Some Call Us Crazy

People ask you shortly after your first baby is born when you want another baby. Even in the midst of sleepless nights, nap filled days, evenings full of screaming and clothes soaked in spit up we said soon. Yeah, crazy. Although I have a feeling after number two is born the question everyone will ask is, "Are you done?" I've already been told by a few people that I'm crazy for wanting more than two kids. Someone even asked me, "Why?" when I said I wanted 3-4 kids.

Baby number two is due to arrive on October 17th. I guess that makes us officially crazy for having our children two years apart. Heck, we wanted them 18 months apart but that just didn't work out. Maybe its a good thing because someone may have tried to commit us to an insane asylum.

Octobers are going to be busy in the Jahns' household. Three out of four family members birthdays are (will be) in October. Gavin and his sibling may even share a birthday since my due date is the day before Gavin's birthday - but I really doubt that will happen. My mom had all of her babies early and Gavin was nearly three weeks early so there will probably be a nice space between them. At least I hope there is because that means I won't have to be pregnant for as long. And don't even say they can be spaced apart by a couple of weeks if the baby is late. Ain't happening, folks. Two weeks early is acceptable in my book. One-time is only marginally acceptable.

Many people want to know how the first trimester is going (or by now, went). It seemed to last forever since this time around I experienced nausea - no vomiting, though! Woo-hoo. With Gavin I didn't have morning sickness and I only had an aversion to one food: Peanut Butter Puffins (a breakfast cereal). I still can't bring myself to eat them. This time I can't eat one of my favorite foods: Pho. I'm very sad about this and I hope the aversion goes away one of these days. Why can't I have an aversion to fried food or candy? The first month or so I actually lost 5 pounds so I was actually excited about that - I knew it wasn't going to be anytime before I got my appetite back and made up for lost time. And unlike last time I had a fair amount of energy but that's not saying a lot. Last time I could barely stay awake the whole day. I was good for about the first 30-60 minutes after waking but then crashed for the rest of the day - the rest of the pregnancy really.

The difference this time is I now have a toddler to entertain and keep occupied and feed and love on. It can be tiring but unlike last time when Gavin is ready for one of his marathon naps I can take a nap because I'm not working! When I was preggo with Gavin I would come home at lunch and sleep for 30 minutes before getting back in the car to go back to my catatonic state at work.

I'm starting to drag more these days and simple things like breathing seem to take a little more effort so I think its time to start taking an iron supplement. Last time I took two iron pills that were on top of the iron in my prenatal vitamin and toward the end I went on an inhaler as I had a touch of asthma. I asked my midwife if the albuterol was bad for the baby and she said it was safe for pregnancy and to remember that if I'm not getting enough oxygen the baby wasn't either.

Oh, the joys of pregnancy. The real fun should begin when the swelling does. If Gavin was a little older I could pay him to rub my feet but I'm afraid the most I will be able to do is to get him to not step on my feet.

I wonder how is going to react to my ever growing belly and my impending inability to carry him around. Hopefully I can carry him around until the very end. I like hauling my little lug on my hips - and he likes it, too. I'm also curious to see how my own heart expands to meet this new person - how can I possibly have anymore love to give? I hear all parents think that when #2 is on the way but I also hear all of them say that 'it' just happens. I wonder if it will be the same when I first look into his/her eyes for the first time.

As the nausea subsides and my belly starts poking out (it didn't have far to go) I am becoming more and more excited about meeting this new little person forming inside of me. Even Ryan is a little different this time around - maybe its because he knows what is in store is so great. Ryan is a daddy in love with his little boy. Its so sweet to watch them interact. Ryan's face takes a beating when he hoists Gavin up on his shoulders and dips Gavin backwards while holding onto his legs. Gavin shrieks with laughter and digs his fingers into whatever he can - ears, eyes, mouth. I told Ryan tonight we need to get him a helmet with handles on it for Gavin.

The biggest change is that Ryan is coming up with names for the name pool. Of course he is only offering up boy names but still - he is thinking about it. I can't complain that Ryan is only offering boy names because I'm only contributing girl names. So far he doesn't like any of my favorites. I'm not giving up, though.

Last but not least: yes we are going to find out the gender.

And now I'm off to bed but first... a snack.