I read this quote in a blog today...

"The first year of your first child's life is the greatest loss of control you could ever experience."

Just the one?

It's a difficult question. To have Just The One, or possibly Number Two?
It's something that's been playing on my mind lately, as we are suddenly surrounded by new babies and more babies on the way.
That, and the fact that every old Italian or Greek lady I meet with Ari asks if he's an only child and when I answer in the affirmative, they ALWAYS tell me I need to have another one.
I always knew that if I did have another child, it would not be until Ari was three, four or possibly even five or six. The idea of having two babies sounded as appealing to me as a hot poker in the eye.
Many people have children in quick succession to "get it out of the way". In many ways, it's a good, logical way to go. Your time out of the workforce (if that's what you like doing) is minimal and - let's face it - you are "out of commission" in so many ways, why not make the most of it?
Not for me, I'm afraid.
Though the idea of starting from scratch again scares me, having two babies terrifies me more!
So, like Miranda in SATC, I have been making a list of pros and cons on the subject:
Pros

• Ari would have a brother or sister.
• We would have another child.
• The second time around we would actually have some idea what we were doing and be more confident and realistic about the whole thing.
• We would likely be a lot more relaxed and enjoy it more.

Cons

• Ari was a dream sleeper (still is, touch wood) - I don't know if I'd cope with a bad sleeper.
• Taking time off work (I like it and the $$$ is obviously handy).
• Balance - I think after three years, I finally have balance in my life again.
• Having a baby is bloody hard work, no getting around that fact.
• I'm not sure I want to be a baby's primary carer again for a whole year - I felt very isolated at home last time.

In the end, I don't think logic will actually come into it. I imagine whatever decision we make will be based wholely and solely on our emotions. Do we WANT to do this? It's how we decided to have a baby in the first place - we just said one day "let's do it", and we did. It's generally how we live our lives. And I wouldn't have it any other way. No point living life according to boring logic, I say.

A quote I like...

The other day I read a quote I like about parenting...

I was a fantastic parent...until I became one.

It's so spot on.

Our Perfect Child

Lately, Rob and I have marvelled at just how perfect Ari is. We are his parents, so we are of course bound to think that!
But for people who love music as much as we do, it's been sheer heaven to watch our son discover the joy of music for himself. There's nothing quite like playing your child a song you love and seeing him delight in it.
His most recent obsessions have included Band of Horses (he listens to it so much that even my parents are beginning to know it) and Nirvana's Nevermind, particularly Smells Like Teen Spirit. He rocks around the lounge room pretending to play guitar and drums to it. He also likes to watch Band of Horses and The Strokes on You Tube, mimicking their movements.
Band of Horses is touring Melbourne in August and we would absolutely love to take him to see them. Ah well, plenty of time for that, I suppose.
Today Ari's blossoming musical appreciation surprised even Rob and I. Apart from picking Heartattack and Vine as a Tom Waits song (well, he does have a fairly distinctive voice), Ari heard the Marilyn Manson song, Beautiful People. His reaction was to say "This sounds like the song we listen to in the car, mama."
Here is Beautiful People http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY0536g_6Wc
And here is the song he was referring to, Atlas by Battles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGp-22t0lU

Not bad, eh?

A quote of note

"That's an instrumental," said Ari to his nanny the other day.
My Mum, Ari's nanny, could not believe he knew such a word.
I explained.
Our Saturdays are usually spent listening to 3RRR's Film Buffs Forecast, which plays a lot of themes and songs from movies. Many of them are instrumental. One day, Paul Harris (FBF host) was playing a soaring theme from a movie, to which Ari commented "Mama, there's no singing!"
Hence, I explained the concept of an instrumental.
And a music critic is born...