More babies!

No, I'm not pregnant again. And there are no plans for the immediate future.
But the latest development from Ellie today made me think about all of the reasons that I'm excited to have baby #2... at some point.
Ellie laughed! The three of us were sitting in our bed this morning and the dogs jumped up (since there was so much extra room) and started play-fighting. They were growling and making all sorts of weird noises, and I guess Ellie thought it was funny because she let out a laugh! It was short and sweet. After it happened I turned to Brian and asked, "did she just laugh?" But we agreed, it was a laugh. Amazing. It was one of those perfect moments.

In the three months we've had Ellie, I've gone from one extreme to the other in thinking about having another baby. And either thought pattern usually leads me to the same question: How did my mom handle having five of us??
Near the beginning, on some of the sleepless nights... when breastfeeding seemed like it was never going to work... when Ellie was crying for no apparent reason... I wondered how anyone would decide to have another baby. How, I thought, would I be able to handle this 24/7-needy-child if I had a toddler running around, too? And how did my mom handle me as a baby when she had three others — ages 3, 5 and 7. Amazing.
But as many people told me, it's got easier over time. We're only three months in, but I already feel like we're off the lifeboat. We're not in danger of drowning, we're actually doing a good job with Ellie. She must be happy... she IS laughing!
So I find myself going to the other extreme and wanting another one, as I guess my mom and dad did four times after my oldest brother was born. As much as I love to see Ellie hit milestones and grow, I'm already missing her as a tiny baby. There's something addictive about babies — the smell, the sweetness, the cuddles. It is awesome.
So, I'm writing this as I'm stuck at work on a Saturday night. Maybe I've just been away from Ellie for too long and need my baby "high" when I get home... but there's a big part of me that can't wait for her to get a little brother or sister.

p.s. I found out later that while I was writing this, Brian was home with a very fussy Ellie. He had a pretty long day watching her all by himself... so it might take some convincing for #2...