Pregnancy - The Second Time Around

Maybe you've noticed on Facebook by now, but I've started baking and cooking again! It has been so nice to actually FEEL like making food -- one of my very favorite things to do. Yay for the second trimester! Just this week I've made 3 new recipes, plus made supper MOST nights of the week! We've had Mini Meatball Sandwiches, Chipotle Steak Salad (new), Chicken Enchilada Casserole (new), and tonight Blackberry Pie Bars (new). We had been eating out a lot recently because I've had such a hard time deciding on what to make, so it was easier for me to go somewhere and not have to make it myself. But now that my stomach isn't topsy-turvy all the time, I'm ready to try new recipes and make some fantastic meals at home! I will try to post about some of them, but this post I want to do a bit of comparison.

During my last pregnancy I wrote a little something every week... if I remember right. And it wasn't even that long ago! This time, I'm not setting that expectation for myself, but I do want to make a little comparison this time about how these pregnancies are similar and different. I like to be able to look back and read about these things because it IS so easy to forget.

I'm not sure how this is going to work, so I'm just going to use the free-flow method.

Last time, I ate to feel better and therefore gained weight right off the bat, in fact it ended up being about 1 lb. per week! This time, nothing has sounded good and unless someone else decides what to make or eat, I have had a hard time eating anything. I actually lost a little weight and am just now back up to what I weighed at the end of March (and I'm now 18 weeks).

Last time, we found out the gender of our baby and told everyone. This time, we know, but we've decided to keep it a surprise for everyone else. There is so much personal information out in the world,  particularly now in the age of Facebook, blogging, etc. And in many ways it has been helpful and good. When I read about other's struggles, their tips for parenting, and more I don't feel so alone in the world, even on the days when I don't have the chance to leave my house. But sometimes it's just nice to have a special secret all to yourself. To know something fantastic and get to celebrate that with your little family and plan and dream and eventually everyone else will know anyway. But right now it's special and I like it that way, even when people make a big deal about us not telling them. Sure, that's the age we live in, but that doesn't mean I have to do something just because it's what someone else wants (although that is extremely hard for me as a people-pleaser). So occasionally you may hear me say or read something that says he or she, but don't think I've "slipped up", I'm just going to enjoy throwing it out there from time to time... see what kind of response I get.

Last time, I'm pretty sure I was wearing maternity clothes by now. This time, not really. Just a pair of shorts and a shirt here and there, but for the most part if you look at me now, you wouldn't know I'm pregnant. Maybe just getting a little fat ;0) This is honestly ok because I don't have as many maternity clothes this time around (I was able to borrow MANY last time) and I get bored of wearing the same thing over and over.

Last time I was tired and I was working in an office and this time I'm super-tired and I stay at home with a toddler. A point of reference? Yeah, I don't really know how to compare the two. But the tiredness remains! A little nervous about how tired I'm going to be in 5 months...

I think I've felt the baby move around some already, but I think that is typical the second time because you know better what it feels like.

Last time I ate lots of sweets -- ice cream, cookies, iced coffee drinks. This time, not really. Coffee -- blegh, I couldn't even stand the smell until a few weeks ago and just had my first coffee drink - a caramel frappuccino - about 10 days ago. And when I've gotten hungry in the evenings, I usually heat up some more of what we had at dinner instead of eating dessert. Part of this I think is because I AM trying to eat healthier both while I'm pregnant and not, but also because it sounds a lot better than sugar.  Last time I also ate lots of cheeseburgers, this time, not so much. Also, to note, I have actually wanted cucumbers both times! And I don't typically eat cucumbers when I'm not pregnant. Last time I made the creamy cucumber salad and this time I made the old-fashioned cucumbers. Mmmm! Both cravings lasted about a week.

You might have already checked out of this post already, but that's ok. Sometimes I like to write, just to write and remember. For some reason, I have not been writing in my journal as much recently, but I don't want to forget what's going on in my life at this juncture. Especially when I go back and read, I'm always glad I took the time to write down my thoughts.

To life... full of the mundane & exciting!