Reproduction: Why We Do It More Than Once

So, for those readers who have a child or children this post probably won't be that big of a surprise for you.  But, for those of you who don't yet have any children (or maybe never did/will) this may be a big surprise to you.  I have unlocked the reason that human beings have more than one child.  And no, it isn't the biological need to leave behind something.  In this day and age of birth control that answer is just bonkers.  The truth, the real truth (and everyone will shake their head as soon as they read this) is a faulty memory.

Let me explain... this past week (as in yesterday) a lovely virus came to visit me.  Thankfully it only chose to stay for 24 hours, but it left an impression.  It started with some issues I'd rather not type.  At first I didn't know this was a virus so I looked up the issues on the Internet (you know, the place that knows all things and nothing) and apparently these issues could be an early sign of labor.  Apparently the theory is that your body is cleansing itself.  So, once the vomiting kicked in and I still wasn't sure if it was a virus I called my OB to find out what was going on.  The nurse asked me if I was having contractions and I said, "I don't think so."  She then asked me if I had any other children, to which I answered yes, and she was confused how I wouldn't know what a contraction felt like and I had to tell her I honestly couldn't remember.

I know... this sounds nuts.  But, you have to remember, that with Evan I was induced at midnight and didn't have my first contraction until late afternoon.  So I was super tired.  And, although Brian remembers it differently, I swear I only had one or two before I gave up and asked for the epidural.  I do remember sitting on my birthing ball with Brian massaging my lower back but other than that I got nothing.

And so I started to think about my pregnancy/birth with Evan and here is what I remember:

• Once I got pregnant I remember no complications with the pregnancy.
• Yes I was swollen but I don't remember it as being particularly painful or bothersome.
• I had carpal tunnel syndrome.  And while I don't remember it being bad, I do remember saying to Brian at one point that I used to think people over-reacted to their carpal tunnel symptoms but that once I had it I felt they must downplay them.
• I remember sleeping in my chaise lounge but thinking that it was a good solution.

Then I read my third trimester blog and realized that most of what I remembered was a watered down version of reality.  That apparently the swelling was way worse and the carpal tunnel syndrome was so bad I couldn't even cut my own food the last month of pregnancy.  That sleeping with Evan was just as difficult as sleeping with Chloe (seriously, I'm at about 40 minutes at a time). 

And that was how I came to this epiphany.  If I truly sat down and remembered all the miscellaneous aggravation, pain, etc that comes along with pregnancy then I don't know that I would have jumped right back in so quickly.  I mean, Evan was totally worth it but there is no guarantee that the second one is going to be just as cute as the first.  And so, I stand by my claim that the key to human procreation is simply memory loss.

But not to leave you without a picture of cuteness... here is Evan with Daddy and Grandma on his swing set (Brian's parents came up for a last hurrah with Evan as an only child):