Pros and Cons of having a kid

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

(this is tongue in cheek, don't take it TOO seriously)

Cons:

1. The whistling insanity never ends.

2. Is currently rapping the entire song from the show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

3. Apparently requires more expensive clothing as she gets older.

4. I can't keep up with who we "like" and who we "don't like."

5. Told me it's not fair we have leather furniture. She can't take off the cushions and make a fort. She's going to need therapy someday.

6. Was looking out the back windows a week ago and saw her fall from the roof to the ground. I had a heart attack. She was ok.


Pros:

1. Can make a kick-ass pot of coffee and does so, a few mornings a week.

2. Is now trained to cook and happily does so. I will enjoy it while it lasts.

3. Does her own laundry, vaccuums, dusts, puts up clean dishes. Ditto on the enjoying it, but I did start training her at three, so I think it is well ingrained by now.

4. No need to get up for a fill up on water or diet soda, the nine year old will get it.

5. Live-in reminder service. Her brain is less cluttered than mine, so I said "remind me later to blahblahblah." She remembers. Every time.

6. Informer. Send her with Mr. to the computer superstore and she reports he was comparing prices on huge plasma TVs.

7. Even at nine, still has slightly chubby kissable cheeks. I'm just not allowed to attack them in public. Or deeply inhale of her hair anymore, though that's not advisable anyway once they are over say, one.

8. I TOTALLY know what is hot and what is not in the world of tweens. Go on, test me. I dare ya.


My best friend, after years of infertility, is pregnant with three babies after in vitro fertilization. They are freaking. The doctor implanted three saying two or one will make it. Looks like all three are hanging in there. They live in a tiny house. Did I mention they are freaking?

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Triplets are wonderful...such fun...good luck to your friend.

Of course, the triplets are only four.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. These aren't triplets

separately fertilized, so they'll be no more alike than any other brother(s) and sister(s), but I guess people will call them triplets since they will be born at once.

To be honest, I am freaking FOR her. All these years, living the childless life (married 11 years), then BAM!!!! The Gods of Fertility catch up with them with a vengeance.

And it only cost $15K!!!

Their house is 900 sf. Whew. Two bedrooms. They need to move.

She is on total bedrest for now, high risk pregnancy. And guess what? He just got laid off.

But hey they are Kerry voters!

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. Our triplets were also separately fertilized.

They look totally different from each other. And have very different personalities.

My niece was on total bedrest for much of her pregnancy, but it worked. The trio was only 6 weeks premature.

Good luck to your friend. My niece and her husband lived in a two-bedroom apartment when the triplets were born. Then built a house, sold theirs and moved in with my sister and brother-in-law for several months -- and that was a two-bedroom house.

I hope he finds a job quickly. And that he takes the COBRA.

[Rowdyboy]

2. Never had ANY but I'll bet triplets are a handful...

Wish her much luck!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

4. I will

we are excited as shit for them but freaked out about three.

She feels bad about this, but keeps telling me to "think one or two."

She keeps hoping one of them kind of.....opts out. Sad but true. But it's looking like they are all quite ornery.

[Massacure]

5. Have you taught any of your kids to drive yet?

This 16 year old just got it 3 weeks ago. You'll never guess the first place I went too. :P

ANSWER IS BELOW

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A Kerry Rally. :D

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

7. Only have one kid

and she isn't quite ten, so no!

LOL!

Kerry rally, fantastic place to drive to for the first time!

[name not needed]

8. I learned when I was 12

School parking lot.

[name not needed]

6. Kids are great. You give em an oreo every few hours and they'll be fine!

:D

[jdots]

9. The best thing about having kids ?

You never have to grow into mid life crisis and think it would be fun to date one.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

15. Hee hee!

[skygazer]

11. Your post makes me smile

Kids are neat - having them was the coolest thing I ever did. And now my two daughters are like very close friends to me. They're 22 and 24 and still call me for "mom" things but also like to hang out and do things with me. It's a nifty transition. I think I was almost expecting them to grow up and disappear but they're still my kids.

Good luck to your friend - I'm sure it's overwhelming but at least the in vitro was successful.

[ProgressiveDave]

12. I'm adamantly against test tube babies and fertility treatments...

it's a total waste of medical science, money and facilities- which would be better spent on actual life-threatening illnesses, rather than being used to cater to the vanity of wanna-be parents who are for some reason "above" the idea of adoption.
it's shameful.

[Red State Rebel]

13. I'd be willing to bet....

you have been thru neither infertility problems or adoption procedures.

Adoption can take YEARS and YEARS - overseas adoptions can be faster, but you end up paying as much or more than the invitro would cost.

No person has the right to pass judgement on others when it comes to something as personal as this. Did you stop to think how hurtful your words could be to someone struggling with fertility problems right now? Someone turned down for adoption because they are considered too old because they waited to start a family or they have been on adoption waiting list for 3 years with no hope in sight for another 3 or 4 years?

People have the right to spend their money any way they want to - that is what living in a free society is all about.

[ProgressiveDave]

14. and i have a right to my opinion, and a right to voice it.

I feel that fertility medicine is a terrible waste of medical resources.
i don't know why people always celebrate it when some woman who's been gobbling fertility drugs pops out a litter- I think it's sick, and pretty fucking selfish on the part of the would-be parents, who do it all just because they "have" to be parents.

I'm also put off by the religious types who always talk about "God's will be done", but then rush to the fertility clinic when they can't conceive...seems a little...ok, a lot hypocritical to me.

As to my own situation, my wife and I have no children, as I had a vascectomey after i was diagnosed with a congenital disease that I have no desire to pass along to another generation. As for adoption- it's not really an option we're considering, as we're pretty happy with the freedom of just having cats.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

16. Well good for you

but my friends are NOT fundies. What do you care? They had the money, they had been on an adoption waiting list forever and got nowhwere. They've been struggling to have a child for 11 years.

I'll continue to be happy for them, you can continue to be bitter. I don't especially like it when a woman knows her chances of a high order multiple birth is high but then does it anyway, like that woman who had six or eight or nine or whatever, but this is three. And now they are struggling with the idea of selective reduction but don't seem to be able to do it.

Why am I even bothering? You sound bitter as hell. Enjoy your cats, they are wonderful companions.

On edit: you were a great reminder for me to call her and warn her about people like you.

And they sincerely hope Kerry is elected so that the fertilized embryos that are left in cold storage can be used for stem cell research and not simply destroyed.

[ProgressiveDave]

17. I'm not..."bitter"-

I just think that it's a waste of medical resources for selfish reasons by selfish people.(and i never accused anyone of being a "fundie")

btw- i'm also not advocating that research dollars should be diverted to the condition i suffer from, as it's not all that common, and not really "life-threatening"...there are much more important places for resouces to be focused.

IMHO.