The Baby Boom

Back in 1993 the United State's first case of sextuplets was born...the Dilley's!  2 girls, 4 boys and America had their first super sized family.  The Dilley's had the occasional tv appearance and usually pop up on the Today show every May for the sextuplet's birthday.  Hmmmm, perhaps NOT having a television show and remaining grounded in the real world has helped keep this family intact because they seem like a happy family.  Since then though it seems that America has become obsessed with super sized families (okay, maybe not America, but for sure TLC).  As I've been stuck home for 14 weeks (but whose counting) I've watched a lot of television and of course have an opinion on these super sized families.  (FYI today I watched an Oprah episode that I've seen 3 times...I think I've seen everything on tv at this point.  TLC please stop showing Obese and Pregnant!) 

Jon and Kate Plus 8...does anyone remember how cute this family was in the beginning?  They seemed like a loving family with adorable babies.  And then we all saw the slow downward spiral that eventually turned this once loving family into the train wreck they are today.  Jon, fed up with Kate's constant emasculating and emotional/verbal abuse, left to take up with a 22 year old and live the life of a bachelor.  Kate, left to her own devices, became the fame whore that we see today.  She went from being a professional nurse to the whiny, narcissistic personality that continues to believe she should be famous for giving birth to a large number of children.  I hate how she portrays herself as this victim, stalked by the paparazzi when she actively seeks out situations to exploit herself and her children.  Kate's sole focus in life appears to be Kate.  Any thought for her children comes across as secondary to her fame whoring on her show and I hope TLC drops her like a hot potato (I have heard they are not renewing her show--perhaps America is as disgusted by her at this point as I am).  Kate, a word of advice...stop focusing on material goods and get back to what matters in life...renew your nursing license and get a real job now that your kiddos are in school, be a good example to them, and be a good person.  You do not come across as a good person on your show. 

TLC also loves the Duggers.  Now while I can't say I agree with having 19 children watching their show while on bedrest I am impressed with their apparent goodness.  They seem like a loving family and although they do tend to come across as a family whose older children are raising their younger siblings I am happy they don't rely on government benefits to subsidize their super size family.  I hope that they make some different choices in terms of birth control given that their last baby almost died from being born premature (and surely after about the 10th kid all the other kids are just walking out of that va jay jay on their own) and why would you want to risk putting another baby through that?  Plus you are grandparents.  Enjoy the children you have, enjoy your grandchildren, and stop overpopulating the world (it's a good thing they don't live in China).  But they do seem like nice people. 

Do we even need to talk about Octomom?  What a case in irresponsibility and I am so happy that she didn't get her own television show.   I hope the doctor that was willing to put all those embryos in her lost his license and I don't think she should be eligible for any state benefits. 

We TV gave us Raising Sextuplets featuring Bryan and Jenny Masche.  Another example that a large family does not make a happy family.  They continued the trend of featuring a troubled marriage with lots of kids on television and Bryan was arrested in 2010 for domestic violence after the couple got into an argument.  If a show will ever make you thankful for your own marriage this one is it.  Yikes!  In every episode you can tell this couple is in over their head and has no idea how to get out.  And Jenny is also a nurse (go figure).  Bryan appears to take all his anger and frustration out on Jenny and she appears to just take it.  I feel genuinely sorry for this family (although scarily Bryan does remind me of someone I know and how I'd imagine he'd act if faced with sextuplets).  It's really sad though that this family is struggling so much and displaying that on tv.  I have to imagine that the lure of an additional paycheck from their show is too much to pass by, but hopefully they can get their act together unlike Jon and Kate. 

But my absolutely favorite is the Jones family on Fit tv (why Fit tv has a show on a super size family is beyond me, but whatever).  This family is awesome.  They are high school sweethearts, Christians, and they come across on their show as a genuinely loving and happy family.  Their website is Jones Life and while I think they've only had 5 episodes (of which I've seen all) even with all their life stressors they do not argue on their show.  It is nice to see a couple in love on tv.  I am sure they fight like all couples do at different times, but they seem to really like spending time with their 6 children (their oldest daughter and the quintuplets).  If you get a chance to catch this show I highly recommend it.  And perhaps they will not fall victim to the curse that seems to plague super size families on tv. 

I have to admit I want a probably larger than average now a days family except I have no desire to be pregnant again (Paul and I are negotiating on one more pregnancy because he wants a boy, but we'll have to come to some sort of binding, written agreement ahead of time in case it's a girl again), but I desperately want to adopt.  After our Little M gets here my dream is to adopt a sibling group of 3 so with Little M, our second bio child, and the 3 we'll probably end up with 5 children.  We may hold off on the adoption piece until Paul retires so we aren't moving all over the country with a van load of kiddos, but we'll see.  God plans stuff for you that you have no idea about so it may not be our choice.  Our plan for a second baby will depend on what we find out in a year about when we'll PCS. 

I am looking forward though to enjoying our Little M for at least a year (and also to enjoy some cocktails--holy crap I was pregnant for most of 2010 between pregnancy #1 and Little M--I need me some wine and a martini or 5!). 

34 weeks today and a baby shower to look forward to this weekend.  I'll post some pics of my giant (and when I say giant I mean GIANT) belly from the shower.  I'm treating myself to a hair cut tomorrow and an eye brow wax (the caterpillars crawling across my forehead are out of control) and I am sooooo excited!  I don't think I've ever been this excited for a haircut before.  The thought of the stylist washing my hair and drying it sends me into fits of bliss.  BLISS I tell you.  You definitely develop a new appreciation for things when you've been stuck in the house for 14 weeks.  I haven't had a haircut in a year (maybe longer)!  Happy, happy, joy, joy!