Q&A: When Did We Know We Were Ready for #2

Another question from my "Ask Me Anything Post"... another one that has turned into a POST POST instead of just an answer. Remember, I said I like to talk a lot.

Point made.

To begin with, I cannot believe that I never touched surface on this topic a long time ago. To me, it seems natural to answer something so simple. I think I went into details about how we felt ready via a "chart" that I had made over a year ago, but we did not end up feeling "ready ready" until a few months after that.

What changed? What was the deciding factor for our family to want to expand? What made use wake up one day and say.... lets do it {literally}.

Well, it is as simple as that last statement.

You see, when you have your first baby, that baby of yours is your life. Everything revolves around this little creature that you have created and you have developed this routine that, in your eyes, seems too perfect to mess with. On top of that, the love that you feel for this child is so out of this world that no amount of words could ever describe such a connection that you feel. The words your "heart" living outside of your body couldn't be more true. So, the thought of bringing another baby into the picture? Just completely blows your mind.

You don't want to disrupt this good thing. You don't want to share the love that you have for your first. You just don't want to.

But then, one day you wake up and decide... but I do.

But I do want to relive those newborn snuggles, those newborn cries, the first milestones, from smiling to crawling to walking. Even, hold me, the sass. To add another face to the family pictures. Another set of toes to kiss at night. And most of all, to watch your first, this person that at this point is at the top of your world, one day fall in love with their little sibling and have a "friend" to grow up. Someone that they can go to, confide in, and talk about their "mean" parents with when they get grounded.

You know what exapanding your family is? It is simply expanding your love. Enriching it further. And giving your children a gift that holds the greatest value.

A family.

You wake up one day and you just realize that you are ready. You cannot pinpoint what happened, why TODAY felt like the day. You didn't become richer, wiser, or more organized. But it just came over you. Flooded you with emotions. And made you want to jump on your husband as quick as possible. You were ready. I was ready.

There really aren't words to describe it. Kind of like when people try to describe what "the one" feels like. When it happens... you'll just know.

And one day, I woke up... and just knew. It was around the time Elliana was about 17 months old. I pictured her 10 months from then... will she be ready? Will I be ready? And although I did not have the answer to this, no magic 8 ball to envision the future, I just felt like the answer was yes.

And so here we are, a family of 4. Will we be a family of 5 one day? I hope so. Am I ready now? No. Will I know when I'll be ready? No. But do I feel confident that things will fall in place as they should? Yes.

You know, you...... just know.