Today is January 4th.
Two months from today is my wife's due date with our second child. (Yes we have names picked out; no we won't tell anyone. No, not even you. Or you.)
This pregnancy has felt, for both of us, that it's taken longer than Amy's first. Strange, since the physical symptoms she's experienced are much the same as before. Thankfully, though, no expectoration since Remembrance Day in November. Small graces.
It will also certainly be our last.
When we first got together, Amy was thinking of having only one child and I told her I wanted three or four. Not very fair since she's the one that has to actually 'have' them. I just do the fuel injection and she keeps the motor running for nine months.
If the pregnancies were a little easier on both of us (her directly and me indirectly) then we'd both be gung-ho about doing more than simply maintaining the population status quo. But as it stands now, 2006 will probably see my magasine swapped out for one with blanks. Don't know if that'll make us, after a suitable time, more trigger-happy, but a guy can hold out hope that he still gets to go to the firing range to relive past glories.
We have both been concerned, just a teensy bit that, considering how much adulation we rain down upon our firstborn son, we couldn't possibly show as much affection as consistently to our second child. We know, and have been reassured, that this is not at all the case and love springs anew when that second life comes squalling out to face this brave new world. What seems incomprehensible beforehand quite often seems obvious and natural once the experience has been gained.
Having dual spawn in diapers simultaneously is not an experience I'm looking forward to gaining.
Between you and all our other friends and family, e'rbody's havin' a baby up in here. We're still contemplating the wisdom of 1) putting another under our care, and 2) refer back to 1.
Just take a lesson from one of Shannon's cousins -- even if you know the magazine is empty, don't go back to the firing range until you are absolutely sure you don't still have anything in the chamber.
Posted by: Mark | Wednesday, 04 January 2006 at 09:11 AM
Take it from me, 4 is not all it's cracked up to be. I have 4 boys (2 are twins and from my husband's previous marriage that we have custody of) aged 7.5, 4, and 18 months. With the last one I told my husband that since the vasectomy did not happen after #3, there would be a tubal ligation following #4. He still (TO THIS DAY) tells me that he wants two more. I just keep reminding him that I have agreed to have more the day that HE is able to carry and birth a baby. Then he must be able to breastfeed that baby and stay home with all the kids while *I* go out and work for our keep.
I just don't think it's going to happen.
*smiles* Love your blog.
Posted by: Kristen | Wednesday, 04 January 2006 at 11:00 AM
I used to think that the dumbest line that people always say on A Baby Story was "I wonder if I will have enough love for the next baby". I was always like "duh... how could you not?!" But then expecting and having Luke and thinking about having number 3 it makes you wonder how you could have the same feelings of infatuation with each one, if the next one will be as cute, etc., but you always do.
The diapering of two is not that much fun, but it's better than having one make little accidents all over the floor while you're changing 8 poopy diapers a day with a newborn. I thought (but not for very long) about having Madeline trained before Luke came along, now I just hope it will happen before #3 emerges in the next year and a half!
Posted by: Dixie | Wednesday, 04 January 2006 at 12:39 PM