The only child syndrome

From my understanding, it is less common for a mother to have an only child than to have multiple children. As a mother of only one, I am dumbfounded by how this is the norm. How do you do more than one, and so commonly within only a few years of each other?

Tonight my husband and I went out for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, as it has been our tradition for the past 10 Februarys. And, like last V-Day, we were joined by our daughter. Last year she gurgled and cooed while I nursed her for 40 minutes as I awkwardly attempted to fold a falafel sandwich into my mouth. Sexily. This year our girl was plenty grumpy from lack of a proper nap due to parental school and work schedules. She spent the first half of the dinner plunging her hands into ice water to extract the tasty cubes, and the remainder being bobbed and swooped by one parent as the other tried to shovel in the $40 dinner we so desperately tried to treat ourselves with.

I know we could get a babysitter. But we are saving our babysitter points for important things, like when Wayne has a business meeting while I am in class. Or our annual date to my husband's company work party. And besides, that's not the point. The point is, some people do what we just did with lotsa kids. How do you do that, you super mom?

Can we handle more spawn?

I actually liked being pregnant. I am saddened by the idea of not being preggo again. But another person to be responsible for? I can't even remember to pack the diaper bag properly. Scratch that- I can't even remember the diaper bag. And this isn't because I am new. My kid is 15 months old.

So if we ever have another kid, I think we are going to have to do it the old fashion way and forget birth control for one night. There is no way we could conscientiously make the decision to let another being into this family. Don't get me wrong- our family is full of love and sunshine and bubbles. But how the hell do you throw an infant into the mix? How do you appropriately love and support more than one being at the same time? And I'm not just counting kids; I am putting my hubbo and myself into the equation. We count too. Our happiness and sanity matters.

So happy VD to you parents of multi babes. I commend the insanity you take on and the amount of love and patience you dish out. I hope that I am never so blessed. Maybe.