I have been struggling for the last, um... 3 1/2 years whether I want to add another sweet little boy to my family (aah,,I'm good at boys). I just can't get brave enough to do it all over again. So I decided to make a pros and cons list of pregnancy, birth, and the first hazy months of the little one's life. (Don't worry, it isn't too graphic.)
Pro--I get to eat what I want (within reason) and not worry about it
Con--I feel ginormous/get stretch marks and end up with a flabby belly
Pro--Chad thinks I look darling pregnant
Pro--The attention is fun
Con--NAUSEA---constant
Con--Sciatic Nerve pain. I would rather deal with nausea
Pro--Breasties
Con--Saggy Breasties when done with nursing
Pro--Fun maternity clothes
Con--The same fun maternity clothes over and over and over
Pro--Fuller face--I like my body now, but my face is too skinny (I look older and wrinkly)
Con--big body to go with fuller face
Pro--I don't get kankles
Pro--I never go full term--Cam 10 days early, Spencer 26 days early (and healthy)
Pro--Nesting!!! I love to nest---My cupboards and closets haven't been organized in 3 1/2 years. I actually feel the nesting instinct quite often, but it is anxiety-driven rather than pregnancy-driven
Con--Insomnia
Pro--It gives me empathy for Chad's insomnia
Con--Fatigue
Pro--2nd trimester energy
Con--Labor--damn, that hurts
Pro--Epidurals--damn, that feels better
Pro--Mother-in-law is a Labor and Delivery nurse--and she knows her shiz
Con--Almost 2 hours of pushing with Cam
Pro--About 20 seconds of pushing with Pence
Pro--I love the hospital stay!!! I love the quiet, reading, naps, visits from fam and friends, snuggling with a new sleepy baby
Con--Nurses checking vitals in the middle of the night. I just want to say, "Hey, I know you are just doing your job, but would you please leave my hospital-issue-meshy-stretchy-underwear alone!! My who-ha is just fine!"
Pro--Speaking of who-ha's --Peri bottle with warm water--mmmmm soothing
Con--Learning to nurse with Cam
Pro--Much easier with Spence
Con--Coming home---Holy Cow, that's a shock
Con--NO SLEEP
Pro--Watching Chad relish every moment with his babies...One of us has to like newborns
Con--Postpartum depression hitting like a ton of bricks
Pro--Zoloft baby!!! I will be popping them like candy from 34 weeks on,,,,it's nice to not fantasize about harming your child (scary)
Pro--All the crappy stuff mentioned above eventually does go away
I just re-read my list and wow, I AM an optimist--there are a lot more pros that I would have thought,,seeing as how I LOATHE pregnancy. I just need to buck-up and do my part to repopulate the earth.
I hear ya. I'll be making this list in about 3 years too! Good luck in the decision making process. You forgot one pro....you and Chad make stinkin cute kids.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your decision! I am all about the pro and con lists baby!! Yours made me laugh my butt off...peri bottles...mmmm.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. I got a good laugh through the whole thing. I can amen your whole list. Good luck deciding. I am glad you shared your list.
ReplyDeleteThis is so my life right now. I had to laugh! All the pros and cons. I'm am sick of my pregnancy clothes and sick of getting bigger and bigger. It takes me at least nine months to lose it all. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the decision. You gotta' try for a girl.
Good list! You and Chad are such great parents and your boys are so cute! You need to put those as two pros. You know your baby will be so cute and well taken care of. Faye is such a good helper. It has been easier it seems with my second because of her. Since she is five I can talk to her and she listens if she needs to be quiet or help get me a diaper... ya know that sort of stuff. I am coming to Utah in August. are you going to be around where I could see ya and show you the Gracelynn (who turned 6 months yesterday and is already crawling)
ReplyDeleteGo for it!! I'm sitting here with my 2 week old squirming on my lap but he's so cute! I'm happy he surprised us & I did not have to make pro & con list (which is really funny).
ReplyDeleteYou know you're going to have a girl, right? You are a great mommy! You are adorable.
ReplyDeleteTake the plunge and don't think about it - go in the moment and never look back! We came to the conclusion there is never a perfect time to have kids you just have to do it and go through the motions! (I can say that cuz I have 4 now and 2 month old baby - call me nuts!)
ReplyDeletelove it Kami.. you brought back so many fond (and not so fond) memories. I say go for it!!
ReplyDeleteOh man... I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! love this list! You and Chad should have a dozen, and kid would love to have you two as their parents :)
ReplyDeleteI feel no need to buck up and repopulate the earth. And to change the dates, there is a link at the bottom left of the post that says post options. Click on that and you can change the date and time. : )
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