There are always common fears and excitement when it comes to pregnancy and raising a child. I have been through those feelings and I have survived them.
I was blessed with a super easy pregnancy with my first and we have been even more blessed with an awesome daughter...a daughter who pretty much from the beginning, has been a breeze to take care of.
From the moment I got pregnant with Hannah I was worried about the countless sleepless nights that were to come. The constant crying and not knowing what was wrong or what to do. How we would tackle going out to eat--if we could even go out at all? Those fears would turn into something that I didn't really need to fear at all.
Hannah never had a problem sleeping and she never cried just to cry. I actually have a hard time trying to pinpoint times where we can even remember her crying. Sure when she was just born she would cry when she was hungry, but we would feed her and then she would be perfectly content. Hannah also slept most of the day (she obviously gets this from her dada). Hannah still has no problems sleeping and while we are slowing creeping into the 2 year old stage, I have yet to find myself pulling my hair out because my child will not listen. Will Hannah get upset when she doesn't get something she wants or to is to impatient to wait for something??? Of course. But it is short lived and she quickly moves on to something else. We have yet to really enter the terrible two stage of throwing fits. I'm hoping this is something we can avoid all together.
Hannah is a happy child. I am home with her. We play. We explore. We go out. She is very well behaved and we are very lucky! We have been very lucky from the beginning and I know this.
This brings me to this second pregnancy. Are we excited??? Of course...we are over the moon! We are excited to complete our family. We are excited to give Hannah a sibling...someone to play with, to grow up with, someone who will be there with her long after we are gone.
But with those things comes some fears that were not there with the first pregnancy. Fears for Hannah and how her life, while maybe for just a short time, will be turned completely upside down. How will she take to having a new baby in the house? How will she act now that it is not just her getting the attention? Deep down inside I truly feel that Hannah will be perfectly fine. I think she is going to be a great helper and a loving sister. But these are things we will not find out until baby #2 makes his/her arrival and it makes me really nervous. Because you never know!
I also fear being able to take care of two children at the same time. Once Nick goes back to work how will I juggle a baby who needs to eat every 2 hours with a 2 1/2 year old who wants nothing more than than to play? How will I run an errand with two children? And then on top of all of that, how will I squeeze in a few loads of laundry and make dinner? I know it will get done...it has to. I will have to just roll with the punches. I guess I just fear the process of finding the balance.
Then there are those fears that I had with my first that are still there with the second pregnancy. Since Hannah was such a good baby, could we really be blessed again with another good baby? Another baby who will have no problems sleeping? Another baby who is content and doesn't cry? Another baby who loves to go 'bye-bye' to the store?
I'm sure every mother goes through these feelings. I know I am strong enough to handle whatever challenges may come but you can't help but have these feeling in the back of your mind. Either way though, we will have two beautiful children...who are a part of us. That is something that I still have a hard time comprehending. It is just so fabulous! I love Hannah more than anything and one fear I do not have is that I will not love our second as much as Hannah. I know I will! My heart has already grow with love for this little one growing inside of me and I am so excited to hold him/her in my arms and show them the world! :o)
