In the life of me.

This will be a long post. You have been warned.

The Price of Children

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Tak about sticker shock! That doesn’t even touch college tuition. This is if it is done correctly with the basics provided and a nice clean place to live, food on the table three times a day, and nice clean beds to sleep in.

But $160,140 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

$8,896.66 a year per child

$741 a month

$171.08 a week

That’s a mere $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour.

Still you might think the best finacial advice is don’t have children if you want to be “rich”.

Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140?

-Naming rights, first, middle, and last!

-Glimpses of God every day.

-Giggles under the covers every night.

-More love than your heart can hold.

-Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

-Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.

-A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.

-A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites and walking on stilts.

-Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how you stocks performed that day.

For $160,140 you never have to grow up. You get to:

-Finger paint.

-Carve pumpkins.

-Play hide-and-seek.

-Catch lightning bugs, and

- Never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

-Keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh.

-Watching Saturday morning cartoons

- Going to Disney movies and

-Wishing on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother’s Day, and cards with backwards letters for Father’s Day.

For $160,140 there is no greater bang for your buck.

You get to be a hero just for:

-Retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof.

-Taking the training wheels off a bike.

-Removing a splinter.

-Filling a wading pool.

-Coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream or pizza, reguardless.

You get a front row seat to history, to witness the:

-First step

-First word

-First bra

-First date and

-First time behind the wheel

You get to be immortal.

You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you’re lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of children, you rank right up there under God. You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So, one day like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!

(This was something your Great Grandma Minkler emailed to me while I was pregnant with you.)

February 18, 2007 (Sunday)

Dear Baby,

Mommy has lost all of her desire to eat meat. Apparently, it means that you could be a girl. We’ll find out for sure on that in about two months. If you are a girl, your name will be Roslynn Marie Koepl. Your first name means “beautiful rose.” The middle name is after your Aunt Dawn Marie, Aunt Jessie Marie, and your late Great Grandma Velva Marie.

Daddy and I discussed several spellings for your name and we finally settled on the one I’ve written here. The options were: Rosslynn (my favorite), Roslyn (Daddy liked that one), Rosslyn, Roslynn, Rozlyn, Rozzlynn, Rozzlyn, Rozlynn. At least it was easy picking out the name. I never thought spelling would be an issue.

Mommy is craving potato salad. Carbs are her favorite things these days, but she is worried that she’s not getting enough protien. Hopefully, that will pass soon.

I love you,

Mommy

February 28, 2007 (Wednesday)

Dear Baby,

Daddy put your crib together last week. When it was all put together, I hugged Daddy, telling him that it really hit that we are going to be parents.

A few days ago Daddy looked at your crib and said he wanted to get a crib set for it. That he wanted a made bed for you. Grandma Fachado is making bumpers, blankets, and sheets for the crib. So, soon, Daddy will have his wish granted.

Great Grandma Minkler is making sweaters and the like for you. All are hand knitted. She has a hard time seeing, so it’s amazing how she can still do things like that. She is definately a woman who will help out those in need before she thinks about herself.

In just over two weeks I’ll get to see you again on the ultrasound, and maybe hear your tiny heart beat. Right now you are about one inch long. You are also growing your little fingernails. According to science, you are now a fetus, no longer an embryo.

It’s hard to believe how fast these ten weeks have gone by. I’ve even gotten books and toys for you. Soon, I will read a book to you every night before I go to bed. And I will play a lulliby CD for you too.

Mommy’s tummy is pushing out a little now. Her normal jeans don’t fasten comfortably. Some people say that I really do look pregnant now.

I love you!

Love always,

Mommy

Dear Baby,

Today marks the start of our 8th week together. Seeing you on the ultrasound monitor on Friday really made me feel calm and relieved that everything was ok. I was very worried since I lost my first baby. But you, you are sticking and I’m glad for it. Even though you make me queazy at times, every moment of it is worth it.

I tried to make Daddy’s birthday dinner tonight and couldn’t quite make it through. Lemon pepper chicken, alfredo covered bow tie noodles and fresh green beans…not to mention home made yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Luckily I got the cake done and the chicken is in the oven. The rest I cannot do.

Even last night I had issues trying to cook. Soon it shall pass. The first three months are always rough, so I’m told.

Daddy and I talk to you every day even though you might not be able to hear us yet. We love you even though you aren’t in our arms yet. In just 7 more months you’ll be here in this beautiful world. We can hardly wait! Mommy is very anxious to buy baby things for you and to get the nursery started.

I love you,
Mommy