Now before I tell you this story, I want you to know that while there are parts of my life that occasionally cause some Deep Angst, the size of our family is not one of them. The five year-old who sleeps down the hall has brought us more joy than we could have ever imagined, and as far as I’m concerned any additions to our family would be gravy. Or icing. Or the cherry on top. Or whatever food-themed metaphor you prefer, really.
Bottom line: I’m pretty much blessed beyond measure no matter how the rest of my baby future pans out – whether that means I’m the mama of one, I get pregnant again, or we adopt.
So.
With that perspective firmly established.
When Melanie and I were in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, we had a mighty deep conversation one night at supper as we shared some exceedingly average beef fajitas. We thoroughly examined a variety of topics, including but not limited to Mistakes Of Our Twenties, Qualities We Enjoy In A Shoe, Can You Believe We Met On The Internet, and Being Married To Strong-Willed Men, aka Our Husbands, They Have Some Opinions.
Eventually our conversation turned to Will There Be More Children, because sometimes it’s fun to think about possibilities, sort of like I enjoy thinking about what I might sing on American Idol if, you know, I could actually sing and I weren’t about eight years past the age limit. Plus, it’s always fun to talk about hypothetical babies because RAWR RAWR SWEET SMOOSHY BABY YUM YUM I EAT YOUR CHEEKS.
I mean, just because I’m okay with whatever direction my baby future takes doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be way past overjoyed to have at least one more round of this-here level of adorableness:
RAWR RAWR SWEET SMOOSHY BABY YUM.
So Mel and I talked about all the wonderfulness of babies – the wonderfulness of Caroline and Alex in particular – and by the time supper was over, I thought we might have to swing by Baby Gap “just to look.” Oh, our ovaries were all aflutter – I don’t know any other way to put it.
When we got back to our hotel, we were still talking about our young’uns as we walked down the hall to our room. The conversation continued as I tried to unlock the door (the pesky electronic key, it is my nemesis), and when I finally opened the door, this is what we saw, I’m not even kidding:
Y’all. We froze dead in our tracks.
And after a solid twenty second pause – during which we both tried to absorb the fact that THERE WAS A BABY BED IN OUR ROOM – Melanie screamed, “IT’S A SIGN!”
And then I screamed, “SOMEBODY’S GONNA GIVE US A BABY!”
Because, you know, that would be completely logical.
Mel called the front desk and explained that there had obviously been some sort of crib mix-up since we were not in fact traveling with any infants or toddlers, and about fifteen minutes later someone came to our room and took away the baby bed.
We stood in the center of the room all wistful-like for about three seconds.
Then we laughed until we cried.
And in keeping with the evening’s theme of pretend babies, we proceeded to have us some pretend cravings as we enjoyed a large bag of trail mix from the Walgreens along with a couple of packs of plain M&Ms.
We’re all about some realism, people.
And apparently, we’re all about some crazy as well.
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Oh, this made me laugh. Thank you for that. And the cheeks on that boy made MY ovaries twinge, and I’m already gestating!
Look at those eyes! How does he not get away with everything?!
Too funny! Remember God laughs at us all the time and blesses us in ways we never expect. Trust me on this one. Next month we finalize the adoption of our eighth child. In December the agency we foster for is filing termination papers on the little 13 week old bundle I’m holding on my lap. We’ve had him since he was 8 days old. There is no way I’m giving him up. The sad part is I can just picture God calling my Daddy over to him, nudging him, grinning at him & saying, “You know how your baby girl begged me that her arms would never be empty? WATCH THIS!!” & BAM! We’re adopting again. Oh btw, when you have this many kids my pat answer as to why is: “The tv is broke.”.
Ohhhh that boy is cute, and lady you are too funny
Oh my gosh, what I wouldn’t give to have been a fly on the wall to hear y’all scream! I bet it was that really good laughter too, the one where you can’t breathe and your stomach hurts and even when you remember the moment three days later you laugh just as hard :)
Oh how I laughed. My bestest friend always says how she’s going to eat those baby cheeks… at least she did until one day a couple years ago when my 6 month old started screaming at the top of his lungs. I discovered a bite-mark on his cheek along with his very sad two-year-old brother, who promptly said, “I eat his cheeks wike Aunt Beffy.”
Oh those are some adorable cheeks!
Is “RAWR” a Southern expression? ‘Cause I’ve got friends from Georgia that are in a band and they keep putting that word in their tour titles and I’ve never heard anyone else use it.
‘Howard’ had him some babydelicious cheeks.
And with all the fun stories you and Big tell, I think the crib was, in fact, a sign from our good Lord!
Just be glad it wasn’t a hospital bed or a large pack of Depends that got sidetracked to your room my mistook.
:)
Oh I was soooooo hoping that the news would be that you both are holding precious little ones in your wombs. A girl can hope, dream. We will be praying.
That is hilarious! I started out reading this thinking you might be announcing you were pregnant and I was going to flip my lid with excitement!
You are too funny! I could eat him up with those big blue eyes and sweet cheeks! You totally had us all thinking you were going to announce that you were pregnant.
I have lots of dreams and goals, but topping them right now is sitting down and eating some Mexican food with you and Melanie. Oh the fun that would be had!
Oh, now I am laughing and crying at the same time. Laughing because what are the chances of the SIGN appearing in your room right after a discussion like that? And crying because I am struggling to be ok with the fact that the size of my family might not increase. I know HE knows what’s best…I am just a little slower to come around to it.
Being the realist here, I can’t help but notice the background dog butt that is overshadowing the absolute adorableness of the extremely blue-eyed cutie in the front of the picture!
Your boy and mine look a lot alike-the smooshy cheeks and the big blue eyes, and, Oh! So delish!
Now that was laugh-out-loud funny. Oh how I wish that I could have seen your faces! But I’ll have you know that you are feeding into my baby craze right now. Last night I was online browsing bassinets – and I’m not even pregnant yet! I feel sure that my husband contemplated taking the laptop away from me.
Y’all are all about making this girl laugh, too!
Hey, hey, hey…Who has two thumbs and reads “the mamas” sites to get her LOLs? THIS GAL! (just two more days)
Oh, that face!
This is hilarious! I bet you two girls have a blast together. And your baby boy is ADORABLE!
Oh my word! That is one cute little boy!
Oh drizzle that boy in chocolate or smother him in cheese – just hand me a spoon! Dang, that boy is cute!
Last time Melanie did a post of should we, shouldn’t we have more her comments went through the roof.
So who is the sign for – you, her, or both? :)
While we were having Woggie’s 18 month pictures made, a nearby grandmother remarked that it would be a “shame” if HH and I didn’t have more babies, cause Woggie was “just so cute.” HH and I just looked at each other and laughed, knowing we were perfectly content with just our Woggie. Within the week, I found out I was pregnant. Surprise!
I’m just sayin’ that it might be a shame to let all those chubby-cheeked cuteness genes to to waste. ;-)
Oh too funny. Those cheeks… tooooo cute!
OH the eyes on that child!! The BLUE. Most people pay for that. :) And how could you not want to squeeze and moosh those cheeks?
Oh, that is just too funny!
And, he’s positively gorgeous.
Too funny! That would only happen to you two crazy gals. Love it!
I held an 18 day old little sweetkins the other day, and couldn’t remember Zesty being that little – he’s ONLY 6 months forcryinoutloud. You’d think the memory of labor would be a little fresher in my mind but no ma’am, I’ve already forgotten it and want another one :)
First of all…that photo of your little man child makes MY ovaries twitter! He is precious. Second…I would have LOVED to seen your faces when you saw that crib. THAT is crazy!!!
Oh my stars. Funny.
See, my problem is I want to experience pregnancy (crazy perhaps) and labor (insane perhaps) and breastfeeding, and babyhood (potential colic and all).
But I don’t want to be a PARENT. Or else I’m scared at the enormity of being a parent. I’m not sure.
Sigh…
Thank you for listening.
My goodness! Who is that chunky monkey with the precious round cheeks??!! Are those cheeks nibbled on all day long?? They are amazing!! What a great story, and very interesting mix-up.
We have two girls now and one cooking, so there is plenty of cheek-nibblin’ going on in our house!
Funny story. Thanks for sharing.
Upon further thought on this post, if two bloggers are together when they come upon an extremely bloggable moment (such as this), who gets blogging dibs? Did y’all do paper rock scissors, or was it just that you beat her to actually posting it, or was it like a camera duel and whoever drew it and snapped the picture first got to have the blog? Burning questions.
I think I can speak on behalf of those of us who are unable to have children…
to walk on fertile ground is a sacred gift. Handle with prayer.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished upon us that we might be called children of God.” 1 John 3:1
girl this made me so TOTALLY lol :) xoxo mel
God has a pretty hysterical sense of humor, doesn’t He?
Let me be the first to tell you Congratulations! (just in case) :)
That was some bloggy manna if there ever was any!
LOVE that and those chubber-wubber-lovey-cheeks.
Now that is weird!
Crazy stuff happens in those hotels.
When my BFF and I were in Nashville for Deeper Still last year….she went downstairs for b-fast and I came down a few minutes later to meet her. I couldn’t find her anywhere!!!!!!
As I sat at the table eating with 2 ladies I didn’t know….I got a phone call on my cell from her husband back in their hometown. Evidently, she had gotten on the shuttlebus to put our bags on and the driver took off…with her on the bus!
It was so funny. I had to walk to the conference and she didn’t get breakfast…but we laughed our heads off about her just vanishing into thin air.
Lesson here is: Do not get on ANY shuttle busses unless you are R E A D Y to go!
This is the Great Adventure, this here life!
Oh, that sweet baby boy of yours is just plain adorable. God is so good.
Thanks for the fun story…. It has added to my night of watching Biggest Loser while consuming large quantities of Doritos and Chocolate Chip cookie dough out of a BUCKET…. I knew it was a bad idea to bring it into the house when I saw it at Costco and now I know why! :)
Thanks for the laugh. And perhaps God is telling you something!
Oh my goodness!
I am not sure what to talk about first
HOW ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE that pic of Alex is or the
BABY BED in the room after the fun baby talk!
Goodness that is too funny!!
Maybe it is a sign – a way that God is saying “I heard you – hehe”
Baby Blessings to you – LOL
Kim
A couple things…..
One, how delicious is that boy of yours? THOSE. CHEEKS. As the mother of chubby-cheeked babies, I swoon at the sight!
Two, I’m curious how the two of you decided who got the blog rights to this story. Flip a coin or maybe an M&M?
First – that boy is YOU all over. Adorable and so cute, you just want to hug him every time you see him.
Second – the question is which one of you will be prego first? Now there’s a contest that I think the two of you will enjoy trying to win!
Third – I think Shalee is a fine name myself!
Fourth – there’s no way that I could be expecting unless God decided to reinstate a little immaculate conception, but I ate some cravings in your honor. Chinese to be exact. You’re welcome.
Fifth – I think God has the BEST sense of humor!
Is there some underlying announcement being made on this post? Don’t toy with me. Don’t EVEN toy with me.
And if I ever get my hands on that sweet boy’s cheeks, I will most certainly pinch them off and put them in my pocket. O. My. Squishiness.
It brought me particular joy when you screamed that maybe someone was going to give us a baby.
As if being in Vegas might qualify us to win some sort of baby sweepstakes.
I will admit 2 things:
I laughed so hard that I peed my pants a little (and just so you know, that is an unfortunate side effect of multiple pregnancies)!
I, too, have imagined what I might sing on American Idol one day (you know, if I could actually sing!).
P.S. I thought this was some big announcement too, and that you conceived in the Marriot!
Oh, my! I don’t think Alex could be any cuter if he tried. And, is that a lion I see there in your back yard? ;)
Oh, he is SO cute!!
That is the Best story Evah. I hope you’re gonna print it right out and stick it in SOMEbody’s baby book!
8 years past?
AHEM.
;>)
You realize that if you ever announce that your pregnant, this blog will EXPLODE!
And that PICTURE. Oh sweet mercy. It makes me want another baby RIGHT NOW.
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