Babies, Babies Everywhere...Dealing With The Fertile World

I've written about this before...the world seems to be blooming with new babies, especially when you're the one who can't have one (or the one who had to wait years and/or had to endure one or more miscarriages). Even though I feel that I've completed my family with the birth of our daughter, I still feel that little "pang" in my stomach when people happily announce their pregnancies - it's only natural that you assume they don't fully appreciate what they've been given. I have two cousins who I'm fairly close to who both announced their pregnancies in the last month. I also have a neighbor who just adopted a baby boy (her second adopted child) in the last couple of days...my daughter started pleading with me..."I want a baby too!"

Believe me, I'm thankful and completely content with what I have. One thing I've learned loud and clear is that babies are a gift and you must accept what you're given and be grateful everyday for what you have.

One piece of advice I have if you're TTC and you're feeling left behind as others move on with completing their families, is this:

there are enough babies to go around!

Just because others get pregnant before you, that doesn't mean your chances are any less. Everyone is on their own path and your timeline may be totally different from someone elses. Now that I have the benefit of hindsight, I'm happy I had my daughter when I did. Most people my age are going through the trauma of becoming empty nesters. By the time I go through that, I'll be good and ready (I'll be an official senior citizen and even eligible for Medicare and Social Security!) Whenever I've been jealous of someone elses life, it seems like I later find out that they're dealing with some other challenge that makes my life look like a walk in the park.