Most people I know have, or are planning to have one or at the most, two kids. It's probably the smart thing to do. Fewer bedrooms needed, fewer bikes to buy, fewer college tuitions to pay for. Not to mention more sleep and greater family mobility. In this uncertain world and unstable economy it's certainly a leap of faith to have a big family. I always wanted three. Maybe I'm greedy. Maybe it's because I love each of my own siblings and the varied ways they came into my life - whole, half, step, adopted... I have a unique relationship with each one, and would not trade even one of them for a bigger bedroom or fewer college loan payments. I hope my three feel the same someday.
It is sweet to watch my boys care for Lucy. At the park they'll climb the trees and practice their karate moves on each other for a minute, but soon they'll come find us on the baby slide or the swingset. They carry her around, help her sift sand through her tiny hands, and push her on the swing. And Lucy loves her brothers. Her face lights up when they walk in the room, and she follows them around the house like a puppy. I'm sure there will be days when she annoys the hell out of them - I'm thinking four, ten and twelve might be a hard year. My boys are constantly driving each other crazy - in fact I just had to stop writing this to intervene in a yelling match about a gameboy. But I hope it will be worth it for them in the end. I'm hoping that they'll be able to lean on each other when things are hard. That they'll come home for holidays and make toasts at each others' weddings, and that their kids will be friends too. Siblings force you to learn, sometimes the hard way, about accountability and trust, and I believe that having each other will make their lives fuller. I hope their shared history will bind them together and they will always know that they have each other to count on when the chips are down.
5 comments:
You couldn't have said it better! I know all three of your kids are so lucky to their siblings, but even more so having you and Joel as parents. You both are so amazing with all of our kids and I can only hope I will have the love and patience that you guys have. Your family is truly inspiring.
That photo of the three of them is just beautiful! I've clearly got my hands full with just two... so I am in total awe of your life with 3 ;)
xxoo,
C
It makes me teary reading this, thinking about my siblings, and the children I hopefully will have. xoxo
Great entry Melissa. Following in your footsteps with 2 boys, I never thought I'd consider 3 but I do sometimes and I think big families are so amazingly fun. You are inspiring as you seem to make it looks so easy- parenting with love and grace. It doesn't hurt that your 3 are TOO cute too! :)
My siblings are the most important thing in my life. I cannot imagine going through life alone, without the shared experience and different interpretations of family and life experiences. Your kids are blessed to have eachother!
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