Sweet babies...

Babies are abounding! Ever notice how it kind of comes and goes in waves. A good friend of mine just had baby number 7 a few weeks ago, (bless her heart) another good friend is due in just a few weeks, another friend is newly expecting, and yet another good friend has got the fever...(I say go for it girl!) All these babies and guess what... I have no desire to have another one! I thought this day would never come....

I love babies though....guess that's why I had so many :) I had Ethan when i was 26 followed by Austin just 19 short months later. They were quite a pair. Between the two of them, I changed diapers everyday for five straight years! They were both good babies and got along more like twins since they were so close in age. When they were 9 and 7, I really got to missing having a little one around. I also thought I really needed a little girl, so we decided to have one more. That pregnancy, unfortunately, ended in a miscarriage at 11 weeks. It was devastating. (Every year we still hang a rememberance ornament on our Christmas tree and think of that precious little one) Thankfully though, about six weeks later I was pregnant with Jaden. And when Jaden was two... the clock started ticking really loudly, and I felt the need to try one more time for the little girl that I wanted so much.

Little did I know that precious little girl would be my biggest challenge. The overwhelming list of food allergies, the temper, the tantrums, the drama... oh my. I know now why the Lord saved her for last. Had she been first... well, lets just say things would have been a lot quieter around here. And you know what, by the time I get her potty trained I will have spent another 5 straight years changing diapers!

As Tami would say... I count it all JOY! Babies are a blessing. I am so thankful now that mine are so spread out. I only have 5 short years left with Ethan... scares me to death. Austin will be gone shortly after. Thank goodness the nest won't be empty. I can't bear the thought of it. Yes, my life is a challenge... Yes, I am exhausted most of the time....and Yes, somedays I think I simply will not make it through. But in the grand scheme of things we hold our sweet babies for such a short time. I am cherishing every crazy, loud, aggravating, messy, trying, precious, wonderful, minute of it.