We’re not supposed to feel this way. We’re supposed to be the strong ones. Us men, we face facts, we see things as they are and we move on.
Except I don’t want to move on.
My wife loves babies. The smell of them, the feel of them. She likes ’em chubby and happy. I do too.
My youngest turned four years old a few weeks ago. She is getting to be so big it is amazing. But her growing up creates a situation in our house that we have never had before. There is no baby.
Ever since our first baby 11 years ago, my wife and I have had a baby in the house. One baby didn’t get to 2 years old before a smelly little playmate joined the household. There was always a baby and that is the way we like it.
But the thing is we got married a little later in life and now we find ourselves on the back end of our forties. We thank God every day for the blessing of five beautiful children. We never imagined we could have even that many and I am eternally grateful.
As my little one celebrated her birthday, my wife made some comments…
December 12, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Going off of my folks… let it be known that you're willing to help with those little babies at Mass (my mom was the go-to when baby was crying and the toddler threw a fit!) and enjoy the kids while you can, then enjoy the grandkids!
Easy for me to say, though, I've got a pudgy little Duchess cooing in my lap and chewing on her fingers and her lovely sister Kit trying to talk and climb in my lap.
December 12, 2011 at 6:01 pm
This is a great post. I'm a young mom and somedays I feel overwhelmed by the demands, but what in the world will I do when I don't have a baby to take care of? Perspective is a wonderful thing.
December 12, 2011 at 9:27 pm
I think you are going enjoy this "ultimate" fight:
http://mais.uol.com.br/view/ofj6vrny8naf/criancas-lutam-taekwondo-e-fazem-sucesso-na-internet-0402CC1A3364D4992326?types=A&
God bless you and your family.
Best,
Pedro Erik
December 13, 2011 at 5:36 am
I feel your longing. It is a part of my daily life. I live vicariously now through the babies of others. I am what my son calls a baby stalker… Better to be turned away than never to get a squish again!
December 13, 2011 at 5:56 pm
You have all of us as spiritual children and we are a handful. It has occurred to me, too, that I have spiritual grandchildren and spiritual great-grandchildren, ad infinitum. (our constitutional posterity)
December 15, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Our youngest was born when I was 42 and my husband 49 – 7 years ago. We both would have loved more (still would) yet for me it's more of a wistful longing than for my husband. I think sometimes that he looks at babies and realizes how much he missed with our kids and his longing is one of wanting just one more chance to really enjoy all of those baby and toddler years.
December 17, 2011 at 6:24 pm
My youngest turned 5 recently; my oldest is 23. I and my husband married after college. While I get nostalgic for babies as I approach 50, I am not sorrowing the decline of my fertility. I think I have pretty much embraced that there is a season for everything – my aging body especially reminds me of that. I am so ready for grandkids.