the second time around

No two pregnancies are alike. That's what we're told right from the beginning. It's true. Though there are triggers that bring back the memories and emotions from other times, it's never truly quite the same.

I said that I would never forget pregnancy nausea, but I guess I did forget until this time around. NOW, I know I will NEVER forget it. Especially since it seems to have gone away as quickly as it came. Something that didn't happening with Josh. Nausea seemed to linger throughout the first time around and this time, it completely gone, except for the occasional wave.

This time around, I feel SO MUCH BIGGER. Now, I'm told that you start showing sooner the second time around, but this is ridiculous. Someone came up to me a few weeks ago and asked if I was 6 months along. I was 4.5 months! Ugh.

And I'm much more of a hypochondriac this time. Every little thing that seems "out-of-the-ordinary" makes me worry. When my nausea went away JUST LIKE THAT, I panicked that something was wrong with the baby and I paged my mid-wife. When we went for our 18-week ultrasound, I had so many more questions and felt so much more relief when I saw the baby and heard it's heartbeat. Everytime I feel a cramp, I worry. I'm just that much more "in tune" with my body (and baby!).

Being more "in tune" also has it's moments of pure bliss. On November 25th, I felt the baby for the first time. I was just approaching 18 weeks. I didn't feel Josh kick until I was 6 months along! I've since felt the baby poking, jabbing and kicking me countless times. It is one of those rare, indescribable feelings that only a mother can experience. It actually chokes me up to think that this will likely be the last time that I experience this!

Last night, for the first time, Brian was able to feel the baby kick. It was such an amazing thing to be able to share with him at 20.5 weeks. I don't think he felt Josh kick until 7 months. Oh...gotta go...baby's kicking and I have to sit back and enjoy it while it lasts!