I have to confess something. I am starting to get a little anxious about life after the birth of our 4th child. Don’t get me wrong. I am looking forward to meeting this little girl. I love babies, and I know I will welcome this child with lots of love. But I have gotten pretty used to being the mother of 3 small children without having an infant to care for. My 3 have reached the ages where they can do many things independently. They can play for hours at a time while I work on some project or just clean the house. Since they were born in a stairstep fashion, I was really busy with them for about 5 years solid, but the last 2 years have been relatively easy. So now, as I think of adding an infant to the mix, I guess my selfishness is rearing its ugly head. I am not having good thoughts about all of the personal time I will ultimately need to give up in order to care for this little one. I want to cherish her because I am as certain as I can be that this is the last baby we will have. I know it will be easier in many ways since none of the others are wearing diapers or even training pants anymore. They are all capable of helping me at some level, which will certainly be different than when the others were born. So, if you think of it, pray for me as I adjust to having a baby in my life again.
5 thoughts on “Things are about to change”
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Reminds me of what Wayne said to me in seminary when we announced your first pregnancy: “Congratulations! Your life, as you know it, is now over.”
FWIW,
From the people I have known with many children (4+) the later ones are usually much easier. It always looked to me like the older children did a lot of the work which the parents did for the first kids.
Also, and I hate to bury this here, but I hate to be quite public with it either, we’ve decided to go ahead with children as soon as God thinks we’re ready. I’m sure I’ll post on my site if/when we get any real pregnancy news.
When my brother (Doug Jones) and his wife (my friend Paula) announced their fifth pregnancy, I think I cried with joy for days. Gabriel Bucer, who will have survived our kisses for one year in May, is called the “bonus baby.” It was six years since we last had a Jones baby in our midst, so our lives did change. But life with Gabe is terrific for all of us. God, in His wisdom, knew we needed a new set of chubby cheeks to maul.
I’m so excited for you. And I will pray for you.
Jennifer, I know this is starting to feel overwhelming, but, remember if God did not think it was a good time in your life for another child you wouldn’t be having one. So many times we don’t know how things are going to work out, but God always comes through. I am going to be praying for you, it was a little hard for me when Sarah came along and Sophie hadn’t even turned one bu it workd out, by the grace of God.
Lucy and Beth,
Thanks for the words of encouragement and for the prayers.
I think I am feeling a bit less anxiety this week. Perhaps God is answering some of those prayers. My feelings now are more of the “let’s just have this baby” variety.