The Differences

The differences between the first pregnancy and all the ones to follow...

1st-Cannot contain the excitement of telling absolutely everyone in the world your news and dream about all of the responses to fill your email, voicemail and facebook page.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-Excited to tell, but also realize that most people will simply give the polite "congrats" because they think you are crazy to keep adding on each additional child.

1st-Anxious to fill out the maternity clothes. Constantly checking in the mirror to see if the pouch is there.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-Depressed to find that you cannot button your regular pants before you even reach your first doctor's appointment. Only relief is to let the pouch that never went away out and stop trying to hide it.

1st-Begin wearing maternity clothes before you actually have to.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-Begin to cry as you open the bin of maternity clothes because you are wearing them a full two months earlier than the first time around.

1st-Morning sickness can be comforted by rest and light snacks.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You ignore it while you care for your other kids. All snacks must be eaten in secret because the first kids will beg for whatever food they catch you with.

1st-You write down every moment of pregnancy into a journal for your baby to read eighteen years later.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You blog your occassional thoughts so that they can someday be printed out because the action of actually writing in a journal requires alone time that you no longer have.

1st-You and your husband spend long moments gazing at your growing belly, dreaming about who this little creature will be.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You no longer have time to gaze because the first creature constantly interrupts.

1st-You beam when friends tell you that you have the pregnancy glow.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You roll your eyes at the glow comment because you know the truth is that you are sweaty, bloated, tired, and have friends that are full of crap.

1st-You think you can eat anything you want because it is finally okay to gain weight.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You realize you cannot eat anything you want because you are still recovering from that binge from the first pregnancy.

1st-You take all of the pregnancy classes, read all of the books and consider yourself an expert on all things baby related.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You realize you never knew anything about babies and only check the books when something does not feel right.

1st-You worry about embarrassing things happening during the birth, like (gasp) pooping while pushing the baby out.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-You do not care about anything but getting that back-breaking baby out.

1st-You pray for the little one growing inside of you and are humbled that you get to carry this life for such a sweet time.
2nd, 3rd, etc.-Well, maybe not everything is different.