2020 vs 2023

It's very hard not to compare pregnancies, just like I imagine it's very hard not to compare children. This pregnancy has been different so far mostly because of the terrible nausea I had for the first 16 weeks or so. I was nauseous with Jonah, but only slightly, and only for the first trimester. 

With this pregnancy I also had an extremely strong craving for hotdogs in the first couple weeks, which was one of my first clues that I might be pregnant. I do like hotdogs normally, but this was an unusually intense level of hotdog desire. I remember the first OBGYN I saw (before I switched practices) told me I couldn't eat hotdogs while pregnant and I burst out laughing. He was not amused. 

I also have a hard time remembering the timeline of my last pregnancy — like, did I feel this out of breath last time at 30 weeks? Did that weird hip pain I had with Jonah appear at 35 weeks, or earlier? The problem is that everything in that final month feels like it lasts forever, so it's hard to remember when things got really uncomfortable. 

The most remarkable difference between these pregnancies is covid. I don't remember being worried about getting sick, so for me the difference is mostly just being able to do things. Like, I can actually get a massage this time! I can see my doctor's face, because the office no longer requires masks! Even better: I've been able to go out to dinner with friends and see movies in a theater and visit family. A friend from grad school that I haven't seen in 8 years (8 years!) is coming over for dinner in a couple weeks. I'm even taking a trip to Boston this weekend. (Which most of you already know since I'm going to visit you.) 

One of Josh's best friends would like to come visit and meet the baby when he's born. As much as I hate the idea of someone seeing me in a hospital gown, I was really touched by this! Last time I was grateful just to have Josh there. The idea that a friend could stop by is pretty amazing. 

I don't remember feeling bad about not seeing people during my last pregnancy — I'm a true introvert and am genuinely fine without much human interaction. But as annoying as it's been to get up and have to go to work most days of this pregnancy, overall it's been a lot easier, and gone much more quickly, than last time. And that's saying a lot, because it's now a million degrees here and I have nothing to wear and I really hate having to get up and leave the house. 

Also pretty excited that whenever I do eventually go to the hospital, this time they won't be sticking a giant q-tip so far up my nose it makes me cry.