On Saturday, I drove down to Austin to see my sister, and to drop in on Stephanie, Phil and the twins (though, seriously, since I hadn’t seen those little guppies since they each weighed less than three pounds and were living in baby aquariums in the NICU, I’m tempted to give them top billing).
Baby time is just ridiculously magical. I got to kiss baby cheeks, and rub baby tummies, and give a grunting little Lucas his bottle – it was all I could do not to nibble him to death. And when I climbed into bed after the 4 hour drive back to Dallas, I rolled over and could still smell sweet little baby head on my skin. I sighed, and some deep, dark part of my brain, obviously the part affected by hormones and baby smells, whispered, “Man. I have got to get knocked up.”
Then I reminded that dark part of my brain about the poop story Stephanie had told me that afternoon. And suddenly, there was no more talk of getting knocked up.
borrowing babies is the best way to get the baby fix. my toddler is available for “borrowage”…look new word! ha trial run tomorrow at the zoo. are you up for it?
well, but still, could be fun trying.
AWW! I have been clicking my favorites link all morning waiting for an update–mostly to make sure you finally made it to Dallas…and I am so glad you posted this little cutie photo! How precious. It does make you want to get knocked up doesn’t it….?
by the way… you’ve got a hunk of dried up barf on your shoulder.
Cute.
Is this cannon foder for maternal naggy on your Mom’s part?
PS: There’s nothing wrong with thinking cats are children.
I have moments like this all the time. My hips squeezed between the two car seats in my best gal pal’s car yesterday for a 15 minute drive, I was reminded why my nature has dictated that I am not, under any circumstances, to get knocked up. 15 minutes of baby screams and “Hey Angie, watch this. Watch this. Watch this” was enough for me… I wonder how she gets through the other 23 hours and 45 minutes of the day.
IT’S A TRAP!!! Don’t be sucked in… Yes, I LOVE babies. BUT kids are annoying as hell. I’m grateful my daughters are grown now. I love my daughters, beautiful young ladies. But being a parent, particularly a single parent is a miserable, demanding, overwhelming, expensive and frustating task. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. am i being too subtle??
Mom told me that kids, like kittens, grow up to be cats. She forgot to mention that they grow up to be very expensive cats with attitudes….
Beautiful photograph
by the way again… thanks for sharing Stephanie, she’s totally cool too.
My nephew’s name is Lucas… I love getting my baby fix by means of being an auntie… that baby smell is the best!
*sigh* I LOVE babies.
I love babies that go home when they get cranky.
Well I guess that isn’t true because I’ve spent many a night rocking a sad little niece or nephew so my sister could get some sleep. It makes me tired just THINKING about doing that every.single.night.
Scrumptious!! Oh, makes my eggs want to meet some quality sperm. You know, *in theory.*
Loretta,
I hate that your experience was so bad that you deemed it to be miserable.
I do however agree to some point with the rest of your description of single parenthood.
I used to work with a girl who would not hold co-workers’ babies when they came in for a show-off visit, because she insisted “that’s how you get pregnant”. I always assumed that she just did not like the small ones much, but maybe she was on to something…
i do admit, i am in love with this fish , i think i would definately adopt you as a mother.
as for the can´t wait to get knocked up?
DO NOT watch the discovery channel´s show on new babies…
i could feel my self getting pregnant with every second of it.
sorry for the freakishly long post.. i really do love this fish =)
i LOVE it when stephanie posts about her babies…it’s enough for me to get my sappy fix. by the way, that photo is gorgeous…did stephanie take that?
As I type this the little one is kick, kick, kicking. She can’t wait to meet her Auntie Fish.
God that baby’s gorgeous.
I’m sure you could hire someone to deal with the poop.
Babies are perfection, especially when they are someone else’s. I think of them as edible as well…glad to know I am not alone. I recommend starting on the toes, they are scrumptious!
Somehow in my brain the “gotta get knocked up part” is always louder than the “I don’t want to mess with other people’s bodily fluids part.”
Sigh.
Very cute….. Both of you.
Glad to see you guys got together again. Great pic
You will be a beautiful mother someday, and it will be even more magical than that photo, which totally rocks.
One up-knocking coming right away! Usually I charge but for you, first one is free.
Precious, precious picture. You know, the great smell of a baby’s freshly-washed hair far, far outweighs the smell of poop you’ll deal with as a mother.
Yeah. Right.
Babies. What they do to us is amazing. Great photo. It looks like it could be on a hallmark card.
So when you have that craving to get “knocked up” go to Toys R Us, or any store with a toy department on a Saturday afternoon, it will be filled with tired, hungry screaming kids, it’s enough to cure anyone!
Spend an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese. You’ll be popping birth control pills like candy.
What a great picture.
Talentedgirl’s comment reminds me of an Italian TV PSA making the internet rounds about a year ago. It featured an obnoxious toddler (apparently NOT just a U.S. phenomenon) having a tantrum in a supermarket over wanting candy. The toddler’s parent (interestingly, I think it was the father) is clearly at the end of his rope, and we leave the pair as the toddler is kicking his father in the ankle. The entire tantrum is watched by a young man. Final shot: a package of condoms in the young man’s shopping basket.
Regarding Lorett’s comment, I think she was referring to single motherhood, not parenthood in general. (Sorry if I’m wrong.) I know enough single mothers (only one by choice) and was almost one myself. It’s difficult, lonely, and stressful almost beyond belief. There’s pure terror at the thought of being the sole support of another person. Even the joys of motherhood are muted by the stark realities of not having a partner to share childraising.
Only 50 characters left! Time to shut up!
Sorry, that was more vehement than necessary. My hot button is young women becoming mothers before they can handle it, physically, financially, emotionally. I made the lousy choices of marrying a jerk and having babies at a young age, when neither of us wanted kids. If I knew then what I know now, I would be a good mother. I do love babies. Children take patience and effort and selflessness. These qualities are not inherent in me, they had to be learned. I deeply regret the choices I’ve made. When I see a couple that truly love each other and WANT children together, I’m moved with longing and regret and great joy at their good fortune. All children should have parents who love them, want them, and have the resources to care for them. I’m a firm believer in ADOPTION. Too many single teenagers are keeping their babies. Such a difficult choice, such a difficult path in life. I hope you all have the families you desire. just know that it doesn’t come easy. And I AM A GOOD MOTHER TODAY.
I saw a lady at Target the other day feeding her newborn with such a look of contentment and joy on her face. It was beautiful!
2 aisles over, I remembered why I was willing to sacrifice the contentment and joy. Screaming kids, throwing themselves on the grounds, parents chasing afer them.
No! Not for me!
3 hours of an overnight flight from Vancouver to London filled with a cries from a child who would not shut up.
i lost sleep…i’m not pretty when i lose sleep…
i am not having children….
i’m going to up-knock you in the head, G.
Yes there are those moments… the first time your baby gets ill and your mind goes into a panic, the moment when you turn your back, they run off and your go into a deeper panic, the screaming on the airplane, the diapers, the tantrums… you name it. And even with all of that, I wouldn’t trade a minute of it! Having children is one of the greatest gifts you’ll ever get in life. I thank my ex every day for giving me the two most wonderful daughters I could ever want.
I don’t want any children either. Unfortunately… most women say “not me” but they will end up pregnat one way or another… and of course when the babies grow up you have to say you “love them”, you have no choice!!
But I sincerely don’t want the responsibility of giving up my life, youth, energy and $$ to devote it to someone else’s life. I want to enjoy my time and money and energy all to myself.. and the best i can be while trying to achieve my dreams…
Those babies are really freaking cute, how could you NOT want to nibble them.
You know, despite the poop.
This entry reminds me of how I’m always telling my sisters to get knocked up ASAP (I just emailed the older one today begging her to have a kid before I can no longer be of age to claim to be a teenage aunt).
..and I can’t believe this is my first time working up the balls to comment even though I’ve been following this blog for about a year now.
You’re wonderful!
I remember some years ago a woman i used to work with complaining about having to change the diapers of a neighbours young one and comparing it with changing the diapers of her grandchild. “it’s just not the same” she told me, “there’s something diferent about it, something odd ” …. i remember looking at her raising an eyebrow and replying “well maureen, ****’s ****.”
she wasnt amused LOL
Oh, how I want a baby. But, luckily, I work in a library, and I see enough of the stay-at-home moms with no one to talk to but their four children under five that make me realize I’m not *quite* ready for that responsibility (nor, quite likely, do I want to be an entirely stay-at-home mom). Gorgeous picture!
I totally relate to the knock me up bit. I’m ready to be pregnant last year…but when I really need that baby smell fix I go for the burte’s bees baby bee stuff…It smells just like baby. The only thing better is when I actually get to babysit. ^^