I was always happy with our awesome little blended family. I inherited a 5 year old step son and 3 year old step daughter over a decade ago and it all seemed perfect. I have been blessed with building the most awesome relationship with the kids, one that could not be further from the stereotypical step parent/child relationship we all know about. I was always content with my lot and our master plan as a family unit was playing out beautifully. Never the less, my beautiful wife would diligently ask periodically “are you sure you don’t want one of your own, my body clock is ticking…” and I always smiled back and told her how perfect everything was just like it is.
And then I turned 40.
In March 2019 I had my 40th birthday and a switch flicked. Our life plan was playing out nicely, all the ducks were lined up, but I found myself battling – “Don’t mess with the plan Jamie! This will blow over, give it a week or two”. And then I found myself sitting my wife down for a chat. And so it was done, however we were letting fate have some of its own way. If we were not pregnant by my next birthday, then we would shut up shop.
Laney flew (almost literally, with a 2 hour labour) into our lives 16 days prior to my next birthday. She obviously didn’t get the memo as the deadline only required that we be pregnant by the next birthday, not holding a baby!
I figure the best laid plans and strategies need a tickle up every now and again. What was all fine and dandy a decade ago may not be what is needed for the next one. I am preaching to the converted here of course, as we are all absolute strategic magicians after the world of contortion we are operating in currently, but I thought it was a tidy example of pivoting without referencing COVID. We are frequent travelers, career focused as well as being social butterflies and we have decided that while Laney will of course impact the way that plays out, she is not going to change the end game, only alter the path to get there. A year ago we couldn’t imagine our lives with another infant in the house, and now we couldn’t imagine our lives without one.
Welcome to our scary old world Laney Ruby Lunam!