A lengthy M. update is coming after her 18-month check-up Monday. To tide you over, a quick update on how the Little Sister is developing in S.’s belly. Well, that’s overstating things slightly, as I can’t really speak to her development. I can vouch for the fact that momma’s belly pops out faster on the second pregnancy that the first. About two weeks ago, Wham!, we had a belly. Looking back to our pictures from M.’s time in utero, the belly may have arrived a month or so earlier this time. Hard to really tell, though, as we waited to start taking pictures until it was nice and prominent. Anyway, we’ve got a belly to look at.
I’ll also vouch for the fact that the second pregnancy is much more difficult simply because there’s another kid who’s dominating your time. Where S. could just nap and relax this time two years ago, now we’ve got M. demanding attention and care through the day. I know I’m more tired than I was back then, and I was working during that pregnancy.
For the same reason, it’s harder to track the course of the pregnancy this time. Two years ago, every step along the way was carefully documented and cautiously compared to what the books said should be happening because each step was new and amazing. It’s not any less amazing the second time, but there are nights when, after we’ve put M. to bed, I look at S. and think, “Oh yeah, she’s pregnant.” Now that the belly has appeared, that’s changing, but I bet other parents of more than one understand what I’m trying to relate.
We’re deep into the nesting phase. Two years ago, S. used those instincts to paint and furnish almost the entire house. This time, she’s converted some space in our electrical room into a play area (roughly seven days from first thought to completion) and went from “We’re not getting a Mini-van until October” to purchasing a mini-van inside of 14 days. Tonight, she was focused on some project for work for about three hours. I like that it channels her energies towards a single goal. And she wants to do it all so I can stay out of the way and do things I need to do.
Our name search has hit a snag. We went into the sonogram in early December with five names for each sex. We crossed the boys off, made a couple changes to the girl list, and then put it away. It came out again tonight and we agreed we’re not in love with the five options we’ve left ourselves with. Doesn’t help that I’ve got all kinds of rules we have to operate under. I’d prefer the name to not start with an M or sound anything like M.. I don’t want something that sounds similar to the middle name we’ll be using. Has to be more than one syllable. I think there’s more but since I haven’t thought about it in two months, I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few. So apparently we’re starting over. Worth noting that our “final five” list with M. changed several times and she wasn’t officially named until she was about seven hours old. So there’s time.
Other than that, things seem to be progressing normally and healthily. Along with the belly has come kicking, which despite being through it before is no less awkward for S. or strange for me. This one seems to be more active at night, just as M. was.
That’s a quick State of the Fetus address, 24 weeks in. We’re expecting to schedule an early c-section, since M. was two weeks early, so we’re probably looking at only 14 more weeks, give or take. It’s going to go faster than I realize, and not fast enough for S.. More updates to come, I promise.