Super Nose and Facebook Pros

I've only known I was pregnant for eight days and already I really feel pregnant. Compare that to my first baby where I just kept waiting to feel like something was going on inside me. A lot of the symptoms are similar to last time, but just a little stronger (Does that mean twins? HA HA...ha?).

To start, I've got what Hubby calls a Super Nose. My sense of smell has always been pretty keen, but now I can smell Baby's poopy diaper from across the house! I've also been noticing Baby's sweeter smells a lot more lately. The smell of his hair. His overall "baby scent" that might just be whatever diapers are made of. Any lotion that's put on him from Aveeno to sunscreen. It's not really a pro or a con to have this superpower, but it's certainly something that can be chalked up to pregnancy.

A less fun symptom of pregnancy--the acne has returned. In full force. I had forgotten just how bad it was in the first trimester because my skin actually cleared up quite a bit by the time my son was born. But right now, it's a new painful zit every day. I just pray I don't get eye sties like I did last time.

For the last few days I've been waking up feeling bloated and not hungry at all when I get downstairs to make breakfast. Then suddenly out of the blue I'll be ravenous! Not quite as strong as the need to eat I had later on with my son (I want to say closer to six weeks pregnant was when the need for food really started), but it's still early yet. And while it's probably way too early for any cravings or aversions, anecdotally I want meats, cheeses, salty snacks and water more often than I want sweets, which is not like me (I adore ice cream and cake). It makes it hard to order drinks at Starbucks because I'm not having caffeine, trying to avoid decaf for the first trimester, and don't want to consume herbal teas. That mostly just leaves cream-based blended drinks for me--which is tons of sugar that I just don't really want right now. I look forward to the second trimester when I'll at least let myself have the taste of coffee in decaffeinated form. But in my everyday meals, I find myself swapping fish and shrimp for beef, which makes sense as I probably need the iron and protein. I can feel my body gearing up for Baby 2 already!

I also have to pee quite frequently (sorry for the TMI). And while Baby 2 is only the size of a poppy seed right now--way too small to be pushing on my bladder--I did read that with the changes in your body such as hormones or increased blood flow can contribute to that need to pee even when you're only a few weeks pregnant.

The only other real symptom I've had is fatigue. Not crushing fatigue, but I do get tired after a long day, and there have been a couple of nights where I've gone to bed earlier than usual. Sometimes when I stand for too long I just have to sit, and sometimes when I sit for too long I get dizzy. It's all pretty normal, but hopefully I'll gain back some energy by trimester two so I can continue to keep up with my active toddler.

We did have one small scare last night as I started to spot just a little bit in the evening. I quickly wrote to my doctor's office through their online portal and received a response that I was doing everything right (keeping an eye on it, avoiding heavy lifting) and to come in only if the bleeding became frequent or heavy. So we're hoping it stays light--or even better, stays away.

To reassure myself, I took another pregnancy test (I think this one is my sixth). The test line was so dark it was stealing dye from the control line! Which means my levels of hCG are definitely increasing--which is a great sign (and sometimes a sign of multiples--uh oh, now I'm thinking of twins again...).

Since my first doctor's appointment is almost a month away, I'm trying to stay positive and sane by focusing on the pros (like how my painful acne is a good sign that Baby 2 is still there). Another, more fun pro to focus on is one I didn't experience last time and didn't expect: Facebook ads.

Let me explain. Since I haven't been able to tell people about my pregnancy, I pass the time at night after Baby goes to sleep surfing the Internet on my phone to look up anything pregnancy related and downloading baby-tracking apps or sticker collections or message boards. So, naturally, the one app that follows me everywhere--Facebook--is aware that there's something "baby" going on. While some people might be a little uncomfortable with the fact that their data is being collected to create personalized ads, I kind of...like it. It's nice to see ads for things that I actually might be interested in, instead of a beer company or more life insurance. Now every time I scroll through Facebook I see baby things, which gets me excited, especially when the products are things I haven't heard of and think might improve the baby raising experience. Since I'm a veteran mom now, I definitely know the things that were hard about raising an infant, so I already know things I'll try differently or experiment with. And, of course, it's always fun to see cute baby clothes and toys.

Some of the products I've found from Facebook ads include:

-Belly Armor: Clothes to protect your growing baby from cell phone radiation. I don't know if there's any real danger from the small amount of radiation our electronic devices emit, but it was something I had definitely thought about with my firstborn, and the extra peace of mind is ultimately worth the somewhat high prices. I bought a blanket and wear it in my lap while I surf online.

-Milkmaid Goods: Matching mom and baby outfits, especially for the hospital. Think robes and swaddle blankets in the same flower or fruit or abstract print. It was only after having my son that I realized matching mom and baby hospital outfits was a thing. And considering the fact that I love to match with my son as much as possible, I will definitely be buying at least one of these sets before my due date.

-Mother's Special Blend: To be fair, this stretch mark oil was found through Amazon and not Facebook, but I did purchase it shortly after learning I was pregnant so I can start early with stretch mark prevention. I was lucky that I didn't get permanent stretch marks with my first. I don't want to take a chance with my second. And the Amazon reviews mostly agreed it smelled amazing.

-Olives and Applesauce Carrier: I didn't get to babywear much with my son due to C-section recovery, anxiety of not being able to secure the carrier properly, and the fact that my son just wasn't a big fan of being strapped into things. So I definitely want to babywear with Baby 2. I don't know yet which carrier I'll end up liking best, but I saw this ad on Facebook and liked the variety of designs and the employment of moms of all body types in their advertising.

-Amma Cocoon: A stylish nursing cover that I admit sold me with an entertaining Facebook commercial and the fact that the video also featured the co-founder's husband, who also plays a character on one of my favorite TV shows, Jane the Virgin. They also very visibly support BLM and considering the fact that I plan to breastfeed again, I'll probably be purchasing this at some point in the future.

-Busy Baby Silicone Placemat: This product intrigued me as something that may come in handy when Baby 2 is older (and Baby 1 might even get a kick out of it). It's basically a placemat with toys tied to it. So your baby can entertain themselves at the dinner table or in the car or wherever you happen to be waiting, and there's no risk of the toys being batted onto the floor! The Facebook video babies were also adorable.

-Infant Tech Zooby Car Baby Monitors: I tried to get a mirror to be able to see my son while he rearfaced in the backseat and I drove, but it was just too hard to install. Enter the baby monitor you can stick to your windshield and the camera that wraps around the seat backrest to film your baby through a stuffed animal. Genius! They are on preorder, and extremely pricey, so I'll have to debate whether or not this will be worth it. If money were no object, though, this would definitely be a splurge I would pick up!

-Organic Sleepy Lotion by 8 Sheep Organics: I remember the days of pregnancy sleeping. I have a hard enough time sleeping at night sometimes, but when you add an extra belly, certain positions you have to avoid and getting up to pee three times, any natural sleep aids are welcome. I haven't yet pulled the trigger, but it's definitely on my radar of sleep issues start creeping up again.

-Pretty much everything on Spearmint Love: I want all the baby toys. And hats. And outfits. And bottle bags. Like seriously, this is the kind of natural, cute, Instagram worthy stuff I live for.

Gruvi Alcohol-Free Beverages: I'm not a big drinker, so I don't really miss alcohol while pregnant. But I do crave drinks with flavor, and I do like the idea of having something to drink with friends during summer hangouts that are becoming more frequent the more vaccinated our country gets. Something to think about--especially for those who do miss the taste of alcohol.

-Pottery Barn baby items: I've always liked Pottery Barn products in general, but now I need like everything on their site! Especially the classic Winnie the Pooh prints and toys--if only they'd had these for my first born who had a Classic Pooh baby shower and nursery!

-Seraphine maternity outfits: What really caught my eye was the maternity formal wear. Perfect place to shop if I get invited to a wedding or need a gorgeous dress for maternity photos!

So I think my new baby registry is ready to go, right? (Just kidding, I probably won't actually do a baby registry for a second baby given how much I still have from my first born. But if anyone is looking for gift ideas...).

I've also devoted evening surf time to shopping for cute outfits and toddler products for my son, cute maternity tops and food products for me, and the perfect apps or props to use for weekly bump photos. After finding a lot of subscription based sticker apps, I finally decided on using physical blocks in the photos to mark the passage of time. I might not be comparing my baby to fruit this time, but I have to say I was so pleased with how week 4 turned out I absolutely can't wait for week 5 and on!

Though Baby 1 doesn't quite understand what's going on yet, I can tell he knows something is different, and is starting to learn fast! He obliges when we ask him to kiss my belly, and he sees screenshots of ads with mommies who have big bellies in my phone's camera roll. He's also adorably caught on to the term "big brother" as he now points to himself when we ask, "Who's a big brother?" I really hope he enjoys this very important role!

Now we're on to more waiting, then doctor visits, announcements, and hopefully a showing bump soon! I definitely plan to focus on the good to get me through these next long weeks, and I'll document any new symptoms or changes as they come!