I'm pregnant?

I've noticed some differences with this pregnancy than with Noah. For starters, in the first trimester instead of breaking out like a 13 year old, wanting (but failing) to vomit 23 hours out of the day, and only drinking apple juice and eating Club crackers, I have been eating as if I'm training for the summer Olympics! :-) I'm still amazed that at almost 19 weeks, I have only gained about 14 pounds. My skin...not perfect, but not bad either!

Second, this pregnancy wiped me out for the first 12 weeks or so. I have never in my life felt so exhausted by 9:30a.m. than I did in the beginning. I believe a lot was due to the fact I was working with 6th grade special ed students in May (can I fill out another referral?) and also raising an extremely mobile and active toddler. Taking a mandatory nap of 1-2 hours (okay...maybe 3 when I could get away with it) was non-negotiable, especially after downing my daily "snack" of a Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich and fry at 3 in the afternoon.

Third, with this particular pregnancy...I'm forgetting I am even pregnant! Perhaps with your first child, you are just so excited at this new feeling and the nine months to meet your little boy or girl seem like nine years at times. You are just so thrilled to see what little person God has given you...it also doesn't help that you are constantly watching TLC or Discovery Health for baby shows like "Baby Story", "Baby's First Day", or "Mystery Diagnosis" (ATTENTION ANY PREGNANT MOMS OUT THERE: Avoid the last show if at all possible. You'll begin to think that you have a mystery illness or that for sure your baby will...I realize it's not a "baby show" per say, but there are plenty of things that could go wrong with your new little one after watching a half hour of that program!). I'm not saying I'm not excited and thrilled just as much with baby #2...but I truly feel that this pregnancy is moving super fast! Next week I will be at 20 weeks...halfway there and getting my ultrasound. I just can't believe it and feel like I blinked at 12 weeks and now I'm at 20. I am wondering if I am in the minority here. Do other expectant mothers with toddlers or small children feel that after the first...the rest just arrive like a UPS delivery overnight? Noah quite honestly takes up most of my day, so I don't get a lot of time to just "be" with my little bump like I did while pregnant with Noah. Craving a glass of wine...and then hitting myself in the head when I remember that my pants barely fit my middle and that I have another 4 months to go, are the moments right now where I am reminded that I am not just caring for one anymore.

I'm thinking that I already need to Google some articles on the "middle child" syndrome. I want baby #2 to get as much attention as Noah did...even while in my tummy. Overthinking? Perhaps. But I think I have figured out that is my style. We had a family friend tell us once that with the first, you'll take 10,000 pictures...the second baby, around 5,000, and by the time you have at third...you're lucky to take about 10 with them. How much of an overexaggeration is that I wonder? Any advice from experienced mothers would be appreciated... :-)

In the mean time, while the house is quiet and I'm in bed, I'm going to enjoy the flutters my little one is making. He or she knows they have their mom's full attention right now :-)