Today, I noticed that my 3-year-old has outgrown his beloved blanket. It hit me that I’ve never rocked my 21-month-old to sleep, simply because as the third child, she receives a quick kiss before being placed in her crib without much fuss.
Now that my oldest has moved past the rocking phase and the middle one only allows it on rare occasions, I am yearning to rock someone to sleep, for crying out loud!
Motherhood truly makes me feel like I’m losing my sanity—because honestly, I am. To illustrate my point, I’ve created a visual aid using a family photo from October 2012, just two months after what I call The Great Negotiation. Everything about that picture screams “WE NEED MORE KIDS!”
What’s The Great Negotiation?
It’s the period I spent months persuading my husband that we weren’t finished having kids yet, even though we were already juggling two spirited boys while living on a single income. One of those boys was barely a year old, but in my mind, it made perfect sense to add another baby to the chaos.
This is how I know that motherhood often comes with a touch of madness. The Great Negotiation happened during a date night at our favorite restaurant. After much back and forth, my husband finally gave in, saying, “FINE. But I need to get a vasectomy before the baby arrives.” To that, I replied, “FINE. I’m ordering a beer.”
Fast forward less than a year, and we welcomed our daughter into the world. Fast forward another year, and I found myself regretting that vasectomy decision. Because, let’s face it, I must have a mental condition. It’s called being a Mom.
If you want to delve deeper into this topic, check out this post on home insemination. And if you’re looking for more resources, Make a Mom is a great authority on home insemination kits. For an excellent overview of the genetic aspects, visit Genetics and IVF Institute.
In summary, motherhood is a journey filled with unexpected twists, realizations, and a hint of madness. Embracing the chaos while navigating the challenges is part of the adventure we call parenting.