Robbie and I had been considering trying for another baby, but we were really worried for a variety of reasons. Mainly we were worried that Meo wouldn't be ready. I was/am afraid that I won't be able to give him nearly as much attention once there is a newborn in the house AND I won't be able to give the newborn my undivided attention like I did Meo. It will have to be completely different. But I love how we have been able to raise Meo so far, and it scares me to death to think about changing things. Second, I know some moms have difficulty breastfeeding through pregnancy. Meo is certainly not ready to be done and neither am I. Third, we were worried for financial reasons. So after trying just one time, we changed our minds and decided to wait a few more months. Well, during that month I started getting really tired and having to pee like crazy. Then wen my period was late, I thought for sure I was pregnant. I took four tests over the course of that week, and after 6 days I had a very bad morning when I started my period. I was confused because I had had about 4 periods since Meo was born, and they were always one day after the predicted day. When 6 days went by, I had been so convinced I was pregnant. Robbie and I were so disappointed, we realized that maybe we didn't want to wait after all, and we started trying the next month.
This month I was feeling tired again. I decided that maybe I need to be running more because sometimes I get sleepy if I don't get enough exercise. I had been walking a lot, but not running like I used to. I was still tired after running though. Also, I started getting fat this month! I thought I was bloated and was going to start my period soon for sure. But My pants were all getting sooo tight and uncomfortable I was getting anxious. I hadn't been eating any differently and had been exercising. I decided that if this was how bloated I was going to get every month, that my periods were going to suck until menopause, because I did not like being that bloated. Even Robbie made a surprised face when I showed him how much much stomach stuck out, and I got frustrated and told him, "well watch Meo so I can run more!"
Then my period was late again. This time I didn't buy any tests though. I decided I wasn't even going to consider the possibility of being pregnant until Saturday morning (6 days late) when I had yoga class and would need to know either way so I wouldn't hurt the baby if I was (you need to do poses differently while pregnant). So Friday night we bought a test, and early Saturday morning I took it.
And...
I am pregnant! I was so excited and a little shocked because I really hadn't allowed myself to hope. I thought I would go hide the test on Robbie's phone so when he went to turn the alarm off in the morning he would see it. But when I walked in the room, I couldn't stop smiling and blurted it out right away. We are so, incredibly happy :).
I should also note that we don't really have all the concerns we had before. Meo is already getting to the point where he plays independently happily for good stretches everyday, and he already enjoys helping do things around the house. Nine months from now (he will be around 2 years and 3 months old) he will probably really enjoy helping me take care of his new sibling. Plus, Meo has a real nurturing nature. He kisses his stuffed Gobo and feeds him crackers, when we met a newborn baby, he sat next to me with a big grin and gently patted and kissed the baby, and when he was around a baby doll the other day I showed him how to hold it and he walked around the house cradling the baby and giving it kisses. I think he's not only ready, but will be a wonderfully sweet over brother. I will do my best to find balance with both children...I hope it comes as naturally as parenting just Meo has so far.
So far, (I am writing this at 5 weeks and 4 days pregnant) this pregnancy has been going great. Meo is still nursing like a champ...for a little while after I found out he started nursing a lot more than usual, but now things are back to normal. There was also a couple days where my nipples got a little sore when he nursed, but that has seemed to stop as well (or I've already gotten used to it and don't notice any discomfort anymore). I am already showing...I heard things happen more quickly the second time around and it's certainly true. It's like my body registered that I'm pregnant and instantly popped out into "pregnant belly mode". My pants are too tight so I wear sweat pants and yoga pants a lot except when I go out. We aren't telling people that I'm pregnant (except for immediate family and a couple friends) until at least after my first appointment in case anything distressing happens. So hopefully people don't just think I'm getting fat and lazy hehe.
One thing that is different about this pregnancy is that I don't have morning sickness (so far at least)! My appetite isn't quite what it used to be and sometimes I feel slightly queasy, but not enough so that I feel even remotely like vomiting. Last time it seemed like I couldn't keep anything down, I had to eat just the right combination of things otherwise I would throw up, and I usually had to have a cup of ginger tea with every meal or I would be nauseous. Also I had morning sickness through my entire pregnancy. So not having any so far is kind of amazing.
Other symptoms include being emotional (I tend to cry a lot more easily than usual...I won't go into specifics hehe), being more forgetful and being super tired. If I'm home, I take a nap with Meo, otherwise I am a zombie by the time Robbie gets home. This week we were busy and out almost every day, and I thought I was going to fall asleep in the car. It's pretty bad. I keep telling people I'm tired, and I think especially the working moms are probably rolling their eyes because who am I to complain that I am tired when I can make my own schedule. I can't wait to be able to tell people so I don't feel so silly in my sweatpants, with my tear-stained tired eyes. Well, I hope it's not that bad hehe.
I'm trying to keep up with at least walking everyday, and I am also continuing to do Iyengar yoga at the Portland Yoga Studio. Unfortunately they don't have enough interest to have the prenatal class that I took last time (and met some amazing mothers), so for now I am continuing in my normal class with the same teacher I took prenatal yoga with. I also try to find time to do yoga at home. We can't afford a gym membership, so I am not doing water aerobics and cardio at the gym like I did last time, but I am trying to run at home. So far we have only been able to figure out how to fit it in once a week, but now that the sun is out longer, we might be able to work it out so I can run a little more. Meo and I have been doing a lot of snowshoeing though, which is just as excellent a form of exercise in my opinion. Especially with an over 25 pound toddler on my back. I have to pause more often because I get winded so quickly now!
 |
| Running (4 weeks, 6 days pregnant) |
 |
| Very tired snowshoe ( 5 weeks, 4 days pregnant) |
So everything is going great, and we hope that everything continues going well and that we will have a strong healthy baby joining our family sometime around November 18, 2013!
