L
ordy lordy, mama is so over pregnancy! Forty weeks is a longass time. It’s pretty much a freaking year of your life just getting bigger and bigger until you pop. The first time you’re pregnant you’re just so excited for the unknown and you can’t wait to meet your baby and do all the cute, fun things you’ve imagined. But when you’re on to baby #2 the mystery is gone and you have a different perspective. You know about the sleepless nights around the corner. You remember how long they lasted and how bad it sucked sitting up in bed at 3am feeding a baby and watching infomercials. Annnnnnd now you have to do all of that with a toddler to tend to as well. Uh-mah-gawd.
To tell you the truth, I’m mildly freaking out about being a stay at home mom with two kids. How the heck am I going to handle two yay-hoos all day? One is easy peasy. Sure, Annabelle is two and can play independently for a period of time, but she’s still needy. She wants snacks and juice and to eat lunch and to have her poopy diaper changed. I’ve just realized that I’m going to be living my life in front of a changing table for the next several months. I need to get Annie B potty trained STAT! But dang, it just seems so daunting to start right now. I’m not entirely sure she’s ready and quite frankly, I don’t even know where to start!
All this would seem so much easier if I knew it was for a short period of time and then I would be going back to work. At work you can focus on your job and have some independence and feel happy that you’re children are in capable hands. And then when you come home in the evenings and on the weekends you have help from your hubby. It’s one on one at that point, which doesn’t sound so bad to me.
I definitely have my fears about being a mom of two, which is compounded by the idea that it’s going to be one on two for the better part of the weekdays. I fear jealousy. I fear Annabelle trying to pick up a sleeping newborn off the couch. I fear her wanting to hug her brother and smothering his head. And my biggest fear is either a toddler – or worse – MY DOG waking a sleeping newborn as he lies peacefully in his bassinet.
Just count on me being late for everything from now on (So what’s new, really)
I think about how long it takes me to get out of the house with just one toddler to deal with. Putting together the diaper bag full of snacks, sippies, and activity books is time consuming enough. Now I have to add baby bottles, 2-3 changes of clothing, about 40 diapers in case of blow outs, bibs, burp cloths, nursing cover, etc. I’ll never leave the dang house, or I’ll need to start getting the kids ready about two hours in advance to make sure we can get anywhere on time.
I realize I’ve just droned on about the harder aspects of welcoming a second baby into this world, but there are plenty of good things about having two kids, too. Annabelle will have a new little playmate. Sure, in the first few months – ok 6 – it’s not like the baby does much of anything, but I’m sure AB will just get a kick out of having the baby there. Maybe she’ll want to be mommy’s little helper? She really likes helping me these days, come to think of it. I really look forward to family vacations with two kids playing together while mommy and daddy sit back drinking margaritas in chaise lounge chairs. I know it’ll be fun for sure, I’m just bracing myself for the more difficult parts, because it’s not like you have to prep for the good times!
Baby bump watch continues – week 34
I can’t believe I only have six weeks to go! That’s crazy. To update you on my doctor situation from my blog post a couple weeks ago, I did make the next 3 doctor appointments with a different doctor and I’ve already met with her once. Of course I really liked her but she’s not accepting new official patients. Annoying! That means my previous weight shaming doc could still be the one delivering my baby when the time comes. UGH. I’ve had a handful of new mamas that I’ve met on play dates recently tell me that I look SMALL, can you believe it? Of course I love hearing that and then I tell them how my doctor told me I was too big, which elicits cries of disbelief. I know I’m doing well and hitting the gym twice a week, so I don’t really care about that doctor anymore. I feel great at 34 weeks and that’s all that matters. My brother told me I had GUNS in this bump watch pic. I mean, I totally do, right?