Back from the dead....or not.

As I tread along my 13th week of pregnancy, I feel somewhat obligated to compare (from what my memory serves as I don't have EJ's pregnancy book) my two baby carrying experiences.
During my first trimester with EJ, I sometimes felt I was better off dead. The morning sickness was unbearable, the mood swings made me unloveable and the fatigue made me look and feel like a tombed vampire (I know...too many vampire movies lately). The second trimester, however, treated me MUCH more graciously. I sprang back to life once I could feel her move for the first time (13 weeks!), I regained my appetite, energy and love for Hilton LOL! While break dancing my way along that period, I was constantly warned that I should count my blessings as the happy days will be no more once the third trimester arrives...and I wasn't wronged. By the 7th month, I hated life all over again because I was so miserable. My belly was huge and the weight was uncomfortable. Sleeping at nights was a nightmare because I COULDN'T sleep! Trying to find the right sleeping position?? And the back pain...and the more than frequent trips to the bathroom. Of course I couldn't even make it out of bed. I had to be rolled and pushed out of bed by Hilton everytime. My bladder and myself had had enough. I was ready to give birth well before my due date. Oh, and how can I forget EJ's constant knee and elbow jabs to my 24/7 full bladder? Or to my ribs? Her tiny elbow joints painfully pressing into my skin as though she were trying to break through? Well into my third trimester I could no longer lay on my back otherwise my aorta would've gotten smothered by giant baby in uterus and my heart would gallop. Ahh, the joys of pregnancy, right?
Comparing the first trimester with Bean #2, from the symptoms alone I must say it hasn't been quite as bad. Bad but not "I want to die" bad. The only time I feel that way is when I realize that I can't get the extra hours of sleep or lay in the couch for hours waiting for the sickness to subside as I have ANOTHER baby to care for. "Mommy, please play with me!" "Mommy, look what I made! LOOK!" "Mommy, I'm hungggrrrryyyyyy...." Did I mention she and I sometimes war over who gets the last juicy croissant? Nope! I must be ready at all times for her no matter what. That isn't to say I don't cut corners to save myself, however. I will play with her from the bed or couch, brush her teeth from the bed or sometimes make her do it while I watch her, ensuring she isn't skipping an entire row of strawberry jam covered teeth. Dinner tonight might not be beef, rice and vegetables. Instead, you can have another peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk or OJ. Take your pick but make sure you take your vitamins to make up for anything mommy might be missing out on tonight. Don't blame me, blame your nutrient and energy sucking sibling!! Anyway, I can't be too active this time around otherwise I get bad cramps that sometimes feel like mild contractions and you know how and why that would be terrifying. Doctor said everything looks fine so it's got to be a combination of growing pains, round ligament pain and Braxton Hicks contractions. Great.
EJ thinks she's pregnant, too. She sometimes tells me about the baby in her stomach when I talk to her about her sibling in mine. She's seen the baby on ultrasound before and has even attempted to draw him/her. Once, after the doc was finished with my ultrasound, EJ tried to climb on the table saying, "My turn!" I just died. I felt the bean move yesterday and when I told Hilton he gave me the side eye and said, "Are you SURE this time it isn't gas??" Noooooo! It's the baby saying hi by softly punching me under my belly button and THAT, my friend, is what makes pregnancy worth it. At this point, pregnancy has become less of a grueling malady and more of what it's supposed to be: lovingly growing a new being in your womb.
.....Ok, I take back what I said. Suddenly feeling exhausted and hungry again.! I can't WAIT for March!!!