Guest Post: Jennifer, on Time

I asked my friend and confidante Jennifer to write about what's on her mind as she nears the arrival of her second child. I can totally relate to what she has to say in this great guest post. Do you? We'd love to see your comments below!

Time. Time. Time. 

I thought I had no time. I though my toddler took all of my concentration and energy. 

And then I learned I was expecting our second child and I realized I had all the time in the world. 

We've settled into a decent routine full of regular meals, playtime, and sleeping. My son consistently sleeps and has a nap time. It varies sometimes, but I know I get that break. To clean. To nap. To cook. To read randomness on the internet. To stalk my friends on Facebook. To spend time with my husband. To stare into space. 

I don't have to think about time nursing or pumping or making bottles of formula. Or cleaning bottles. Or getting up all hours of the night. 

And I know now that that time is going away to be replaced by feedings and bouncing. A baby crying. If one is awake; the other's asleep. And vice versa.

I see all my "free" time being taken away. At least now, I know that when I leave the house to grocery shop or run an errand, sometimes I'm alone. Not the greatest alone time but sometimes as a military spouse away from family/friends/people you know to babysit your kids, you have to take what you can get. Once #2 arrives, I'll have at least one kid with me...if not both. And it terrifies me. Never to be alone again. Not even to mention having the time to actually leave the house and run to the grocery store. 

A year or more of having no time to do things I might want to do. Craft something. Meet a new friend? please. 

I find myself mourning my time lost with my first child. His whole world is about to change and I know I'll miss our one-on-one time together. Watching him learn and grow with my full focus and energy. I feel sad for the second that they may not receive that type of time from us. But knowing that they'll have a brother there beside them from the very beginning makes me happy for them and the time they will have together from the start. 

I'll have to make more of an effort to manage time, take time for me, and rejoice in this time as a family of four. I wonder how that works out. I know it will. It did the first time around. Any advice for a future mom of two?