How Many Kids?????????

[sanctus]

I've got 3 kids, now 10, 8, and 6, and I had a hard time saying I was done. I settled for "I don't want another one right now" until my youngest was 4, and then it hit me that I just didn't want to do diapers and up all night again. Once you start to get some freedom back, it's hard to think of giving it up. But it was a hard decision for me, and I still wonder sometimes. Of course, DH had a vasectomy, so I'd have some tall explaining to do if I turned up pg now!

 

[SeeDisney]

Well, way back when, my DH and I really thought we were done at 2 and then I had the desire to have another so we had 3 and baby #4 is our surprise and we're very very happy with four kids.

 

[skent10]

4 here as well and we just realized that we have outsized ourselves for hotels! My two youngest are 3 and 10 months and wow that is the handful but...I wouldn't trade any of them. Did we think we were going to have 4 kids- nope- it just worked out that way and our family is just perfect for us.
Oh and I'll tell you if you get rid of the clothes- you WILL get pregnant- it just seems to work that way.

Holy cow, you're me!

I always wanted 2, was thrilled to get 1 girl and 1 boy (and felt complete). DH had wanted 2 or 3, but was happy to stop at 2 since I felt done. I wanted him to get the "big V" but he wanted to wait a little while in case anything should happen to one of the children, since DD was only 22 months and DS was only 9 months old.

I didn't push him, but sold all my maternity clothes and infant stuff at our church's consignment sale. A week later, the pregnancy test was positive! The sonogram half-way through the pregnancy revealed it was twins!!!

I never in my wildest dreams imagined having 4 children, and now I can't imagine my life without them! As my DH puts it, our parenting style has switched from "man-to-man coverage" to "zone coverage."

But man, I love my life!

 

[kizmac]

This is a great thread...........I have 6 kids and the question of how do you know when you're done has been a question that has been with me for the past 14 years....still am not sure I know the answer LOL. I think it's a question that can get even harder with the more kids you have because you see for your own eyes how different and special each one is and you reflect back on what you would have missed had you stopped. Everyone's purpose here on Earth is different. So no one's decisions or reasonings are going to be the same. You may be destined to be a doctor or lawyer or work at Walmart. I believe that my purpose was to bring these 6 kids into the world and then probably work at Walmart when they all go to school...LOL.
Here is a pic of my family

My oldest dd is 14 and then my 4 boys are 11,8,5,4,and then my youngest dd will be 2 in March. I will be 36 tomorrow (ugh ). Anyhow, to the OP....you're kids are soooo young so DON'T sell your baby stuff yet. ( I still haven't sold anything LOL) At least give it a year. I think you will be a little more sure by then.

I came from a family of 4. It was just me and my younger brother. I hated not having a bunch of siblings and it especially sucks now that I am older. My brother and I have never been close. That has greatly influenced my life and family size. I want more in life for my kids and that is why I have had 6 kids ironically. Some may say I could give more to 2 but could I really? I am not extremely religious but I do believe in God and that he provides what he feels you need......maybe we would not be where we are today financially if we only had two kids. My DH's ambition for his career may not have been as strong and he may not have been as willing to take some risks he has along the way. We actually make more money now than we did when I was still working. So there is no way of being sure that two kids could of had more than 6 and frankly, the extra life experiences that each individual child brings to the family dynamic is worth so much more to everyone involved than material things could ever be. We still sometimes live paycheck to paycheck (especially around holidays) mostly but we do just fine. We don't drive new cars but we do take trips to Disney. What more could we ask for!?

Go with your heart and don't let things like money and other peoples opinions on what your family size should be influence your decision. Also, don't set an age cut off. I had always said no way after 30 and honestly...that was silly. I think kids keep you young. I witnessed it with many friends and family. I know people who had kids in their 40's and it completely transformed them (for the better,LOL). If you are less than 100% sure NEVER do anything permanent. My DH had a big "V" scheduled for 3 weeks after DD was born but I made him cancel. I do believe we will go ahead with it this year, but I did not want to be influenced by hormones or anything else when it came to that decision. Also, don't be influenced by how many can fit in a hotel room or having ride partners at amusement parks!LOL....I hear that so many times and it is so trivial....no worries...it works out! Believe me.....the more the merrier!

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

We were all set with 2.....DS was 4 years older than DD. Once DD was 1, I sold all our baby stuff, DH had his surgery, and we were all set.....moving on with the next phase of our lives. DH went back for the surgery follow-ups--after 4 months we were given the "green light".....1 month later, I was pregnant. At first, I was devasted.....loved my kids....but hated the whole pregnancy thing.....no serious problems.....just 9+ months of all-day nausea. Plus I was really afraid that 3 kids that were 7 years apart would force us to always be splitting up and would keep us from doing more things together as a full family. That's now 6 years behind us though, and I can't even imagine life without our 3rd, a DS. From the start, we just fit him into our schedules, and he has turned out to be an incredibly easy-going, appreciative little guy. He's a kid that expects nothing and gives back everything.....always wanting to give me a hug, a goodnight kiss, to come tell me he loves me, etc. Of course, our other kids are great too.....each in their own way. We really are done now (again).....at least I hope so!.....but after this experience, a small part of me will always wonder what could be. I guess what I've learned is to try for what you think you want, and then just go with the flow!

 

[momto3gr8boys]

You always have one more than you can handle. Or your spouse can handle.

Often if you have a great kid first (and second), you keep going until you get the kid that makes you understand why some parents have a continual "deer in the headlights" look. One of my girlfriends and one of my cousins both had this kid as #3. The first two were independant, quiet, good listeners, well behaved, self potty trained, slept through the night kids. The third was the "every bedtime a battle," timeout chair needs to be equiped with duct tape, volume always set to high and speed set to fast kids. That's when they knew they were done.

this post cracked me up, because it is soooo true lol. i have three...number 2 was a no brainer, but after #2 i just didn't feel "done". i also had two very easy babies first...so, a third just seemed like it wouldn't be too much more. well, then i had DS #3...oh boy has he sent me over the edge lol. he'd 5 now and i still haven't recovered anyway, after he was born, i just "knew" i was done.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We planned DS. DSwas born and we were thrilled to have a baby boy. After we became aware of the problems DS would have because of his disablility we started having conversations about him being our only one. We had seen a genetic Dr etc....although DS's stroke was just a "fluke" and was rare we decided that DH would visit the Dr. when we were all done with DS's testing, until then I would continue to take precautions. When we were going in for Ds's MRI they ask you the standard questions...one of them being could you be pregnant. Um...no I don't think so but now that I stop and think...maybe is isnt all the stress. They didnt let me go in and yup.....I was pregnant.(antibiotics were the probably what helped this I wasnt to careful) We were shocked but thrilled we figured it was ok and we could handle it. DD was born and she is now 14 and in perfect health. Two years ago I started to have severe cramping and a few other symptoms. The Dr was convinced it was kidney stones. I went in for an ultrasound and was shocked to learn that my kidney stone had a heartbeat. DD was the reason for the cramping etc...I am convinced she was angry already that we were not paying much attention to her and she really wanted us to know she was there!!! DD was born and she is 2 and a bouncing, healthy little girl. I think I should go to the local High School and talk to the girls and tell them,"Yes it can happen I have living proof or the .3% right here!!! This time I was VERY VERY VERY Careful DD was just one of those rare times.. Oh, DH never did go to the Dr...he chickened out! I took care of it this time with my c-section. My oldest daughter told us that DD#2 was the piece of our family we never new we were missing and I have to agree with her. We even had this put on her birth announcements!! My family just sort of fell into place and I am so thankful for my perfcet family of 5!!! (well 7 if you add the and 2 )