Yep, you guessed right… as of this week, I’m 20 weeks pregnant (the halfway point!) and there is officially no more hiding this bump. It has popped! We’re super excited about the arrival of baby #2, and are pretty giddy that it’s a BOY this time around! Phoebe is already obsessed with the idea of her new baby brother, and this Christmas, we’ll definitely be celebrating a whole new adventure for our family.
When it comes to my own news, I’m pretty much the world’s worst secret keeper, so I’ve been bursting to spill the beans to you guys. Luckily, with my book tour this fall and the blur of the holiday season, things have been busy enough to make the first 20 weeks fly by.
A few quick updates on my pregnancy so far…
What I’ve been craving:
- peppermint ice cream
- chicken salad sandwiches
- cold crunchy vegetables (thankfully, since with my first pregnancy I couldn’t stomach the site of a salad)
- burgers & fries
- grapefruit
How I’ve been feeling:
- I managed to almost completely escape morning sickness this time around (it’s true what they say: every pregnancy is so different!), and am so thankful to have felt surprisingly high energy throughout my book tour travels. And, I’ve been feeling soooo excited about having a boy!
What I’ve been thinking about:
- Boy names (for me, it’s been way harder than girl names!!)
- Making a point to spend really special time with Phoebe — my friends with more than one child have wisely reminded me that it’ll never be just the 3 of us again.
- Mostly thinking about all that I love about the infant stage (the sweet cuddles and gentleness of a newborn) but also about some of my not-so-favorite parts (lack of sleep and pumping – ugh)
What I’m worried about:
- I have to admit that I’m a little apprehensive about the inevitable craziness of juggling a demanding workload and life with 2 kids. Now that Phoebe’s almost 2 1/2, we’ve gotten in a really good rhythm schedule-wise, and I know it is all going to change once the new baby comes along. On one hand, I feel so ready for this new chapter… but on the other, I know that I’m not really “ready” at all, if that makes sense. I know it’ll be necessary to approach life with a “one day at a time” mentality, at least at first, and it’s most important to me to find a way to continue doing what I’m passionate about at work, while structuring our time in a way where I’m getting to fully immerse myself in these baby and toddler days that are so fleeting. Would love to hear any advice from you moms who have been there ahead of me!
Thank you all for your love and support — I really do feel it from across the miles and it means so much. Hope you’re all having a joyful start to this Christmas week. I’m definitely savoring this sweetest gift ever! xo
BIG thanks to our friend and photographer Kate LeSueur for capturing these moments with Phoebe, our new baby and me!
