Parents x2

Dear Blogworld,
It's been awhile...and this family has been BUSY! The most important news item is that we are expecting our second child on or around February 18th! As our family grows, Jaime and I feel more and more blessed to have the opportunity to be parents to Abby and her little brother or sister. We are fully aware that not everybody is granted this particular life role, and we humbly and gratefully accept the gift of parenthood.

7 weeks, 6 days

11 weeks, 6 days

11 weeks

However, with great blessing comes great responsibility. So far, this pregnancy has been vastly different from the first. On the positive side, I'm not nearly as plagued with chronic morning sickness! Hallelujah! On the more challenging side, I've already gotten a taste of having to put Abby's needs second. For 20 months now, she has always come first. I've been at her beck and call, meeting her needs immediately to ensure that she trusts me and feels secure in our relationship. But now, pregnancy fatigue takes over in late afternoon and I just CANNOT GET OFF THE COUCH! I just can't play "going to the market" one more time. I just can't draw one more damn cat (see previous blog on "mow mows"). And I can barely stand to read "Go Dogs Go!"for the fifth time in a row. I feel horribly guilty about it, of course, but my body (and Little One #2) is telling me otherwise. And poor Abby just has to be patient and wait -- a completely foreign concept to a toddler. So what have I done? Well....more Curious George DVDs!!! That's been a good solution. And more help from my mom and awesome babysitter. Abby is already forced to learn the role of the "oldest": entertaining oneself while the younger one is being attended to, accepting delayed gratification, and sharing her mommy with another little being. Sometimes I feel bad that she's already being socialized into a role that is all too familiar (to both Jaime and I!). But other times, I'm excited to see her change and grow because of a new little person in our home. As our family transforms, so will Abby.

Another challenging part of this second pregnancy is the simple knowledge that our parental load will be DOUBLED. Jaime and I have already talked about how great it is that we can switch back and forth with Abby (with diaper changing, bath time, bedtime routines, at restaurants, and at all social events). But in the near future, we will literally have no break. One of us will always be with one child -- at least while they are this young. And what if we have more children and they outnumber us?! How do people do it?! Then poor Abby will really be parentified and have to embrace the "oldest" role.

All in all though, we are excited! Hearing Little One #2's heartbeat is just as amazing as it was hearing Abby's. (Side note: When Abby heard the the baby's heartbeat for the first time at the doctor's, she was amazed and after he turned the machine off, she said, "One more?" She couldn't get enough of that beautiful sound!). Our hearts are already naturally expanding to love this child as much as we love Abby. God has given our hearts that capacity, and as I wrote above, we humbly and gratefully accept this gift.

So here is to pregnancy cravings, wild hormones, gender pondering, a patient husband, and an awesome big sister!