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Guest Post: A Third Baby?

Jeff and I have always known that we want to have a sibling for Sam (Lord willing) when the time is right.  But, both coming from a family with two kids, we are often torn when it comes to deciding about a third (or fourth) child.  Luckily, we don't have to make any choices on that one any time soon; but, my guest poster today - Meghan - is in the throes of that discussion with her husband NOW.  Are you and your husband 100% on the same page about the number of kids you want to have, or do you - like Meghan - have some convincing to do? :)

Hi, I'm Meghan. I'm a former first grade teacher now at home full time with a much smaller class size - two little girls. :) I've been reading Elizabeth's blog for a few years, and I love her sense of humor. Her writing always makes me laugh. I think her little guy is a real cutie, and I can't believe how quickly he has grown - right here on the Internet! :)

I imagine Sam's parents are starting to think about having another baby at some point in the future. It's only natural to do so. And right around that baby's first birthday, people seem to start asking about the next. I remember that with my oldest, and I was totally surprised...maybe a little offended even. You've finally made it to that first birthday. You've made it through the first year - with your FIRST child. And you're still alive...and still married. The first year with the first is the hardest in my opinion. I wasn't really ready to plan for that second baby at the time. We knew we wanted one. We hoped we'd have one, but we were still trying to figure out the whole parenting thing, and it was only starting to become a little bit easier at that point.

Fast forward to my oldest's second birthday, and we were ready and waiting. It seemed like the perfect timing. Emily was born just three months shy of Julia's third birthday. She is completely different from her big sister in every way, and this second time around thing have been so much easier. I mean, as easy as having two kiddos can be. :) So much easier, in fact, that lately I've been finding myself looking at that sweet ten month old and thinking about a third. Baby number three. I've always imagined a bigger family. Not that three is that many, but it's bigger than two. And then instead of people asking when a third will be joining our group, we're asked if we're done with two. Or if we're going to go for a boy. Which I again find slightly offensive, because I'd be just as happy to have a third girl. Isn't it funny - the things people presume? :)

Before we had kids, my husband and I always talked about two or three. I look at both girls, and I can pretty much imagine our life with just them. But I can also picture us with one more. But one more means a lot of things, which make my husband super nervous. One more means a few more years before I will go back to teaching. One more means another round of sleepless nights, breastfeeding schedules, and pumping before bed (the worst!). One more means a car big enough to hold three car seats. One more means another college education to save for. And the older the second baby gets, the easier it is to imagine being done. At two. Because they just keep getting easier. (Said the mom who hasn't had teenagers yet...) So when I talk to my husband about maybe one more, I can tell he gets a little stressed. He's not fully on board. In fact, he has called me a baby hoarder on more than one occasion. I quickly remind him that two children is not considered hoarding. Is three? :) I don't think it is. But I just don't have that feeling of being done yet. Going from one to two was a no brainer, but two to three seems like such a struggle. I am getting older. If I don't make a decision in the next year or so, a third will put me into the 35 and older geriatric pregnancy category. (Can you believe they call it that?)

Meanwhile my husband is moving exersaucers out to the garage and going through closets asking about donating tiny tubs of clothing. I want to yell, "Wait! We might need those." Ugh. I'm sweaty just thinking about it. Thoughts about three? Be honest. Am I being a hoarder? :)
Posted by E at 10:00 AM