Nobody Puts "Baby" on a Schedule?

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My husband and I have been married a little over two years, so the “when are you going to have kids?” questions have started. I don’t mind these questions, and usually just smile and say “not yet.” Unless, of course, someone is touching my stomach when they ask such a question, and then I freak out and stop eating ice cream for a week or so and drag out the WiiFit. The husband, as of late, has stopped looking green when “the question” is asked.

We are both excited about starting a family, and we’ve started talking about it terms of someday soon rather than just someday. Are we ready? Ha. I doubt anyone is ever ready to be a parent, but we are working on figuring out how our ideas about parenting mesh. While usually ready and willing to compromise, these are points he is holding firm on:


  • First, our children, regardless of where the Navy sends us must cheer for Baltimore sports teams. No offense to anyone else, but the husband would consider it mutiny for a child to cheer against the Ravens. He realizes he is dooming them to a life of baseball misery by mandating they cheer for the Orioles. He seems okay with this.



  • Second, despite my push for literary or interesting names (I am an English major after all), he is adamant our children won’t have “hippie names.” What exactly counts as a “hippie name” I’m not sure, but I’m pretty sure we won’t have any little Dweezil’s running around. Unless of course he's at sea... Just kidding honey!



  • Third, our children will play dodge ball, tag, and kick ball. They will play in the mud, get dirty, and not whine about it.


While these points are certainly silly in the long run, well except for cheering for Baltimore, the thing we are having the most trouble with at the moment is deciding when we should get pregnant. Do we try to figure out what his upcoming schedule might be and plan so he is here for the delivery? Does it make more sense to plan so he is potentially home for another set of milestones? Do we not let the Navy factor into this decision at all, knowing how often things change at the last moment?

Honestly, I'm torn. Obviously, I would like him to be home as much as possible for the birth and babyhood of a potential little one, but letting his work schedule dictate such an important personal decision, especially when it is always subject to change, makes me a little bit uncomfortable. Then again, I am totally new to even thinking about this side of Navy life.

So, all you moms and dads out there, how did you decide when to start a family? Did military schedules factor into the decision, was it purely a personal decision, or was it a mixture of both?

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