To Baby Or Not To Baby…
It’s only 11 days into the new year, and I am already losing steadily in the “What Should I Do In 2006” poll. Soenke of course is ecstatic at the results – he’s running around making round-belly motions with his arms, trying to photograph my midriff when I least expect it, dragging me into baby stores, buying stuffed animals that jiggle and sing when you touch them, and deciding on whether he’d like to be called the German “papa” or the American “daddy”. He’s hopeless!
And so, I have been surveying the masses for popular opinion on parenthood. I mean, I’m a professional traveler, after all. Do professional travelers have babies? My friends with children generally coo “ahhhh, it’s so lovely, it changes your life (NOTE: WHAT EXACTLY DOES *THAT* MEAN) but you will love seeing your child grow up”… and my friends without children say “but aha! we have so much freedom! we are so glad we never took the plunge.” What shall I believe?! And how do I coordinate “a flat in Dubai” with “a sporty new diaper bag”?
My friend Lin, 50-something and gorgeous, suggests that she loves her children (now in their 20s), but she would have done something very different with her life had she not given birth. Would I feel like that if I had kids? I mean, I’m just getting rolling!
I can tell you that my friends with children are not browsing in Helsinki on Monday, lunching in Paris on Thursday, and overflying Naples on Sunday. They are, however, buying breast pumps, going to toddler karate classes, and eating a lot of chicken stars. I mean, that sounds nice too, but what about PARIS?!
So to aid the deductive process, I have compiled a small list of what Jennifer likes to do, to see how it coordinates with parenthood:
1. Shop & sightsee in foreign cities (especially DUBAI and PARIS)
2. Fly in airplanes, particularly ones that Soenke is flying
3. Hang out in airports (Munich is a good one)
4. Sleep at least 9 hours per night – uninterrupted!
5. Read books, sometimes for hours at a time
6. Get regular massages
7. Go to our Hamburg spa/fitness for a workout then some naked swimming
8. Lay by the pool at my place in Southern California
9. Attend the opera (usually in foreign cities) & drink champagne with my crazy opera girlfriends
10. Write silly blog entries about my foreign experiences
Obviously, we have a discernable conflict of interests here. I guess for now I go back to the drawing board… (people, PLEASE vote for me to write a book or something!)
And in other news, the dynamic duo heads to SO CAL on Friday – to move my stuff into the new crash pad, and to THAW OUT! (Temps are about 70F/20C there at the moment – not exactly beach weather, but it least there’s no snow on the ground).
January 11th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Nope, I’m not changing my vote! :+) After all, once you do get pregnant, you’ll have nine months (well, actually almost 10) to write that book about traveling and then you’ll have new material to write that second book - Professional Traveling with Children.”
January 11th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Well I have always known you as not being a momma type as you are so career oriented…but as you and i discussed you don’t want to get older and wish you had haved children as it truely is a wonderful experience. How ever i don’t think you should be pushed into, but then again who am i to say that as i am constantly telling Mohcine that I want a baby….
So i say do what is in your heart….I am sure you two will be wonderful parents with many experiences to share with your children.
January 12th, 2006 at 6:08 am
I dont know if you remember me from wom but I read your blog regularly.
Just wanted to let you know that I have a toddler and within the first year of giving birth I traveled to Argentina, China, Mexico, Israel (2x), the UK and domestically to florida, etc.
I work full time have an executive position and I do NOT waddle around the supermarket in a fake juicy sweatsuit with pureed carrots dribbled around the front.
you have to have kids when its right for you and you wont feel even a twinge of regret. and i know when you want to do it you will handle it fabulously.
January 12th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
it’s not a question of “if” but of “how many” …
January 22nd, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Hi there Jennifer!
WOM seem a past life for me. But when I visited Pat’s and Sally’s blogs, I told myself: “Hey! I know theis CPA Jeni!!!!”
). I am so so so so sure you would have success with a book “Where is Jennifer”!
I don’t even know if you remember me!
I spent my Sunday reading your blog. Wow! It’s so so interesting!!
Regarding the survey, can we vote twice? Cause a book must be written for sure and a baby would be welcome (me thinks…
Still remember when I first arrived to France, and I had no clue where the @ was on the French keyboard and you helped out! Hehehe! Geez, that was over 4 years ago already! Still in the Mediterranean and loving every minute of it.
You had a rich and exciting year, I love your photos too. Wish you all the best, and happy belated birthday!!
Love,
Jo Ann (Kamar)
January 22nd, 2006 at 3:09 pm
I’m having problems with Yahoo! Jeni, sorry if I am not replying straight away. But connection day around here! :S
Will reply asap!!
Love, Kamar
February 1st, 2006 at 1:26 am
I came over from Heather’s….
We have travelled a bit with our toddler, starting when she was 6 months old. A sling or baby carrier is a must, breastfeeding helps and patience….I have found that infants, toddlers…they meld into your lifestyle…You travel, they travel!
chelle
April 23rd, 2006 at 1:40 pm
Adopting my girls was the best decision I ever made. However, if I had not, obviously things would be very different. When kids are in school and have their friends and school projects and activities, their schedules pretty much take over–as do their expenses (think day care and later teenaged car insurance!) I have never been the PTA mom, but there was a point very early on that I realized I was no longer the most interesting person in this family! Now I am reading your blog thinking, hmmmmm…in two years my youngest graduates from high school! Last summer my older daughter went to Paris and I stayed home because she was the one who had the time and the money! Some day in the not too distant future it will be me again… Have fun! Linda
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Vantin….
Vantin….