After what feels like an absolute eternity, I guess it’s time to share our news. I’m currently 16 weeks pregnant with baby number two!!

To some of you, this may come as a surprise considering my post on our initial plans for Ethan to be an only child. But whilst it’s taken us a little while to wrap our heads around the idea of this little addition to our family, we’re now absolutely head over heels in love with the idea of being a family of four (albeit a little bit petrified).

And after 7 months of living with the in-laws, we’ve also just finally put down roots and bought our first house. We have pretty much zero by way of furniture so needless to say, life is about to get real busy and things are about to get real spendy as we ready ourselves and a house for the new baby in 6 months.

Pregnancy test wise, I knew for a full day before anyone else. A FULL DAY. It was bizarre just walking around thinking about the massive life change that we’d been gifted. I took the test in the morning while Gavin was at work and we went to see some friends for dinner that night. It wasn’t until the drive home at 10pm that I pulled over the car and told Gavin. He was dumbfounded, to say the least. We held onto the news for a few weeks before the early pregnancy symptoms became so all-consuming that I actually forgot to pick up my 7-year-old nephew one day and the poor kid arrived home from school to an empty house! At that point, I figured I’d best explain myself to the immediate family. #babybrain

To be honest, I will never understand how anyone keeps a pregnancy a total secret for the entire first trimester. I take off my hat to those of you that manage it. You are made of tougher stuff than I.

Now let’s talk about the most attractive part of being in early pregnancy. The onslaught of unpleasant symptoms. And truly I feel as though this time, I have received an onslaught. I will be honest with you, it’s been a rough ride so far when it comes to functioning like a human.

Sickness
The all dreaded (and for good reason) morning sickness. I was very lucky that my morning sickness with both pregnancies only ranged from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. Up until that point though there was not just nausea, but much vomiting. I found myself driving the hour-long commute to work with an empty ice cream tub in my lap. I also found myself in bed by 7pm most nights (yes, earlier than my 4-year-old), just to avoid an evening of vomiting. Anything would set me off, smells, sounds, overstimulation… It was like if my boat was ever so slightly rocked, all my body knew to do was be sick. Thankfully this has now ended. And to those of you in the middle of this, hear me now… It is an endurance test. It will absolutely end.

Food Aversions
Oh, the list I could write. Basically, anything in any way good for me that had a colour was off the menu. My diet consisted of mainly white, bland foods. Toast, mashed potatoes, noodles, biscuits, nuts. The most exciting and/or tasty thing I could manage for a while was banana. Basically, all of the carbs. Any kind of meat (and in particular, chicken) was a big no-no. Chocolate bizarrely also turned my stomach. Vegetables were poison and whilst I would usually drink about 10 cups of Rooibos tea a day, it now remains one of the few things in the second trimester that make me turn green. Good old english breakfast tea from here on in please.

Headaches and Nose Bleeds
This was something I had to mention to my midwife and something that they’re still keeping an eye on. I was diagnosed with late-onset pre-eclampsia with Ethan, so the fact that I’m getting multiple headaches a week and nosebleeds almost every day (which is obviously not a usual occurrence for me), means I’m being monitored and will be under consultant care for the rest of the pregnancy. I’m hoping that nothing comes of it, but I will most certainly keep you all posted.

Fatigue
I found this way more debilitating this time. I was in bed for 12 hours most nights and when I could, would also find time to nap during the day. Thankfully, this has now eased and I have way more energy, but for the entire first trimester, I honestly felt like a completely absent mother to Ethan. Gavin was a God and stepped right up. He dealt with dinners, baths, bedtimes and small person demands. He hugged me when I cried with exhaustion and left me to sleep anytime I needed.

While I know that this post has read a bit like a moan-fest, I can now attest that the second-trimester bliss has arrived. Most of the above has eased or disappeared completely and I have a swelling belly to show for all that hard work. I seem to be showing much faster this time around and at 16 weeks look like I’m 20+ weeks gone. Ethan was a big enough baby at 8lb 4oz, I’m thinking this one could be following suit.

Are any of you currently expecting or hoping for a baby soon? And is there anything related to pregnancy in particular that you would like to read about? I’m happy to share anything you lot are willing to read.

{PIN THE PREGNANCY TIMELINE}