A Girl Named PJ

Because every woman’s pregnancy is unique, our recently launched Being Pregnant series is a way to share a variety of maternity experiences on the blog. Today I’d like to introduce Courtney of the blog, She Always Loved Larking, and the Etsy shop, Larking. (Courtney took a summer vacation from her online store this summer, but be sure to check back later this month for new literary-inspired jewelry pieces!)

I believe that Courtney and I met online nearly two years ago, either when we were both still pregnant or shortly after our babies were born; her daughter and my son are close in age. According to Courtney, she’s not a “worship the bump” kind of girl, which is probably one reason why she and I connected. Now’s she’s pregnant with baby #2 — and due very soon! Read on to learn about how her second pregnancy has been different than her first.

Q. When is your due date?

A. My official due date is August 23rd. According to my own conception dating and the results of my early ultrasounds, I’d pinpoint my due date at something more like August 18th. (Soon! Eep!)

Q. Boy or girl?

A. We’re expecting another little girl! As my husband says, “I really like our first one, so having another one will be great, too.” At first, I was surprised – my own family, and my husband’s, consists of a boy/girl sibling duo, so I think I just had that in mind. But now I’m really excited to raise a sweet pair of sisters.

Q. Do you have a name picked out?

A. We’ve had a name picked out for quite a while now. It was a bit of an arduous process for us this time around, but we’re really happy with our choice. Lorelei was instrumental in helping us choose: we had one name we were strongly considering, and when we tried out a few possibilities on her, our top choice was the one she immediately started using to refer to the baby. Since we’re keeping the name a secret until our daughter is born, we’re lucky that Lorelei’s toddler pronunciation difficulties have kept many of our friends and family from figuring out what the name is too early!

Q. Is this your first child? If not, how does this pregnancy compare to previous ones?

A. This is my second pregnancy – and while the mechanics might be the same, it’s emotionally and mentally very different for me this time. With Lorelei’s pregnancy, I was so focused on the entire experience: Jason and I read the “What To Expect” weekly development details every Sunday night, I journaled about my symptoms and experiences multiple times a week, I made sure everything I did or read or ate or thought about was “good” for my growing baby.

This time? I’m so busy chasing my toddler that I barely have time to realize I’m pregnant! A first pregnancy is such a self-indulgent experience where you (pardon the pun) labor under the impression that you’re the only pregnant person in the world – like you’re walking around with a maternal halo or something. The second time around, it feels rather mundane.

Q. What’s the best thing about being pregnant?

A. I’m not a “love being pregnant” person, so it’s hard to think about what’s the “best” part of pregnancy for me. The first time you feel movement is a pretty thrilling experience – and it was just as much so this pregnancy as it was the first! It’s also nice to be able to take full advantage of the “reserved for new and expectant mothers” parking spots again!

Q. What’s the worst thing about being pregnant?

A. My morning sickness was much more severe, and longer lasting, this time around – that was definitely one of the worst parts! I was sick almost immediately all the way through about 22 weeks. Thank goodness that stage is over…

Q. Any cravings?

A. During my bout with morning sickness, and continuing beyond, I’ve really wanted fresh fruit all the time. Going to the farmers’ market this summer has been hard on my wallet – I want to buy everything in sight! I’ve missed my favorite summer cocktails these past few months, so I’ve also been craving blood orange Italian soda and virgin mojitos.

Q. How do you dress the bump?

A. My style during pregnancy is definitely different than what I’d usually wear! I am someone who likes a tailored look paired with quirky or vintage pieces, and it’s really hard to replicate that in maternity apparel. I can’t wait to get back into skirts that show off my waist again!

My pregnancy this time around was in a different season than my first one, so I was only able to reuse some of my wardrobe and I didn’t really want to spend money on clothes I knew I’d only wear for a short time. For as long as I could, I kept wearing non-maternity tops (especially cardigans and wrap sweaters!) in the winter months, and this summer I’ve been living in maxi dresses.

I love what Liz Lange has available at Target: affordable and chic. I’ve gotten tons of use out of the dresses of hers I’ve purchased there, as well as the ruched tanks I pair with basic maternity jeans and yoga pants. Great shoes and statement necklaces are also a good way to stay true to my fashion sense, so I’ve been relying on accessories more than usual.

Q. What are the essentials that have gotten you through the pregnancy so far?

A. I love the Earth Mama Angel Baby product line – anything of theirs with that orange vanilla scent is heaven! I drank an unbelievable amount of Republic of Tea’s Decaf Ginger Peach tea during the worst of my morning sickness and still find it delicious, especially iced on hot days.

During my first pregnancy, I spent a lot of time using the elliptical at my gym to stay in good shape for labor and delivery and keep my weight gain to a healthy amount – this time, I’ve mostly relied on at-home workout videos and walks to the park (so far, I’ve only gained 3 pounds more than my last pregnancy – not bad!).

And I’ve been rereading Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz when I have a few moments to spare.

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Join me in wishing Courtney an easy birth (maybe on the 18th!) and a smooth transition into the mom of two sweet little girls. And if you’d like to share your pregnancy experience, please send me a note with “Being Pregnant” as the subject.