How do you know when you're DONE?
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Two boys is plenty for me
Lately there's been a common topic of conversation amongst my group of local Mom friends, most of whom have two children. One of us (not me!) is pregnant with #3 and it has the rest of us chatting about the third child thing. Some of my friends want a third, some are set with two, some aren't sure - leaving us to ask, how do you really know you're done?
My husband and I are done. Okay, well, we're 95% done. That's what I like to tell people. I'm 33 and I certainly don't want to say it's impossible but my mind-set is such that our family is complete with our two boys, and we're not getting any younger. Personally, I can't possibly fathom juggling another child - my time and energy seems split enough as it is. And my family feels "complete" to me.
Yet, I have some serious baby fever right now - I'm jealous of my friend who is pregnant - jealous of the little being inside of her growing that she gets to meet and have in her life in another six months. Friends tell me that's a "sign" that I'll want more. Yet, my maternity clothes and infant toys are long gone from my house - I shoved them out the door with a big "hallelujah" - another "sign" according to others that I'm definitely done. So which is it, folks?
Then I was recently at a playdate with someone who has three kids. She said, "don't you know Whitney, three is the new two it's a breeze." (It is?)
Everyone seems to have an opinion on the subject - and they all seem to be different from one another. One friend of mine is constantly harping on the fact that the world is made for a family of four. Tables are set for four. Cars are made for four (unless you get a mini-van because three car seats just isn't happening in the second row of my SUV or any others that I know of) But can one really cite that as a reason to stop having kids?
And totally throwing me for a loop: My die-hard "I will never have more than two children" friend is now trying to talk her husband into a third. She explains that her husband comes from a family of two and that their family functions are always so lonely and boring - her family is a family of four children and they always have noise and mayhem at family events and that she suddenly wants that mayhem for her children.
Personally, unless my four year old pulls a Doogie Howser and heads off to college next year, this is it. It's about what I (and my husband) can handle and I feel as though I don't want to spread my attention out any more than it already is. But I wonder if there will always be that lingering 5% of me that wonders who my third would have been. Is that normal? (If I had a third, wouldn't I be wondering about my fourth, fifth, sixth... etc?)
How do you truly KNOW you're finished?
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How do you know when you're DONE?
About Me
I'm a 30-something mom with two boys -- ages 4 years and 1. I write daily on my blog and community site, Mommies with Style. I listen to the Backyardigans even when my kids aren't around.


