showing already

One of the strangest parts of back-to-back pregnancies is how quickly you start "showing" the second time. With Lily I sailed through my first trimester with no one having a clue I was pregnant - except my fatigue and sickness. I didn't start to show until around 14 weeks. With baby #2 it's almost immediate. 

{5 weeks pregnant}

When Lily was 5 months old I started a pretty hard core (for me) ab routine. It was about 5 different types of sit-ups, repeated with five less reps each time. So, 25 of each of the 5 sit-ups, then 20, 15, 10, 5. I borrowed from pilates and was literally shaking come the 15 mark... but it was great. Invigorating, and I was seeing results. Then I got pregnant. And within 4 weeks, the results had vanished. I continued the routine, but it did nothing. Sure, inner core strength is still great to have when your body is changing through pregnancy, but visibly, my abs were long gone. And the baby bump had returned!

I remember with Lily, all I wanted was to "show". I was so desperate for validation that what I was experiencing was for a purpose. And that purpose could do the talking for me once I had a baby bump.... I wouldn't have to explain to everyone who thought I was slacking that I was pregnant. This time couldn't be more different! My body was just getting back to normal, I was just starting to comfortably fit into old jeans... Plus with a baby already, I don't feel the need to explain my fatigue or why I need to cancel plans sometimes - people just assume it's Lily!! 

Anyway, in all, I'm fine with showing already. I do wish I had a little while longer to look and feel normal after pregnancy #1, but the bump is a reminder than this is for real - and some days you need that. Sometimes, especially early on, you can forget that all this is not for naught - it's for LIFE. For a little baby. For an addition to your family. For a sibling for Lily. For another child for Brad and I. 

Sickness, fatigue, food aversions, can all just seem frustrating before you're "showing" because it's easy to loose perspective. And with this baby bump, whether it came at the time I wanted it or not, I'm able to keep perspective and get excited about what's to come.