Having any more kids?

Hello lovely people!
   
     My post today is a touchy one, for me anyways. It seems like now that we have Addie, we get asked this question a whole heck of a lot more!
     "Are you going to have more kids?". "So, when are you having another one?" "Is Addie going to have any siblings?" And my all time favorite... "Are you pregnant again?"
     WE JUST HAD ADDIE PEOPLE! Slow your roll! She's 5 1/2 months old! Personally, I'm not ready to have another newborn just yet. I'm still getting used to the fact that we are parents!

     The other night after a long, but very fun, Saturday, we were laying in bed and Derek turned to me and said... "Maybe we shouldn't have any more kids. Maybe Addie should be our only one." So we laid there talking about the idea of more (and tossed the idea of just one around too). This is what has been swimming around in my head since then.

     Would Addie feel left out?

     Okay, let's start out with this. Would the first born feel left out? Would they feel like they are being replaced? I was the second born in my family after my sister. Then my little sister after me. When my younger sister was born, I don't remember feeling pushed away or closed off. I mean, I was only 4. But I feel like those are feelings you wouldn't forget.
     Derek on the other hand, is the first born in his family. So, maybe he felt this way at some point in his life? After all, this is the reason he  came up with as to why we might think about having only one. He thinks that if we only have her, we could giver here all the love and attention we have. We could just focus on her. It made me a little sad to think that she would be the only one.
     Are you the oldest in your family? Did you ever feel this way about gaining another sibling? I'd love to hear your opinions on this.

   Being a Mother has and IS the best thing that has ever happened to me.

     I can sincerely say that becoming a mother is the single greatest accomplishment I will ever achieve. Addie is my whole world. I never knew how much a tiny little human could change your whole conception of love. The love is so out of this universe. I can only imagine that adding more children into our little family would only make that love grow. It would make the love and the pride that much stronger. I've always pictured my family being me and my husband and multiple kids. (Multiple meaning no more then four HA!)

     Getting older. 

     Yes, I'm getting older. No, I'm not too old to have children. I'm only 25 but when I think about it... When Addie is graduating high school, I will be 43. Do I think 43 is old? No, but if I have more kids in the next few years that makes me closer to 50 when they graduate. After my kid (or kids) graduate, I want to be able to travel. To enjoy Derek's company. I want to be able to go hiking or dancing or swimming. The older I get now, the older I will be when we have an empty house again. I don't think I'll be bed ridden at 50. I just want to make sure I can still enjoy life. That's all. 

     I can't imagine life without my siblings.   

     Let me break this down for you. I have two sisters from my mother and fathers marriage. One older and one younger and then myself. When my mother remarried, she and my step father had my little brother. Soon after that, my father remarried a women with four incredible girls. And just a little over a year ago, we found out we have another sister! That makes 7 sisters and 1 brother! I feel so fortunate to have so many siblings. More times then I can count, I have cried to them, laughed with them and definitely loved with them. I have no idea where I'd be today if I didn't have my siblings! They are all a HUGE part of my life! Shout out to them, I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! 

(Kale and Karly aren't pictured)

     Being pregnant again...oh boy. 

     My pregnancy with Addie was a tough one. I found myself super depressed and stressed almost the whole time. You can read more about it HERE. In short, I had ICP. A very serious condition where baby wasn't safe after 37 weeks. you can click on  the link and read more about it.

     Do I want to be pregnant again? I'd like to think I look pretty darn good after having a baby. I don't have any scars and I only have a few stretch marks. Do I wanna risk getting more or maybe gaining a bunch of weight with another? Did you gain a lot with your kids? Did you get any stretch marks (tiger stripes as I call em')?

     Although, I had such a dreadful time being pregnant, I would do it a million times again just to have our sweet girl here. She is worth it. So yes, I guess what I'm trying to say is... I would be pregnant again. I would risk going through all of it again! As long as we get an incredible gift like her out of it all! When I think about it, we sure are lucky. 

      I don't want my daughter to ever feel like we are putting her second or pushing her out. I want her to know that if we do have more children, they are there for more support. They will be there to comfort her, to go to her for advice, to laugh with and to love and grow with. I want her to have amazing siblings like I do. I want her to grow with other children. So as of now, having more children is still up in the air (Most likely having more).

     Have you and your significant other had this discussion? What did you decide? What were your reasons? Tell me all about it!
Until next time.