Babies

Tboy loves babies.

In common youngest child fashion, he would like to have a new baby brother, or more preferably to him, a baby sister. He sometimes even tries to call Tgirl his baby sister, which really annoys her.

I can understand how he feels. I loved being pregnant, even with all the problems with my back and legs and all that I have when I'm pregnant, I still love the feeling of carrying a little life around inside of me. And I really do love babies in all of their sweet, cuddly, chubbiness.

But I don't want another kid and all that that means. The exhaustion, the endless diapers, the exhaustion, someone touching you nearly 24/7, the exhaustion (my babies just aren't good sleepers!). And then there is the idea of another 5 years of daycare and preschool to pay for when Tboy only has 1 year left before he starts school (a benefit of my job is that my children get to - well, have to, it is required in my contract - attend my school for free and when I am actually working in my classroom or at a school meeting I get extended day care free) is rather appalling.

So, to deal with my baby lust, I signed up to work in the baby nursery at church once a month. It is great. I get to hold and cuddle and change babies for a while, remember a few of the frustrations (i.e. their lack of communication skills), watch them grow from month to month, and hand them back to their parents after about 2 hours.

Tboy, however, doesn't have this outlet for his desire for a baby. Whenever he sees one when we are out and about he points it out to me and tells me, "We love babies, don't we, Mama!" (to which I always, of course, agree) When we were in Disneyland last week he was keeping track (part of the time) of how many babies we saw each day.

In his Sunday School class they heard the story of Hannah from the Old Testament and how she wanted a baby very much but had to wait for a long time until God gave her Samuel.

Tboy's teacher let me know when I picked him up that after hearing the story, he raised his hand and told them that he really wanted a baby in his family too and he had been waiting a long time for one. When the teacher told him that maybe he should talk to his mommy about it, he said that he had.

Sunday School teacher, "So what did she say?"

A very disappointed and disgusted Tboy, "She won't give me one" !!