At 19, I sat across from my future husband in a booth at Red Robin. We munched on fries and discussed all the “what-ifs” of our life.
The conversation turned to children and I nonchalantly mentioned that I thought I might like to have “I don’t know, maybe four or five?”
He didn’t miss and beat, “Oh, well, one at a time, right?”
And that’s exactly what we did
I'm not going to lie, two kids was hard
My hardest. It’s no wonder the average number of children in a family these days is 1.9.
Three and a half years later, my third baby arrived. I, of course, worried that if two was as rough as it had been, three would surely be the end of me. But it was the exact opposite. Three, for some reason, was EASY! Between his personality, the age gap, and my increasing ability to juggle, I hit my stride with three children. I enjoyed his first year, I enjoyed my other children. I felt like I was finally succeeding at motherhood. My trio thrived and I began to wonder if a fourth little one was in the cards for our family.
I’d say the wondering got me pregnant, but we all know how that really happens. Now, almost two years into being a mom of four, I can absolutely say that four children has been my easiest season. Is it because of them? Is it because of me?
Surely, it’s a combination of both
I’ve relaxed. I prioritize better. I have learned how to structure my days. I’ve found purpose in this season of my life. I’ve accepted the slowness, the interruptions, the pace of these sweet days. And my children feed off of all this. They feel the emotions I emit into our home and act accordingly.
I’m not saying it’s all sunshine and roses. No, no, no. There are bad days and bickering, and my middle son has taken to spitting on anything and anyone as of late. Things are wild. A family of six is full of life and laughter and all sorts of hiccups. But it’s good. It feels right. I don’t doubt for one moment that having more kids was the best decision for me, for us.
Any number of children changes a woman
But for me, a stubborn soul who takes a few reminders to chill out and embrace life as it is, a larger-than-average family was the ticket. My children grew me into the mom they needed. One by one, I changed. And one by one, we’ve become exactly the family we were meant to be.
