I Love

 the idea of a big family. I want a big family. As a mother you just know in your heart how many babies you are meant to have. Some of us are just born to be mommies. It really is the best job in the world.

When I had my first child at the ripe age of 19, I believed he would be my only child. I was young and had no idea what I really wanted out of life.

When I had my second, I knew that we were done. I thought my life would be complete with two.

When I became pregnant with my third, I cried. Not because he was unwanted, but because I was shocked. He was an unexpected blessing. We had just returned to our house after nearly a year of living in a FEMA trailer in our side yard. Katrina had devastated our lives and we were just getting back on track. I had made the decision to go back to college, and had just enrolled. I had been a student when Katrina made her presence known, and had yet to go back. I wasn’t ready. Living in that FEMA trailer made every day life hard- I couldn’t imagine trying to complete courses there.

After the delivery of my third, I knew that I wasn’t done. My life had come full circle, and I realized that was just meant to have babies. Fifteen months later I was pregnant with my fourth. I’m not done. My family isn’t complete. Expect another Parrish baby in the future.

I was reading a blog post from a fellow mommy blogger. She and her husband just announced their sixth pregnancy. Her family’s reception was not good at all, and she is devastated. Why is it OK to steal someone’s joy? Who makes the rules when it comes to procreation? Honestly, I thought we all made our own rules. What applies to our family, may not apply to yours. Isn’t it up to us to define what our family is made of?

Over the years I have noticed a lot of harsh criticism to those who choose to have larger families. I get a lot of comments about having 4, which isn’t what I would consider large by no means. Back when our grandparents were growing up it was nothing to stuff 13 kids into a gingerbread house, and raise them off of love. What is it with today’s society and their attitudes that we are polluting the earth if we have more then 2- one to replace each parent? I swear I have been told this by more then one person. When is it Ok to offer an opinion on how many children that a family may have? The answer is that it is never OK. Haven’t you ever heard that if you don’t have anything nice to say then to keep it to yourself- and you know what they say about opinions.

My heart breaks for those who have to deal with the snide comments and unenthusiastic reactions to the announcement of a pregnancy. A baby is a gift, and there should always be a celebration with those kinds of announcements.