I have been so neglectful of the documentation of this pregnancy and it has been one of the things I was most concerned about when thinking about getting pregnant again...the dreaded second child syndrome!! Perhaps you've noticed that I stopped writing Sofie's monthly updates when she turned one-year old and it was with this exact thought in mind. I didn't want to set a precedent that I couldn't continue for baby number two (and who knows, maybe three or four...) I didn't realize that I would have such a hard time even mirroring what I wrote for Sofie!
This pregnancy has been so different for me. It is not constantly present in the forefront of my mind. I am not obsessively reading about which little part might be developing at this very moment. I did all that the first time around and I know what to expect. This time my thoughts are more consumed with practical things like finding the most convenient double stroller, teaching Sofie to change her own diaper ;) and trying to figure out exactly how parents with two young children handle things like grocery shopping. And if you are the parent of two young children you're probably very aware of my
mind frame right now, because chances are I've stopped you on the street to pick your brain a little bit!
I've gained about nine pounds so far, which is not so far from the twelve I had gained with Sofie by 16 weeks (especially since there were about three still hanging around as a souvenir from her debut). Physically I'm in that awful in-between stage where my fat pants are getting tight but maternity clothes are sort of ridiculous and require me to pull my pants up repeatedly throughout the day. I've been wearing the same pair of jeans and rotating three or four comfy long sleeved t-shirts for awhile now, although who am I kidding, that's not that different from the norm!
My stomach has been nice and settled for a couple of weeks and I'm starting to regain some energy. It's too bad because we've spent a lot of time cooped up and snowed in recently. I haven't been sleeping too well at night which is a new experience for me. I fall asleep alright, but then typically I'll wake up in the wee hours (between 2 and 4) and toss and turn until morning. I can't wait for Valentine's Day to come and go because I have been craving
Starburst jelly beans since Christmas time. I foresee the consumption of several bags over the next few weeks!
There have been a few occasions when I thought I might be feeling some movement, but I've been pretty cautious about declaring them since I had that odd non-pregnant feeling of movement this summer. I guess I'm chalking up most of the feelings to tummy gurgles and muscle spasms until they are undeniable!
Overall, I am feeling very low-key about this pregnancy. For every time I think, "Oh my goodness how am I ever going to get out of the house with two babies!" I have several daydreams of how neat it will be to see my children playing together and all of the fun adventures we have in store for us. I also have the knowledge and experience this time around to know that no matter how much I do or do not worry about things the chips all seem to fall right into place when the time comes. And that is priceless!
We spent the rest of the weekend chatting like only two old friends can, jointly admiring Sofie's cuteness (even when she was breaking things...sorry Heidi!), inhaling plenty of sugary yum (girl scout cookies!!), and just having a fun time in general!
Here's a picture of Sofie completely fascinated by Heidi's "Mow!" Isabelle. After an initial period of uncertainty as to exactly how you interact with such a creature, Sofie pretty much followed the cat around all weekend pointing and declaring, "Mow!"
This picture just cracks me up. Sofie's icing covered mug is contorted into some sort of pirate-y expression. I'm pretty sure she was buzzing off of all the cookies and chocolate covered donuts by this point! We had a great weekend and are hoping to return again sometime soon before little critter #2 arrives!
