Ever since we announced 5 weeks ago that we are expecting our 3rd child in September, we have been getting mixed reactions from our family members and friends. Well let me rephrase that... We have been getting congratulations left, right and center, but most of them seem to be laced with an afterthought ranging from "You guys are nuts!" to "You guys rock!" The most prolific reaction so far has definitely been one of shock and surprise. Apparently a lot of people thought that we were all done having kids, although I have no idea why. Eddie has always said he wanted to have 3 and I even envisioned 4 at one point, so why anyone would think we would stop at 2 baffles me.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we have both a girl and a boy. After Gabe was born we got many comments that alluded to the fact that our family was now "perfect" since we have "one of each" and that we must be so happy about that fact because now we didn't "have" to have any more. This train of thought really irritates me. It seems so odd to me to base the completeness of one's family on the number of children of each gender. Would we have had another child if Gabe had been a girl instead of a boy? I can't say for sure that we would have, despite the fact that many people seem to assume that we would obviously "try for a boy" had that been the case. And what if we had yet another girl after that? When would it end? How would the final girl feel knowing that we had supposedly been hoping for a boy all along? The whole thing just seems so ridiculous to me.
What sealed the deal for us in the end was after sitting down and talking about it one day, Eddie and I both admitted that our family just didn't feel complete as it stands now. Don't get me wrong, we are more than happy with the 2 incredible children we have been blessed with, but it just felt like there was a piece missing. We easily envisioned another little one as a part of our family and we knew that we had more than enough love to give a 3rd child. I knew that I wasn't ready to never hold a newborn in my arms again, to never rock another baby to sleep, to never nourish and love another tiny human being. I also felt in my heart that Nicki and Gabe would be excellent older siblings and would have so much to offer a little brother or sister.
I know that being a stay at home mom to 3 young children will be difficult and exhausting. I am not disillusioned about how tough and stressful the ins and outs of everyday life will be. But nothing makes me happier than the thought of having 3 little babies to love. Motherhood is a wonderful thing. :)
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2 comments:
A hearty congratulations! The more the merrier!
You get used to the pace quickly. The older two entertain each other, so it isn't quite as hard as people might say. I found it easier to keep up with the nursings and such with my third, while the other two played together. There wasn't the same jealousy, either.
Imagine what people are going to say when we give the news of our new pregnancy, at my ripe old age of 42? Not looking forward to revealing it to anyone I know. I doubt if I'll get very many congratulations. I won't be out of miscarriage risk months for another two months, so I don't plan on spilling the beans anytime soon.
It was a shock at first, as this pregnancy wasn't planned, but I am really looking forward to it, nonetheless. I think siblings are a wonderful gift for our children. Perhaps the greatest gift, other than our love and devotion.
How exciting. Congratulations!
(Kim from MOMformation)
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