Babies tend to attract attention from strangers, and many people I know get all worked up about it. "They thought my girl was a boy! OH NO!", or "How dare they call my baby chubby!" I really don't care much about what people think. They always thought Girl was a boy, but who could blame them? I didn't make it easy for them, since I'm not much of a fan of pink. I've noticed a new trend these days though. I've been approached many times with the same line of thinking:
Stranger: So you have a boy and a girl?
Suzie: Yes.
Stranger: So, you're done then?
I didn't realize that the only possible reason to want more than two kids is to have one of each gender.
I think mentally I checked out of having more children somewhere in between the morning sickness, stomach flus and trying in vain to get an 11+lb baby out of me without surgical intervention. After one more brief (and terrifying) pregnancy scare, I think I'm pretty done. We have enough bedrooms for two kids, and we're never outnumbered, but my main reason for not wanting more children is far more vain than that. I don't want a minivan. I can't do it. Husband is a bit of a car enthusiast, and this was my car before having kids:
I just can't give it up. The idea that Husband would drive fun cars to work every day, and I would drive a minivan for the forseeable future would just be too horrifying to contemplate. I've moved my fun cars to the side for the time being in favour of four doors and A/C, but they're still here, and once I have two kids in front-facing seats they will be back.
Yes, I have a boy and a girl, but I think I'd be done regardless. Neither Husband, nor I, ever expressed the desire to have equal gender representation. In fact, I remember a conversation in which Husband can be quoted as saying "can we just have all girls?". Even though it's the truth, I have trouble agreeing with presumtuous strangers. Short of telling them all the reasons I'm done, I'm not sure what to say that won't reinforce their strange ideas and need to ask personal questions. It would be bad to make them feel right.
I just smile and shrug instead. I'll take one for the team.
So many people are rooting for us to try for a third, because we should have a girl. My house is the perfect size for a family of four, I have my heart set on buying a GOLF once I don't need to haul around a stroller and by the way, we make crazy kids. Both of my pregnancies took everything I had, and so did giving birth so... it's just not for me. Having a third because I want a girl is a really dumb reason to have another baby.
ReplyDeleteAnd I get you on the minivan thing. :)
I found it astounding that people who were aware of our history commented that now that we had a girl we had the perfect family.
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