We're back with big news!

Crockbaby #2 is now 12 weeks old with an estimated due date of February 3. I thought long and hard about whether or not I should keep a pregnancy/baby blog for this child and came to the conclusion of “How could I not?” This kid will already have second child syndrome; I can’t make it worse by not having one of those cool printed books of blogs and pictures from his/her first couple years of life the way we did for Dorian. So, after a long hiatus (Facebook replaced blogging for awhile there), here we go again! I must say, I’m quite happy to have an excuse (and the pressure) to get back into it. I loved blogging...and I'm proud we have all those memories recorded forever on the internet and in print.

This pregnancy feels so different from my first. At times, we forget I’m pregnant which NEVER happened with Dorian. I guess having another child to focus on does that to you. We also don’t have that urge to google every symptom and every week’s developmental stages and what not. We know what to expect already. I also know a lot from nursing school and being an RN in Women & Infants. We haven’t even pulled out a pregnancy/baby book this time.

I feel so much more exhausted with this one. It’s insane. I feel more tired than when I had mononucleosis and had to pull out of college for a month in 1999. This is sheer exhaustion like I’ve never felt except when James was away on tour and I was nursing Dorian 24/7 and he did not sleep for more than an hour at a time. And then, I didn’t feel jet-lagged from nausea, headaches and severe dizziness on top of it. Or have to go to work. And of course, that sleepless baby is now a 3 year old who still isn't a great sleeper. I’ve pretty much been sleeping all the time when I’m not with Dori or at work. My parents took Dorian to a music festival for 3 days a few weeks ago and I spent the entire time sleeping and eating (pickles, salt & vinegar crisps and cherry jolly ranchers, what else?) I also have crazy acne this time. Still, I'm starting to feel better now...and of course, it's a small price to pay for having a healthy baby. I absolutely LOVED being pregnant with Dorian (and had an easy pregnancy and birth) so obviously, I'm hoping it will be the same this time around.

I’m convinced we’re having a girl because of the differences between this pregnancy and our last one. Yes, I know that every pregnancy is different and the sex really doesn't factor into the symptoms a mom experiences. It's fun to guess though. Dorian originally said he wanted “a brother and a sister.” Now he says “it’s a sister.” We will see. Neither James nor I have any preference. We really wanted a little boy the first time…or at least, I did. (James wanted a son at some point.) I can see pros and cons to having a boy or girl. A little brother would be great for Dorian to play with (in theory) and we know what to expect with little boys. We have all the clothes and toys. Plus, little boys LOVE their mommies. Then again, it would be awesome to have a girl since it would be new for us, and then we’d have one of each "kind of child." And what feminine mother doesn’t dream of dressing up her little girl in cute clothes? (Please no pink or lace though; gag me.) We will find out the sex at our 20 week ultrasound in 2 months.

Speaking of which, we’ve had 2 ultrasounds already and our 3rd next week. Modern technology is amazing. Our baby looks healthy and happy. Just like us.