The time has come for a full brain-dump on the second pregnancy thus far. Oh joy!

I am 10 weeks along, due August 21, 2017. So far, in summary, I have been feeling pretty nauseous, and pretty tired (thanks to pregnancy AND crappy sleeper Lewis). I have also had some crazy digestion weirdness and quite a few pimples (pregnancy is not glamorous!).

Compared to last time, I’d say the nausea has been worse. Instead of “hunger-nausea” where eating (cabs) solved the problem, I just have plain old nausea this time. Usually nothing helps other than letting time pass. That doesn’t stop me from trying things like sucking on breath mints, drinking a lemon-lime soda, complaining, taking a bath, crying, laying down, or taking deep breaths. But those solutions are really pretty hit or miss. The only thing that has curbed it slightly are “sea bands”, which my mom turned me on to. Thank god for those things. They’re not cute, but I wear them 24/7 and they have cut the nausea down from an all-day problem to a once-a-day problem.

The nausea hits any time it damn well pleases. Sometimes just because it wants to, and sometimes because I smell something raunchy (I’m sorry, but how do pregnant ladies get through poopy diaper changes without dry heaving?!). In addition to Lewis’ poopy diapers, I find the smell of car exhaust quite problematic, which makes my commute super fun (I’ve gotten good at avoiding diesel trucks and old beater cars). Other problematic odors are the bathrooms at work, and weed (we live in Portland, you’d be surprised how often you run across this smell). I did not have this reaction to smells last time!

Something familiar, however, is the brushing teeth + gagging problem. Last time it lasted the entire pregnancy. I’m preparing myself for the same thing this time around. So much dry heaving!

The good news in all of this? I haven’t actually thrown up. I have been damn close. Like… run-to-a-toilet and check-for-nearby-garbage-cans close. But I haven’t thrown up. Which is fabulous.

Another familiar symptom is my weight gain. BOY OH BOY have I packed it on. I don’t even feel like I’m really eating all that much, but I guess I must be. The baby belly popped right out, and I am getting porky. I’ve been trying to take solace in the fact that I lost it all last time. But it still feels pretty gross to balloon so soon.

My “cravings” have been different this time around too. I’m not nearly as dependent upon carbs as last time, although frosting is still a clear favorite. For the most part, the cravings have been strong and acute, but I haven’t had many cravings that have lasted more than one meal. Exceptions? Carrots and ranch. And grape juice. Well, and frosting/cake too.

Anyway, I’m cruising towards the end of the first trimester and hoping that the life-dominating nausea fades sometime in the next few weeks so we can get to the part of pregnancy that I enjoyed last time. I’m ready for more hilarious “WTF moments” where I get to laugh at my body and my hormones and to enjoy hauling around my bump.

I do have a few goals for “round two” that I’d like to jot down to make them real:

1. Grow a healthy baby! (so far so good – doc liked what she saw on the 8 week ultrasound!)
2. Gain less weight than during my last pregnancy. Even just a pound less counts. But ideally, quite a few pounds less. (not looking good on this one so far. sigh)
3. Transition Lewis’ bedtime routine and nighttime comfort to Kyle so I can focus on the new baby. (Division of labor, people!)
4. Transition Lewis to a “big boy bed” before the baby comes, so we don’t have to buy a second crib.
5. Cobble together more maternity leave than last time (this is easily going to be the hardest thing on this list, but I think it might work out.)
6. Manage myself so I can be less frazzled during this monumental life transition than I was after the birth of Lewis – Current planned strategies include: occasional prenatal massages, being kind and patient to myself, asking for and accepting help, relying on experience, setting realistic performance expectations (both at home and at work).

I’m sure I won’t be updating as much during this pregnancy as I did with Lewis, since I am busy with, well, Lewis! But I hope to still get weekly bump pictures and share all of the major highlights with everyone. Stay tuned, and wish me luck!

Husband made it back in one piece, and even brought home a fish! 

Rewind, and I did eventually fall back asleep. However, the kid woke up about 45 minutes after I drifted back off. So the day was rough, with a very tired mama.

Lewis thought it would be a good idea to wake up for 2+ hrs tonight as well. Just to test the limits of my exhaustion. I am sitting in the chair with an awake toddler feeling very frustrated and tired.

The sleep deprivation gets old. It never really gets easier. And it makes me angrier than I like to acknowledge. 

It is just so unnecessary to be awake for this damn long in the middle of the night. And there is nothing to scream about. Get with the program, you little terror.