2+2=5?

So, now that Archer is ripe old age of four months, Bob and I are discussing our next child, or rather, the possibility of a next child.

About a month ago, Archer got cute. Not just cute, heart achingly adorable. Bob said then that he would like a third child. I think, although I'm not exactly sure of his thought processes, it had something to do with the yucky newborn period being over and him realising a third actually wouldn't be too much extra hard work after the first few months, which in hindsight, even only a month's hindsight, goes by in the blink of an eye.

That night we put in some serious discussion. We would wait to try to conceive so the baby would be born sometime early in 2016 so that both children were old enough to cope with 5 days a week day care. We would also try all the tricks to get a girl. This was due to the reduced risk of Autism, as Bob very clearly has a genetic predisposition. We felt that the gap was large enough that the child would be an "only" child and we felt a girl would cope better with this, we felt a girl would benefit the most from an older brother and sister, while a boy would benefit most from two brothers. Having a girl would reduced the impact of Archer's middle child status as he'd still be the special boy. And girls are totally more fun to dress and decorate for. The very day I found out I was pregnant, we would buy a chest freezer so that I could cook and freeze nutrious food for the inevitable bed rest stint and I would refuse hospital bed rest unless there was a very VERY good reason for 24 hour monitoring of myself and the baby. Bob even joked how great it would be if we got boy/ girl twins. We even decided NAMES. Piper Rose for a girl and Henry Zidane (best not to ask, for the love all things holy) for a boy.

And so, it was decided. We were both excited.

Then Bob said to me one night after a particularly lovely day with the kids that he thought maybe we should start trying to conceive when Archer turned one as the gap between the kids was perfect and maybe the length of time we had picked was too long.

Yeah, sure, sounds okay.

And then, only a few days later, I was really enjoying the kids. I was reflecting what gorgeous kids they were and how lucky we were to win the baby lotto twice. And then it hit me. Wouldn't it be just a little bit greedy, a few too many rolls of the dice to try for a third one? Why would we want to add to a family that, to me, already felt so perfect? Maybe it was BAD idea to have three.

And I said as much to Bob. After he picked his jaw up off the floor, because I have always been a cheerleader for a family of three plus, he agreed. Then he said that he didn't want to just strike the possibility from our lives altogether and perhaps it would be wise to think on it again when Archer turns one, and if we still didn't want a third then, wait five years and talk again. If the answer was still no, we would take permanent contraceptive measures.

So, whether or not our family will grow is still up in the air. We are very, very happy right now. But watch this space!