Only Children

I was laying in bed on a warm summer morning, fan whirring above me and sunlight pouring through the blinds. Kaylee, only a few days old, was nuzzled under my chin and I was surrounded by the smell of her sweet milky breath and my only thought was that this would not be the last newborn of mine that I would snuggle. I believed with every ounce of my soul in that very moment that I was made to be a mother and that sweet Kaylee would not be the only child I would mother.

As time went on the longing for another baby grew stronger. When Kaylee turned one I felt such a strong desire to have another child that I am sure if CF wasn't a factor I would have been one of those mothers with two children under the age of two...on purpose! As much as my heart told me I needed another child, my mind knew that with my health it was not a possibility. The problem with the heart is that is doesn't listen to reason. The feelings only intensified when Kaylee was around two because everyone seemed to ask, "So when are you having another?" and all my friends around me started announcing their second pregnancies. The heartbreak I felt every time someone asked me about baby number two was almost too much to bare.

And as Kaylee got older I got comments from others about why I needed to have at least one more child. Without knowing my circumstances people (often strangers) would say things like, if she is an only she will be weird, she will be lonely, she will be social awkward. And I am not sure why anyone would tell a mother that her family size will be detrimental to their child's wellbeing. I will never understand how hurtful and heartless some people can be. And of all the negative family dynamics in this world (abuse, neglect, addiction) I think having a small family is pretty low on the list of negatives. And yet when you are desperate for another child these comments add layers of guilt to your existing grief.

When Kaylee was around 3 and my friends were in the throws of new walkers mixed with toddlers I started to see a new perspective. Yes, I still would have loved another baby, but at the same time I realized there are major benefits to having only one. There are pros and cons to every family situation, but my perspective switched from focusing on all the cons to focusing on the pros of having an only child. And you know what? There are a ton of benefits to having an only child! And as Kaylee gets older I am reassured that all those worries that she will be weird or antisocial or lonely just aren't true! Over time we met more and more only children (there are 3 other only children on our small street and one of Kaylee's best friends is an only) and seeing these happy well adjusted only children was more proof that families do not come in a one size fits all.

Last night, a neighbor saw me at the park. She was there with her only child who is 8. We were chatting as the kids were playing and she asked if we were going to have another. For the first time I didn't even flitch when the question was asked and was confident in saying, "Nope, we are done." She confided in me that she was not preventing pregnancy, but wasn't technically trying for a baby. She said she was leaving it up to fate if another baby comes along. With her own fertility issues you would think she would be more understanding that often people don't just get to choose their family size and spacing. Yet she felt the need to tell me what to do with my fertility. She said, "But look how beautiful the baby you made is, shouldn't we all just fill this world with children that are good people and will make this world a better place?" And for the first time in my life I was 100% sure when I said, "We feel we have the perfect little family and are content with Kaylee."

In the past these conversations would have resulted in my crying when I got home, but somewhere along the line that has changed. I went home feeling eternally grateful for the life I do have. My husband and I love each other dearly and we are both in love with this amazing child we made. If it weren't for CF we would not have chosen to be a small family of three and yet I can honestly say that I can not imagine our lives any other way.