The fact that I’m going to have a baby in a little over three months is absolutely crazy to me right now. I swear I blinked and this pregnancy is almost over. People really are right when they say it’s different with your second… or in our case, third baby.
Your first pregnancy is SO exciting. Everything is brand new. Every appointment feels magical, every little kick is exciting, and every day means you’re one day closer to meeting your baby. When someone asks how far along you are, you know the answer down to the exact week, day, and probably minute. You can’t wait to decorate the nursery with all the cute themes and buy every baby gadget you’re convinced you’ll need.
Then comes the second or third pregnancy… and survival mode kicks in.
Now when people ask me how far along I am, I’m like, “Uhhh… pretty far? Halfway done? Maybe?” I’m too busy chasing toddlers around all day to open an app and find out what fruit size the baby supposedly is this week. Nursery? Yeahhhh… the changing table and bassinet are getting pulled out of storage downstairs, and we’ll call it good for now. And all those “must-have” baby items from the first pregnancy? Turns out half of them are still in a tote somewhere, untouched.
Also, soak in all those naps during your first pregnancy because toddler pregnancies are a whole different sport. You’re not resting peacefully anymore, you’re trying to sleep while tiny humans jump off the couch WWE-style, and the baby in your belly decides 2 a.m. is the perfect time for gymnastics practice. Cute that you think you make the rules already, baby.
And don’t even get me started on maternity clothes. I’m over here wearing my husband’s oversized band and horror t-shirts with a ponytail through my jeans button hole because I’m too cheap to buy something I’m only going to wear for so many months.
It’s not that you care any less about your second or third child. If anything, you stress less because you know what actually matters. You realize babies don’t need every trendy gadget or perfectly decorated room right away. They need food, sleep, baths, fresh diapers and love. Of course he’ll still get his own room eventually, and I’ll decorate it when the time comes. But honestly, right now I’m just excited for those tiny baby snuggles again.
No rush. No pressure. No breaking my back trying to keep up with the hype. The biggest thing Chase and I have to worry about now is how the new routine is going to work with two toddlers and now an infant. But we can’t even worry about that too much because we won’t know how it’s going to look till it happens.
I may not have everything perfectly planned out this time around, but I do know one thing for sure: he’s coming into a family that already can’t wait to meet him. And honestly, that feels a whole lot more important than having every detail perfectly put together. Whether we’re fully prepared or not, this little boy will be just as loved and cared for as our girls were… just with a little less pink and ribbon this time around.
