One, Two, Three Kids? What’s Your Magic Number?

“You convinced your husband?? How did you do it?” This is the first thing people say to me when they find out I’m pregnant with our third child. I have always wanted three children and my husband has always wanted two. Not surprisingly, I am one of three kids, while he is one of two kids. Our first two children were born only a year and a half apart, which was tough at times, but fun. I knew I still theoretically wanted three kids, but not so close as these two. I will say when I was pregnant with Evelyn, my second, I never really thought of it as my last pregnancy, even though my husband occasionally made comments otherwise. 🙂

My kids are now three and four. Over the past year, we occasionally would talk about having a third, but the conversations really didn’t go anywhere. I knew I didn’t want to wait too much longer, so I really started to think it wouldn’t happen. And to be honest, a good part of me was okay with that. Things were getting much easier with our two kids, they were independent, potty trained, and I could even go places with a tiny wallet and my cell phone and we would be okay! Did I really want to add a baby to the mix? Diaper bags, sleepless nights, nursing, formula, carrying around a really heavy infant carrier, etc. It really just seemed as if we would just keep putting it off due to our indecisiveness, and just not end up having another one, and that was okay.

Then we went to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl this past January (where the Gators played their worst game EVER!). Out of the blue, my loving husband said he thought he was selfish and that we should have another baby. He knew how much I wanted three and he wanted to give me that. WHAT??? WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?? This was a complete turn of events, and I was floored. Is this what I really wanted? Deep down, I knew yes, it was, but of course it was very scary. Because I am working mom and a CPA, we have to attempt to plan and avoid having a baby right in the middle of tax season. So I figured if it didn’t happen right away, then we would wait until the summer and really have a little bit of time to think about it. But, clearly my body really wanted a third baby, because here we are, due in October, and we both couldn’t be happier!

It is so different this time around, knowing this will be our last. It is also such fun seeing how our children are reacting to the baby. Nate was so young when Evelyn was born that he really didn’t know what was going on. Now, he asks me if I ate the baby to get it in my belly. He is constantly coloring pictures for our baby and asking me his or her favorite color. We aren’t finding out the sex of the baby, but of course it is a boy in his eyes. He is always putting stuffed animals inside his shirt since he is pregnant too. He talks to the baby in a funny voice, and he tells me when my belly gets THIS BIG, the baby will come out. I can already tell how nurturing he is going to be with this baby, and I can’t wait to see it.

Evelyn knows there is a baby in my belly and she talks to him or her, but doesn’t have quite the understanding Nate does. I think as my belly gets bigger she will become more inquisitive.  And of course, she wants a sister 🙂

Whether you are deciding to have your 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 8^th, or even to be like the Duggars, it is a tough decision.  But I think you just have to go with your heart. It goes by so fast that pretty soon, I’ll just be carrying my small wallet and cell phone again. Of course, then I’ll just be driving all the time going to different activities for all three kids at the same time in different parts of town. Fortunately, I still have some time before that!