Since I'm discussing pregnancy I figured I'd better share at least one pregnancy photo. I have no photo's of myself with this pregnancy so far...I'm not a fan of having my picture taken pregnant or not. :) This picture was taken the morning we headed to the hospital to "deliver" Zachary. I will probably wait to have my one photo of this pregnancy taken the morning we head to the hospital...so I've got another 11 weeks left for my big photo shoot.
It is amazing to me society's views on pregnancy, and how many children you can or should bring into this world. I had to laugh when Jonathan and I went out to eat with the boys awhile ago, and the waitress looked at us and said, "My, you have a big family". chuckle. Maybe she was struggling with good conversation material for that day. I wasn't even pregnant with baby number three yet, so if she thought two children made a big family...Wow, she would have been blown away by us having three children. ha.
I have since determined that by society's ratings the correct number of children to have would be around 1.75. We are currently at 2.75 children so we are most definitely over the national average. ha. I have had some crazy comments made to me this pregnancy, and honestly I just laugh them off. We all are different, and that's fine if you choose to have one child, two children, ten children...as long as you can support them go for it. :)
Jonathan and I decided before we got married, or maybe not long after we got married that we wanted four children. (Although, these days I'm thinking there's kind of a melodious ring to three children.. hehe) We also decided that we would space our kids about two years apart...so here is our history for the fun of it.
We got married and 26 months later our first bouncing baby boy was born....fast forward another 26 months and along comes baby boy number two (he's not quite as bouncy) and fast forward another 23 months and baby number three will enter our lives (hopefully, he will be the least bouncy of them all:). Some may call us crazzy...hey we call ourselves crazy...but we just wanted to keep our kids close and be young when we had kids.
I gave you that history, before I shared some of the crazy comments I have received during this pregnancy.
1. I've been asked if I was a rabbit...I guess rabbits have bundles of babies. :)
2. I've been asked if I knew what was causing these pregnancies, and how to prevent that from happening.
3. My favorite...she is trying to keep up with the Duggars. Just for the record, this is only my third child...not my 23rd child. haha.
4. Another variation, I was talking about my strong willed child, and was commented to Girl, and you are having more children.
Anyway, I won't keep going with all my funny comments, but there definitely is a new trend in society. Don't even get me started on maternity clothing...I love the scriptures in Psalms that say:
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the childrena of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.b
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the childrena of one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.b
Truly children are a blessing, and a heritage.I'm thankful and blessed to almost have three little such people in my life! God is good.
I'll have to tell you about my dream last night--apparently I'm capable of having a mother's love after all. ;-)
ReplyDeleteDon't be discouraged, Tonya! Some people just don't know what to say. :). I understand the comments and the would make me SO sad!!!! But I realized that I was the one getting the blessing of this precious baby.
ReplyDeleteOurs are all about 20 months apart except our last two are 16 months apart. :). Just wait until you're on your 5th baby - the comments just get better with each one.......HA!!!!
You are beautiful. Be proud of that baby bump!!!!!!!
Love you!
You are absolutely right. Our society's view of family, children, and pregnancy has drastically changed - and not for the better, in my opinion. I think because - more often then not (or at least it seems that way)the people who do have children are not fit to care for them. Hence, the fewer children born the better. If those people only knew how blessed these three kiddos are to have god-fearing, loving parents like you - they'd say "Keep 'em comin!"
ReplyDeleteLove you!
Janelle
P.S. You are such a pretty momma:)