It’s so weird that people around me just keep having babies! They won’t stop!!!
Babies-babies and babies. Seems to be the hot topic around me lately.
And it is funny because for years no one talked about them. I seemed to be the only one concerned with formula vs breast milk, and how many times my kids would wake up during the night, and if Maxi sold good quality baby clothes or not.
Now this is what I talk about pretty much most days of the week with most everyone I know.
Take for example my financial advisor who I went to high school with who is 42 yrs. old. He is having his first child in 3 weeks! Sitting there with him over lunch I realized we have shared so much (our childhoods, our teenage years, my financial portfolio) but he is having a new baby and I have a teenager and two tweens!
It’s amazing where life takes you.
And to look back and think about how you got there.
And to look at the direction and paths you have chosen.
I realized just the other day that I am 41 yrs. old and still have many many career years ahead of me. In about 5 yrs, travelling for my job won’t be an issue anymore or childcare while I am away. I had all 3 kids so young that really anything is possible now (or more accurately in about 5 yrs) for me career wise.
I compare myself to many people I know my age who’s career is now sort of pretty much over since they are just beginning to have babies. Mainly for women in these cases, there years with children up until the teens yrs. their career will be very limited in terms of what they can do, where they can travel, unless they have a spouse at home taking care of the children and managing the home.
So it’s a weird feeling to sit and talk about babies. In most ways I am so glad I had three and so glad that period of my life is over. In other ways I miss it-it’s a magical time of life and part of me grieves it too.
No exotic trip, no big purchase, no new school, new job, new computer or new Iphone 5 comes even a tad bit close to being as exciting a s a new baby being born and hearing about it as an audience. It’s as if when all your babies are born and healthy and partially grown up…what is left to really talk about exciting?
Many many many things I believe. And you probably do too. But I can bet my life that most those around you would rather see a new born picture than renovations of your new home.
That baby smell, that little body, those little gap sneakers have a way of just getting us at the core like nothing else does.
For me nothing even comes close to the excitement of a new life. Getting that call if it is a boy or a girl? What is her or his name? And imagine: I am not even a baby lover. Or a dog lover for that matter. Imagine the people who actually adore babies?
So it’s an interesting stage of life this is and one of wisdom and I am enjoying the ride of my forties very much so far in awe and wonder of a different kind. Trying to navigate and figure out:….if it is not the baby in my arms that will be exciting, if it will not be my low rise jeans, if it will not be my child’s first day of kindergarten, if it is not my girl being born after two boys, if it is not my cute flip-flops paired with a cute dress with a big belly and my doting husband admiring the life we have created together, or the excitement of my baby shower or my sweet wedding dress, or the tingling feeling of being kissed by a new boy…
Then what exactly is it?
I am slowly but surely finding out and discovering what to get myself and others excited about.
And realizing that my intellect (to a certain degree) is what has been hiding out in the closet for a while. I have pulled part of it out and most of it out often over the years and used it frequently and lavishly….but there’s a whole lot more in there waiting to be accessed….and it is powerful.
So I think my intellect ,and not a baby….is what is going to take me places over the next two decades.
And I intend to make this very, very exciting. And talk about a whole lot of babies along the way.
Because the sweetest part of life has always been, is, and always will be having had those babies . It will define me-and my couple-and the family we have created beyond anything and everything that has come along the way. It belongs to us and makes us who we are. My husband and discussed last night that nothing has ever made us prouder than being parents to those three miracles. They are by far our biggest accomplishment.
And now it’s time to even it all out, with a cherry on top and a whole lot of fudge sauce.... with a bit and a whole lot of intellect.
Just for fun.
(Bring on the glasses baby and a nice tight bun for my hair).
