Pregnancy update 1: baby #2

(This was written a while back; as of hitting "publish," I'm more than 14 weeks along in this pregnancy. But I consistently updated my thoughts and experiences when I was carrying Charlotte, and I love looking back at those posts. So I'm going to do a few pregnancy updates for this little guppy, even though it's a bit late in the game....)
________________________________________________________________
I'm about eight weeks along now and have been feeling like I have the whole all-day nausea thing managed fairly well. It helps that I was pregnant with Charlotte so recently; I remember what worked and what didn't, in terms of feeling relatively alive for the first trimester.

I try to eat small meals or snacks about every two hours. If I notice some nausea, I quickly find something to eat. Most of the snacks that are appealing are NOT healthy (lots of trail mix with chocolate, donuts, and ice cream) but my meals are pretty decent in terms of nutrition, and I'm taking my prenatal vitamins so hopefully the baby is getting what he/she needs. I definitely managed to eat better in the second and third trimesters last time around, so I'm hoping to get through the next few weeks and then feel well enough to adjust my eating habits in a positive way. 

Last time, with Charlotte, I couldn't eat salsa at the beginning of my pregnancy. I remember thinking it was so strange because salsa is one of my favorite foods. Interestingly, salsa seems fine to me this time around, but I'm already feeling skeptical of hummus. I LOVE hummus, but in the past two weeks I have barely touched it, even though Charlotte eats it every single day. We shall see what comes of my relationship with hummus... 

Many mornings I take a short nap while Charlotte is sleeping. That REALLY helps me feel better for the day. Now if only I could stay awake past 9:30 pm... 

In a few weeks I have my first prenatal appointment. For the next five months I will seeing a midwife at the same place where Charlotte was born. Obviously we will have to transfer care when we move, so I am in the process of researching prenatal and birth options in Everett. 

Sometimes Joel and I lay in bed at night, talking about this baby. We marvel at how surreal it is to be pregnant again and confess that we sometimes feel guilty for forgetting that this little one will be joining our family in about seven months. It is an absolute honor to be carrying life again; this little guppy is no less loved or desired, but our life is different now and it's hard to give him/her the same kind of mental attention we gave Charlotte while she was in utero... It's strange.