The second time around

My experienced mommy friends were right: pregnancy is very different the second time around. I like to think of myself as reasonably tough in the face of discomfort, but I have to admit I find the end of pregnancy hard to manage. The aches and exhaustion and even just the awkwardness of my body make getting through the day hard sometimes. Many of my friends have said they were only mildly uncomfortable at the end of their pregnancy, and I just can't imagine how that could be. Anyway, when I was at this stage with Charlie, I spent most evenings relaxing on the couch, sipping tea and drifting off to an uninterrupted sleep. Now, evenings at home are a tag team effort to survive Charlie's end of the day energy burst until 8:30 when we can start winding him down for the night. And Charlie's sudden 3:00 am hysterics and 6:00 am wake-up time mean that even the respite of "ni-ni time" feels tragically short lived. While Billy did a wonderful job of pampering me with foot rubs and the like during my last pregnancy, we both know the best gift he can give me now is to entertain Charlie while I run errands by myself.

And I have to say, Charlie is a very unsympathetic companion. At night, when I tell him I don't want to sit on the floor while he falls asleep he insists "mommy like the floor!" and when I have to scrape the ice from the car while he watches from his carseat, he shouts, "faster, mommy! Charlie go to lib-waw-wee NOW!" and when we're at the store and I tell him I can't carry him because I'm already carrying his little brother he says, "it's okay, Charlie not heavy, mommy strong!" and, of course, when I'm flying around the kitchen trying to get dinner ready he's constantly under my feet hollering "watch out, mommy! Puppy (or train, or truck, or whatever he has tied to his rope) coming!" If you ask me, he's a little self centered.

The other morning I was only partly awake when Billy stumbled out of bed to quiet Charlie's pleas for juice and Elmo. I could hear them playing and I thought I'd do anything for just another 30 minutes in bed. When I heard the little pajama-ed feet come pattering down the hallway I pretended to be sound asleep, hoping he'd look for a more exciting playmate. But soon Charlie's little body had scaled the bed and was snuggled in close and he was running his fingers through my hair, giving me slobbery kisses on my cheek and (loudly) whispering"hello, mommy, time to wake up. Hello, bwother, nice and warm!' I had to open my eyes and smile at my little charmer. Charlie, at his sweetest, is incredibly sweet. And, of course, I had to follow him back down the hallway as he ran to the living room calling, "Come on, mommy! Hot foffee! Cee-wee-all! Come with Charlie!" And sure enough, there was hot coffee and cereal and a sweet little friend (for the time being) to chat with while I ate. I suppose things aren't all bad the second time around.