Blossoming Belly

Here's a few images of my growing tummy!

I've been thinking a lot lately about the differences between this my second pregnancy and my first time around... There is just such a difference in my attitudes and reactions to pregnancy this time. I recall being so focused on the growing baby inside me last time and now it seems like I have to remind myself to stop and take the time to even think about the new baby.



I'm having a much harder time envisioning having a tiny infant in my life. My mind draws a blank at holding, touching and nursing a tiny helpless little person...I think this has a lot to do with having a toddler already here in my life, keeping me hopping. I am just so focused on Mielle, and her needs that it's difficult to connect with the child within me.



Lately I have been trying to spend more of my emotional energy connecting with this new child. It helps that recently I have been much more aware of tiny little baby motion within me. It is such a sweet and tender feeling to feel a child stretch forth and move within me. Jerome even got to feel the baby move lately, he was so excited! He whooped and holler and capered about the room... silly man.



I can't believe how quickly the time has passed with this pregnancy. I am about halfway through right now! Time seems to speed up every day, especially with all the stuff on our plates lately.

I just started working part time at Kopp's Growing Grounds, a greenhouse near my home. I really enjoy working and find it refreshing to get out of the house. Ironically, going to work has helped me feel connected with the new baby! It's something that "we" go do together, "just the two of us". I actually spend enough time, not caring for Mielle, that I remember to love the little one within me.

I've also been busy sewing shoes for my new craft blog Snuggly Snippets which is very fun, but hard to fit in to our busy days. I find myself laying awake at night thinking about different fabrics and designing new shoes... a side effect of pregnancy I think. The insomnia of an overly active mind.

So, we keep exceedingly busy, and I find myself dreading how much more busy it is gonna be this fall, when Jerome is student teaching, working a full time job, we have a new baby, and a toddler to care for. I fear it will be very difficult but other mother's tell me that it all works out in the end. I try not to get too scared in advance, but it seems like a big responsibility. Caring for two small human beings at the same time, each with very different, yet similar needs. Should be interesting!