What makes people "know" they have had enough children?
Do you just feel it in your bones?
One of my friends said, "I knew when I held another baby and felt nothing. That maternal longing did not kick in."
Tom and I often talk about how convenient it would be to be done, but neither of us has that feeling like "this is it". We have always wanted at least 3 children!
I do have my moments of doubt though. Like the past 3 nights when Natalie does not want to sleep AT ALL unless she is in bed with us. And then Will decides to join the party at 4 a.m. because he wakes up out of a dead sleep instinctively knowing he is missing out on something. Jealousy takes over and he is pulling and wacking Natalie until I leave the room with her. In utter delirium I am stumbling around the house with her trying to decide if I rock her again for the 100th time only to lie her down and have her startle into a screaming fit. Or, do I take her to Will's room and sleep with her in there while he has comfortably taken over my luscious bed. Or, do I put Natalie in her bed and let her scream and then take Will back to his bed and let him scream while I drug myself and Tom?
Seriously people, there are moments when I really don't have enough arms, and I wonder how moms of twins do it. Adding one more to the picture sounds a bit insane to me. I realized today that I have not consistently slept through the night for over 3 years. I have had the occasional treat when a fluke happens and both of my children do not awaken. I have forgotten what REALLY being rested feels like!
My husband seriously struggles with insomnia, and I know I should feel tremendous compassion for him after he has a sleepless night. I guess in my own stupor I am usually pretty insensitive about it. "Oh, sorry honey. Natalie was up 3 times last night too!" Poor guy!
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Girl I hear ya! Sleep...what is that?!? I actually just asked Sammy yesterday if he could remember when the last time was that I really had uninterrupted sleep. I stumped him, b/c he could honestly not remember. I told him that we needed to work on a sleeping in for mommy plan...Ha!
I say have another one while you are still delirious!!! If you wait until you are getting good sleep, you aren't going to want to have another baby and start that all over again!! LOL :)
You know, it is funny, there were four of us kids. Mom thought she was definitely done. But for years, I remember she would count us, at the dinner table to someplace like that and would say "it just seems like someone is missing". When I was 17, she had her "surprise baby", Darcie. She said it wasn't until Darcie was born that she felt her family was complete...even though she hadn't wanted to get pregnant with her and hadn't planned on having anymore children. Still, instinctively, I guess she could sense that she wasn't done.
I have never had a number in my head. Each pregnancy I say that it is THE LAST ONE. Just b/c I don't enjoy pregnancy. Lately, I have been thinking 5 kids sounds about right. But man, I sure would love to not do the pregnancy thing again!! But hey, lucky you, to enjoy pregnancy so much!! :)
Yes...you are in the "thick" of the sleepless nights...weeks..months.
I remember thinking...do my kids draw straws before they go to bed to see who is going to get up that night at 3am!
sandy toe
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