Our family became complete 6 weeks ago. Baby #4 signifies the end of a chapter: I am done having kids. It’s bittersweet knowing I will never experience the glory and misery of pregnancy again. The finality of it all is setting in. There is so much I will miss and other things not so much.
What I will miss…
- Those kicks. Even the ones underneath the rib cage. They are a constant reminder of how miraculous the journey of pregnancy is.
- The anticipation of meeting this new being. We decided to let the gender be a surprise for each pregnancy. That moment of finding out boy or girl is absolutely magical.
- The newborn stage…lack of sleep and all. With each baby after our first we found ourselves saying, “Gosh, I don’t remember ‘X’ this small” or “this stage goes by so fast.” It’s so true. It’s fleeting.
- And, of course, the newborn cuddle. It’s irreplaceable. There is nothing like it…nothing better.
- Simply put, I will miss the wonderment of it all.
My pants would be on fire if I said there is nothing I wouldn’t miss. Cue the next list.
- The random days of waking up and barely being able to walk. Months 6 & 7 with my last were brutal. Oddly, I rebounded in 8 & 9. Weird.
- Being a dragon. My heartburn with all of my pregnancies was ridiculous. For nearly 40 months of my life, I breathed fire.
- The inappropriate comments from strangers. Let’s examine a few:
- “You look like you are ready to pop.” With my third pregnancy I was receiving this comment at 6 months. It was awesome (yes, that’s sarcasm).
- “Everyone is different. I know someone who is due around the same time. She is so much smaller than you.” (Seriously, I cannot make this stuff up. A cashier uttered those words while I was checking out.)
- And, the comment of all comments that gets me fired up, “You have your hands full.” I know it seems harmless enough, but it usually comes in times of chaos. Naturally, I interpret this statement as a slight on my parenting ability. Just don’t say it. Think it, but don’t say it. Especially to a pregnant woman. Unfortunately, this one will continue to rear its ugly head for years to come.
What I am looking forward to…
- Getting to a point where we can plan family vacations suitable for all of the kids.
- Planning a NO KIDS ALLOWED vacation…mom and dad…scratch that…husband and wife ONLY! I am not talking long weekends. I mean full-fledged, minimum of 5 nights kind of vacation.
- Not giving it a second thought to venture out with all 4 kids by myself. Right now, it’s just not worth it.
- Watching our brood grow from babies to toddlers to big kids to teenagers to young adults to adults. Pretty much every emotion that exists will be covered in that span. The good, the bad, and the ugly. But, what a ride it will be.
Do you miss anything about pregnancy and the newborn stage? What don’t you miss? Share in the comments.
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