I remember my first pregnancy.
There were no other children around that I needed to tend to. It was me and my needs. Sometimes focusing on your own pregnancy needs can magnify the symptoms. Other times having to deal with your pregnancy challenges and children that depend on and need you can make you dizzy.
Recently I was visiting my OBGYN and waiting hours in the waiting room for my appointment. The only thing that got me out of there quickly were my pleas to the doctor that I needed to do carpool!
But the reality is that being pregnant and taking care of a few other children is quite the undertaking. Try running up the stairs to get your child a pair of underwear and you come down feeling like you have just ran a marathon. Or how about cleaning up your child’s bathroom accident and you throw up all over the child from the smell and nausea.
What about your teenagers blank stare when ask them if they want to feel the baby kick! It’s that awkward type of look that makes you wonder. Or how about when your rambunctious preschooler bangs his head on your tummy as a way to introduce himself to his new sibling. Sounds like a wonderful start of a pleasant sibling relationship.
Perhaps the wonder of it all is seeing the potential right in front of you day in and day out. Feeling the life that is inside of you and knowing that this fetus will become it’s own individual. The potential is overwhelming yet also heartwarming.
It warms my heart because I see the tremendous joy that each child brings. In addition it overwhelms me because I know each child has their set of challenges and I hope and pray I will be able to support and help them thrive.
Meanwhile I’ll close my eyes as my preschooler bangs his head on my tummy. He’s just trying to connect to the baby. And when my teenager gives me a blank stare I’ll remind myself it wasn’t too long ago that he was right inside my tummy tucked in so tightly.