The Very Last of 2007

While composing my Best Of post yesterday, I was shocked by how many bad things actually happened last year - hospital stays! broken arms! choking incidents! close calls with cars! - and yet the year still felt like a GOOD one. The things that make life happy are often such little things, things that are hard to write about, while bad things carry such drama with them.

We don't have big plans for tonight, but we are going to do our usual New Year's Eve routine of movies and appetizers and board games, which is pleasant and feels like us. I don't often yearn for more excitement in my life, since excitement is so often well-packaged trouble and I've always had the inner life of a cautious 75 year old. The idea of getting dressed up and spending New Year's Eve drunkenly kissing someone else's husband is a little bit foreign to me, and besides, I have five ZILLION pine needles to vacuum up and that will probably take all day. I am so boring.

See how boring I am? I put this little guy right to sleep:

AW! That's my parent's new puppy - their old dog suffered some terrible fate RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, killed either by wolves or an irate neighbour - and so the new puppy was around for Christmas, sleeping all soft bellied and warm on laps at Christmas dinner. Of course, the puppy made my ovaries light up like the Christmas tree and I kept saying to my husband "OH HONNNEY, LOOOOOK AT THE BAAAAAAAABY!"which made him back away, slowly and cautiously.

Speaking of babies - whenever we go out in public as a family these days, we get lots of weird jokey comments from people, like the following:

"Doncha guys know where those come from?"

"I'm guessing you don't own a tv, right?"

"WHOA! You must have your hands full!"

"I think you guys need a more comfortable bed."

And meanwhile, we only have THREE CHILDREN. Lots of people have three kids! LOTS! And our children aren't triplets or very closely spaced AND they're extremely well-behaved (well, reasonably well-behaved), so I guess some people just get all giddy if you have more than one kid. Many of the bloggers I read have many more than three children, and I would love for all of those moms to visit me and then we'll go out for lunch with our 50 children in tow, which I expect would leave the local wiseacres mercifully silent for once.

The only problem with having three kids is that most recipes are scaled for four people, which means that if I want to feed everyone, I have to use my limited math skills to figure recipes out. Oh, and we can't all fit in the average vehicle. And we're tired all the time. But that's it, pretty much - three kids are a nice number, a pleasant crowd on Christmas morning and a lovely amount of trouble, our hands and our hearts full.

 

Comments

[Bethany]

Hey, I just might take you up on that offer and bring my brood of 6! And have been talking about the possibility of adding more (because we really are gluttons for punishment!)

[amreen]

thanks for the words - very meaningful as I expect my third child in a mere 12 weeks! any suggestions on mini-vans?

[Rosebud & Papoosie Girl]

People are weird. I could not imagine making comments like that...I like ADM's answer or you could say they are your brothers and sisters!

We are not much for New Year's and always stay in, but with family that love poker a bit too much. I lost the pot to my 12 year old niece and I was not even LETTING her win.

And that puppy is just too cute.

[Maria]

I have 2 boys & am starting to yearn just a little bit for number 3. Should we or shouldn't we...if I was even 2 years younger I would say absolutely but I am so tired all the time with 2 & a full time job I don't know how well I could handle 3.

[AlphaDog(NotPuppy)Ma]

I don't like puppies. Dogs, yes. Puppies, no. Mostly because of the chewing. I don't care if its natural or harmless - puppy teeth freakin' hurt! And they set free my inner rage-aholic.

I'm done birthing kids, but still long for the idea of a large extended family of adult children coming to my house for fun-filled, loud, slightly melodramatic holidays. Instead I just watch The Family Stone, which is sooooo much easier. And cheaper.

Your stock answer should be, "Yeah, we're sex addicts."

[lisa b]

Three is perfectly reasonable number. Especially if your hearts are full.
love that line.

[Victoria]

Aw - warm, fuzzy puppy. Cutie. Happy New Year, Beck. I've enjoyed getting to know you!

[Marta]

Happy New Year to you and your family, Beck! I look forward to your postings for 2008!!!

[Christine]

Wow, three kids is a lot? Sounds perfect to me. We only have one, and I get so many comments about how "selfish" we are...guess you can't win no matter how many kids you have!

We would have loved to have more, but it wasn't to be...we thank the Lord for our healthy happy child.

[meredith]

Happy New Year Beck!

[Fairly Odd Mother]

Oooooooo, blinded by the cuteness of that puppy!!!!! Arghhhhh!!!!!

And, I get those comments all the time. Granted I squeezed out three kids in less than four years, but there are some TROOPERS out there with many more kids than I.

[chaotic joy]

I have four children but am continually amazed by people's reactions. If I even mention I have four their eyebrows shoot up to the top of their head and they make a statement that ranges somewhere between impressed and a version of "What...are you stupid?" I always think "Is four really that many?" It also surprises me that they think just because I have a big family I must be a super-mom. Which is pretty funny when you think my New Years Resolution is to stop leaving my house in my PJs.

That puppy is so cute. Almost makes me want to run out and get one. Almost.

[edj]

I LOVE THAT PUPPY!!
That's weird that you get comments about 3 kids. I used to get comments like that all the time, but my 3 were amazing close (20 months between Elliot and the twins) and we lived in liberal Portland, where I was once called a "breeder" when I was pregnant with my first child! Those were giddy days. In Muslim countries, we're applauded for not being like "most" Americans and only having one...I explain to them that I know families with 6 or 7 kids, and their mouths drop open in amazement that some Americans have seen the light. ;)
I think 3 is the perfect number myself. Odd numbers are good, and a family of 5 is great.

[Janet]

Three is perfect. Sometimes I think four would be even better, but then I remember that I can't enduring barfy pregnancies and the chaos that ensues for several years thereafter, just so I can hold a tiny bundle on my chest for awhile.

Maybe I need a puppy? ;)

[Soul-Fusion]

three is a nice number. I have three siblings and only having three of us at home for Christmas (even with significant others) felt small. And oh, that puppy!!! So sweet.

[Lori]

Nicely written! Those wisecracks remind me of something Groucho Marx reportedly said to some woman on his show who supposedly had anywhere from 17-23 kids. It involved a cigar and was considered too racy to air and so I won't post it here either. You can look it up though if you are interested!

[Pieces]

Lovely post, Beck. I grew with three kids in my family and I often feel like there is something slightly wrong with only two.

[Cyndi]

That puppy is so sweet! It almost makes me want give in and get one. Lucily, just almost. I can't imagine people giving you a hard time for having three kids. That is a very normal number. Three is not a lot even these days.

[Mary Beth]

I don't care how many kids you decide to have - what right does anyone have to make comments about your family? Do they really think those comments are funny? As one of six kids, I know the joys of being part of a large family, especially around the holidays.

[Emily R]

You know, I have the same problem with recipes. I only have two, and Zach doesn't eat anything, and my husband travels, but since Benjamin eats enough for four linebackers, we always run out...

[jenkneebee]

Isn't the average like 2.5 kids or something? Cute puppy by the way!

[nomotherearth]

huh. I get that hands-full comment with just two. do they know I can't handle it? Is it that obvious?

[Painted Maypole]

you always write so beautifully about the small things - that is my absolute favorite thing about your blog (out of lots of other lovely things)

[Angeline]

Indeed, when our hearts are full, even when bad things happened, we still feel blessed and thankful for our hearts choose to remember the good stuff.

happy new year, Beck! Look forward to reading another year of great posts from you. *smile*

[Tracy]

Oh yes, I know the comments about having children so well. When mine were small (I had three between 1991-1994, and then one more in '98), anyway when the first three were very small, I was grocery shopping with the children. An older lady walked up to me, looked me in the eye, and said, "I know what you do in your spare time!" I looked her squarely back and replied, "Laundry!"
That sent her packing.

What a cute pup your parents got! Happy New Year!

[chickadee]

sweet puppy. we only have 3 too and also get those kinds of comments a lot. my grandmother had 5. but that was a different time. i wish for 5 sometimes. but i have to settle for a puppy.

i'm copying you again and working on my highlights of the new year post. it's surprising to look back and it makes me thankful i blog so i can remember it all.

[Becky]

Hi! Coming back to Blogville soon. I hope. And that puppy is adorable. Glad he is not mine.

[Mad Hatter]

At least you can double the recipes and have lunch leftovers. We just eat too much. Mmmmm.

[Susanne]

I know what you mean about the three. I actually found a recipe site that that converts for you. You just type in how many servings you need and voila, not math skills required. Allrecipes.com

[Heidi]

That is such a CUTE PUPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those comments about your children are so weird.

Happy New YEar!

[Megan(FriedOkra)]

That's weird. Makes me wonder what my sister hears when she goes out with her FIVE kids. Cute puppy and I really loved that "grandparent" comment above. So true! ;)

[tracey]

Um, 3 is a LOT??? How and when did that happen? 3 is so perfectly, absolutely AVERAGE that I can't believe someone would think it a large family! I think, for nowadays anyway, that anything over 4 is considered bigger than normal, and that 6 and up is considered BIG. But as long as I don't personally have to care for someone else's kids, I would never presume that I should SAY anything about their family's size! Just as I would never say to a parent of a singleton "What? Your bodies can't make more than one?" Or something else as crass as that... Gimme a break.

Man. I can ramble, eh?

Also. How does a CANINE make your ovaries get all twitchy? You might want to look into that...

:) Happy New Year! Happy vacuuming!

[ali]

ohmigod! that puppy is SO ridiculously cute!

[Kyla]

I think three kids is average, mostly. I can't believe people make such comments!

Oh that puppy is too sweet. The baaaaaby. SIGH.

[Veronica Mitchell]

I share your cautious internal septuagenarian.

And my husband said this week, "We have to have four kids. There are six chairs at the dining table."

[Terri]

"excitement is so often well-packaged trouble"--how eloquently said and how true.

I only have two kids and always thought three would be a nice number but since we threw caution to the wind a long time ago and still have only two kids, I'm thinking our family is pretty much complete as is and I'm good with that. I think. We do have a puppy though. Maybe that helps.

[chelle]

I never thought about recipes ... yup that is it, no more kids, I am so not doing math AND trying to learn to cook :P

[candygirlflies]

Hi, Beck-- Happy New Year!

LOVE the pup... you must feel like the "grandparent", though-- delighted to cuddle it for visits, but happy when it's time to hand it back to the "parents" and go home!! Let them do the cleaning up and walking and training... And YOU get to enjoy! Hah!! Payback!!

I, too, get "the look" from people when I'm out with my three girlies. I get PLENTY of "YOU must have your hands full!", to which I would LOVE to reply, "A heart-full, actually, thank-you..." But I also get a lot of people (often dear, little old ladies) who admire my family, and compliment me on them. I hope you have plenty of people who admire your children, too-- because they're beautiful kids!!

Lots of love to you and your 3, from me and my 3... CGF xo

[Becky]

I'm still laughing about the 75-year-old comment... I'm right there with you. Maybe I just don't know the right people, but I've never been to a wild New Year's party. Truth is, that suits me just fine. I'm all about the board games, too.

Have a great night, and happy new year!

[Omaha Mama]

I can't even blame a boring New Year's Eve on our kids. Hubs and I didn't go out before we had 'em. I think one year we were in our new first house for only the 2nd night and we did something wild like going out shopping for champagne and a space heater at Wol*Mort. Last year it was a Seinfeld marathon. We're wild, wild 75 year olds.

[cinnamon gurl]

I am shocked that you get those kind of comments for only three kids. Three is a nice number, but I'm not sure I've got the bottle for that much sleep deprivation...

and: "I don't often yearn for more excitement in my life, since excitement is so often well-packaged trouble and I've always had the inner life of a cautious 75 year old." Love it...

[Dawn]

I have two kids but I've sure got that baby longing lately. Some times I get really crazy thoughts after watching silly movies like Cheaper By the Dozen. I think "if I just had a big enough house..."