No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy: Gorgeous
Fantasy in Death, J.D. Robb: brain candy
Wings to the Kingdom, Cherie Priest: Wanted to finish her first full series
Seek My Face, John Updike: can't remember how I heard of this but it is based on the artist Lee Krasner and I got interested
Thursday
Tuesday
5.5 months
This was from a couple of weeks ago at Enzo's birthday party (super hero theme). I already feel much larger!
Friday
No. 2
I am 26 weeks pregnant today. I feel guilty because this is a typical second child in the sense that I have had very little time to think about being pregnant this time around, unlike the first time when I catalogued feelings, cravings, and experiences. I mean, just read the title of this entry for pete's sake. The second time is less surprising in some ways, of course. You’ve been through it before. But I’m also busier. We’re in our busiest time at work, we bought a house and moved, and I have a three-year-old to take care of. So I haven’t devoted a lot of time to thinking about little numero dos.
Now that I have hit 26 weeks and have only 14 left to go (theoretically), this pregnancy has become more real. I’ve also made a commitment to go to prenatal yoga more often and that has helped me really think about the upcoming arrival of our son as well. I want to write more about this pregnancy so when no. 2 asks me what it was like I remember.
Overall my pregnancy with Zoe was an easy one. I didn’t have morning sickness, and the only thing that made me nauseous was my morning coffee. This pregnancy has been, if anything, easier. Maybe it’s because I’ve been busier and haven’t had time to dwell, but I can even drink coffee this time around, though I try to stick to decaf most of the time.
Even though my pregnancies have been “easy,” I have to confess I don’t particularly like being pregnant. There are some women who really enjoy the experience (maybe it’s the hormones?). I tend to feel limited. I can’t run, I feel like I’m carrying a barrel around my midsection, and generally I’m just waiting for it to be over. I endure the pregnancy to get my prize: the baby. This time I am trying to appreciate the little things because it is probably the last time I’ll be pregnant. We aren’t completely ruling out a third child, in case we change our minds, but we both think a third is unlikely.
Cravings
I have become a sugar fiend. That happened with Zoe, too. I normally don’t have much of a sweet tooth and don’t drink sodas, but both times I’ve been pregnant all I seem to want to eat is chocolate and Coca-Cola is my crack. I have tried to drink root beer (since it doesn’t have caffeine) with cane sugar, but man, sometimes only a Coke will do. I also went through a serious ice cream phase where I had to have a vanilla cone every night.
The other funny craving was I constantly wanted to eat eggs. Sometimes I would eat as many as four in one sitting. With Zoe it was Cheerios and soy milk and with this one it’s eggs. Otherwise, nothing strange on the food front.
The chubs
I seem to be gaining approximately the same amount of weight. I looked at some old entries and at 6.5 months I’d gained 25 pounds with Zoe. I will be at six months next week and have gained 19 so far. Pretty close.
With the exception of the month around moving into our new house, I’ve exercised more with this pregnancy. I did Crossfit until 4 months, when my growing belly made it uncomfortable to jump and run. The timing coincided with our move so I was unable to work out anyway, due to being incredibly busy and settling in. Now I’m doing prenatal yoga and trying to walk when I can (easier to say than do in the heat of summer).
Illness
With Zoe I got really sick three times during my second trimester—sick enough to be in bed for several days—twice with a stomach virus and once with a really bad cold. So far I’ve been sick once (now) in the second trimester with an upper respiratory thing. I visited the doc yesterday and he gave me an RX for antibiotics. He favors a conservative approach for pregnant women though, and advised me not to take the antibiotics unless I get worse. I’m waiting to see what happens tonight because I’m really tired of feeling this terrible.
Preparation
I have much of what I need for the baby this time around, with the exception of clothes and a few other things, but we haven’t yet started working on the nursery. When we moved we used the baby’s room as storage and we’ve been slowing clearing it out. We are going to have an extra set of hands this weekend, so I hope to completely clear his room of everything non-baby related. Both my mom and mother-in-law will be visiting in August, so I think by the end of the month the room should be ready.
This time around I know what I’m looking for in terms of care. We hope to have munchkin join Zoe at her Montessori school. Right now we’re number one on the list for the month I’m heading back to work, so we’re hoping this works out.
Gender
When I was pregnant with Zoe I was convinced I was having a boy. So much so that I was a bit shocked when the ultrasound revealed a girl. Back then I thought I would prefer having a boy, but I have really loved the experience of having a daughter. She’s been perfect. When we got pregnant this second time, I just assumed it would be another girl. So I was shocked (again!) when the ultrasound revealed a little boy. It took me quite a bit of time to adjust to the idea. I already had everything for a girl! I know how they work! How in the heck do you change a boy’s diaper? How do we feel about circumcision? But now I’m getting used to the idea and I think it’s going to be really fun to experience both a daughter and a son. I find it funny that I was wrong both times about the gender. So much for mother’s intuition.
Timing
Zoe’s due date was May 27 and she was born on the 19th. This baby’s due date is Oct. 28. I suspect he will be early as well, though who knows? In any case, he will be here in approximately three months and that is not a lot of time. I’m trying to get things set up at work so someone can take over while I’m out, and also get ready at home. Having been through it before, I’m not that worried. I know things will come together and work out. And as long as he’s healthy, everything else is just icing.
Now that I have hit 26 weeks and have only 14 left to go (theoretically), this pregnancy has become more real. I’ve also made a commitment to go to prenatal yoga more often and that has helped me really think about the upcoming arrival of our son as well. I want to write more about this pregnancy so when no. 2 asks me what it was like I remember.
Overall my pregnancy with Zoe was an easy one. I didn’t have morning sickness, and the only thing that made me nauseous was my morning coffee. This pregnancy has been, if anything, easier. Maybe it’s because I’ve been busier and haven’t had time to dwell, but I can even drink coffee this time around, though I try to stick to decaf most of the time.
Even though my pregnancies have been “easy,” I have to confess I don’t particularly like being pregnant. There are some women who really enjoy the experience (maybe it’s the hormones?). I tend to feel limited. I can’t run, I feel like I’m carrying a barrel around my midsection, and generally I’m just waiting for it to be over. I endure the pregnancy to get my prize: the baby. This time I am trying to appreciate the little things because it is probably the last time I’ll be pregnant. We aren’t completely ruling out a third child, in case we change our minds, but we both think a third is unlikely.
Cravings
I have become a sugar fiend. That happened with Zoe, too. I normally don’t have much of a sweet tooth and don’t drink sodas, but both times I’ve been pregnant all I seem to want to eat is chocolate and Coca-Cola is my crack. I have tried to drink root beer (since it doesn’t have caffeine) with cane sugar, but man, sometimes only a Coke will do. I also went through a serious ice cream phase where I had to have a vanilla cone every night.
The other funny craving was I constantly wanted to eat eggs. Sometimes I would eat as many as four in one sitting. With Zoe it was Cheerios and soy milk and with this one it’s eggs. Otherwise, nothing strange on the food front.
The chubs
I seem to be gaining approximately the same amount of weight. I looked at some old entries and at 6.5 months I’d gained 25 pounds with Zoe. I will be at six months next week and have gained 19 so far. Pretty close.
With the exception of the month around moving into our new house, I’ve exercised more with this pregnancy. I did Crossfit until 4 months, when my growing belly made it uncomfortable to jump and run. The timing coincided with our move so I was unable to work out anyway, due to being incredibly busy and settling in. Now I’m doing prenatal yoga and trying to walk when I can (easier to say than do in the heat of summer).
Illness
With Zoe I got really sick three times during my second trimester—sick enough to be in bed for several days—twice with a stomach virus and once with a really bad cold. So far I’ve been sick once (now) in the second trimester with an upper respiratory thing. I visited the doc yesterday and he gave me an RX for antibiotics. He favors a conservative approach for pregnant women though, and advised me not to take the antibiotics unless I get worse. I’m waiting to see what happens tonight because I’m really tired of feeling this terrible.
Preparation
I have much of what I need for the baby this time around, with the exception of clothes and a few other things, but we haven’t yet started working on the nursery. When we moved we used the baby’s room as storage and we’ve been slowing clearing it out. We are going to have an extra set of hands this weekend, so I hope to completely clear his room of everything non-baby related. Both my mom and mother-in-law will be visiting in August, so I think by the end of the month the room should be ready.
This time around I know what I’m looking for in terms of care. We hope to have munchkin join Zoe at her Montessori school. Right now we’re number one on the list for the month I’m heading back to work, so we’re hoping this works out.
Gender
When I was pregnant with Zoe I was convinced I was having a boy. So much so that I was a bit shocked when the ultrasound revealed a girl. Back then I thought I would prefer having a boy, but I have really loved the experience of having a daughter. She’s been perfect. When we got pregnant this second time, I just assumed it would be another girl. So I was shocked (again!) when the ultrasound revealed a little boy. It took me quite a bit of time to adjust to the idea. I already had everything for a girl! I know how they work! How in the heck do you change a boy’s diaper? How do we feel about circumcision? But now I’m getting used to the idea and I think it’s going to be really fun to experience both a daughter and a son. I find it funny that I was wrong both times about the gender. So much for mother’s intuition.
Timing
Zoe’s due date was May 27 and she was born on the 19th. This baby’s due date is Oct. 28. I suspect he will be early as well, though who knows? In any case, he will be here in approximately three months and that is not a lot of time. I’m trying to get things set up at work so someone can take over while I’m out, and also get ready at home. Having been through it before, I’m not that worried. I know things will come together and work out. And as long as he’s healthy, everything else is just icing.
Thursday
Reading List 2010
Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott
Catching the Big Fish, David Lynch
Getting the Pretty Back, Molly Ringwald (This last one is our book club selection; everyone wanted something light this month.)
My favorite quote from the David Lynch book:
"We are like the spider. We weave our life and then move along it. We are like the dreamer who dreams and then lives the dream. This is true for the entire universe."
--Upanishads
I'm casting about for something to read now. I seem to be out of ideas, though I really just need to visit the library or a bookstore to get a few.
Catching the Big Fish, David Lynch
Getting the Pretty Back, Molly Ringwald (This last one is our book club selection; everyone wanted something light this month.)
My favorite quote from the David Lynch book:
"We are like the spider. We weave our life and then move along it. We are like the dreamer who dreams and then lives the dream. This is true for the entire universe."
--Upanishads
I'm casting about for something to read now. I seem to be out of ideas, though I really just need to visit the library or a bookstore to get a few.