I can get when I have two kids, so I’m taking 2 classes this summer to get my Masters +30 credits salary raise. I remember CLEARLY how freaking difficult it is to leave a newborn and pump in the car and bathrooms and God only knows where else (but how necessary at the same time), so I’m trying to soak in as many date nights as possible now. I know I’ll soon have a crying baby so I’m really enjoying the interrupted times of reading Max books, playing trucks with him and just cuddling up with only one baby on the couch.

The biggest differences so far in this pregnancy have been a bump popping out WAY earlier this time, yikes! I had to break out my dresses that I used to hide it last time in Week 17-18 and use them at Week 8, not exaggerating! My attitude has also been different. I know how quickly this time will pass (though it NEVER feels like it at the time) so I've tried harder to enjoy the positive and dismiss the negative. I have not done a perfect job, but I've done better.

So yea… I have all the normal fears about number 2 and how he will systematically ruin our lives ha ha. But I’m mostly just grateful to be here with my little family and have such wonderful supportive people around us. On a less fun note, I will likely have liver problems again which is why I’m saying my due date is “somewhere in November or December” (really December 12th). At this point I’m just hoping it delays as long as possible!

Just for fun, though I know you can't really see the bumps! The top photo is at the Cape Week 18, Pregnancy Two. The bottom photo is in Austria Week 9 (ish), Pregnancy One. Same bathing suit, ha!