5 Reasons...

FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD GET YOUR BOYFRIEND TO PUT A RING ON IT NOT A BABY IN IT

1. Money

Babies are extremely expensive. 

And you know what babies grow into? Children. Who are even more expensive. 

Have you researched how much daycare costs these days? 

If you are already pregnant, maybe. 

If you are single with no children searching for daycare prices, you are a weirdo.

 One who should not procreate at this time.

You have to work to support the offspring, and you can't work without someone to watch the offspring. 

Guess what? Daycare is absolutely ridiculous. 

Anywhere from $500/mo on the lower end to $900ish a month on the realistic end.

Keep in mind this is without a good deal and/or daycare assistance.

Because yes, there IS a government assistance for that!   

If you are thinking of relying on assistance to support your not-yet-conceived-child, then you are not ready to have a child. 

Why? Because my tax dollars don't really want to pay for it, and I don't either.

You are probably thinking, oh my gosh... DAYCARE? 

That's my almost/is how much I pay in rent! 

Yes, it probably is. And babies need you to be able to pay the rent so they have a place to live when they aren't at daycare.

Let's not stop at daycare. 

Formula is anywhere from $16-$25 per can.

 If my memory serves me correct, a can of formula can last anywhere from one to one and a half weeks. 

That is around $100 a month. Are you keeping up? 

Because we haven't even talked about diapers, and the baby needs somewhere to put all that used up formula!

Diapers range anywhere from $10 for a small package to about $40 for a more reasonable package that will last more than two days. 

Babies use multiple diapers a day, anywhere from 3-10. Diapers. A day.

There's only so many diapers in each package, just saying.

Once they grow out of the formula/diaper stage, you may THINK you will save money... But you won't. Because then they will need underwear all the time, not to mention they grow like weeds and will outgrow that cute new outfit you bought within the next two weeks. They eat like, well, growing boys. Pretty much more than you eat now, which can get pretty expensive if you think about it.

2. You like sleeping more than you think.

You really do, even though you think you could really go for waking up multiple times in the night. Who wouldn't? 

If you are thinking about how cute those little ruffle butt bloomers are, and how sweet it would be to have a baby right now plus nine months...

 I have a great way to change your mind.

My first solution is to babysit a teething one year old for one night. 

One night!!! That is all it will take, I promise. 

Wait until the one year old molars stage, because those are the most fun.

I would try and find someone who you are friends with and ask them to borrow their baby. Posting something on Craig's list would not be acceptable.

Option two requires real self discipline, because you can't snooze a baby.

Set your alarm for every two hours and actually get up. 

Every two hours, because that's how often newborns eat. 

Even three year olds wake up every two hours sometimes, because they're three, and they want to talk, or they have to pee, or they had a bad dream, or they are ready for morning and cannot wait another 4 hours for daytime to begin. 

Do this three nights in a row and I promise you will be cured.

3. Freedom

You have to have your baby covered at all times. 

Even when you have diarrhea. Where's the baby?

Even when you are sooo tired because you haven't slept more than 10 hours in the past three nights combined. Even when you just want to run in the gas station because you only have cash and your car is on E.... you can't leave a baby in the car! You just want to run in to Subway real quick to grab a $5 footlong? Well, it's not going to be real quick. You have to get the baby out of the car seat, take them into Subway, order, put them back in the car seat when it's time to leave....

Finding a babysitter isn't always easy. 

And it doesn't always work out the way you want it to, and sometimes it's frustrating.

You may feel left out at times because your friends are out and you aren't.

If the baby is sick and can't go to daycare, you would have to find a sitter to watch him. Most of the time you have to pay for baby sitters, which could range anywhere from $10/hour and up. If you have a lot of family like I do that love your perfect angel baby it is easier, but there are times when no one is available and well!!! 

That little baby you wanted sooooo badly comes first!

As I am writing this my own three year old is climbing on me and speaking in tongues.

But HEY!!! At least he's covered right?

4. Your Body

Is a wonderland? Maybe not so much after nine months of pregnancy.

Or 18 months of pregnancy if you're Jessica Simpson.

I don't want to freak you out, but fully recovering from pregnancy takes a damn long time. For me, about three years to be completely back to pre-Reese.

If you are thinking you will work out to get that baby weight off, chances are you won't because you don't work out now, and having a baby isn't going to change that. Even if you work out now, finding a babysitter so you can work out may be a challenge--forcing you to just not work out. Or do Jillian Michaels 30 day shred in your living room after bedtime. 

No one will judge you. That shit is hard. 

If you want to get your hair done, you have to find a sitter, but you won't want to waste a sitter on a hair appointment, because you would rather go hang out with your friends if you got the opportunity for a sitter.

5. Being a parent is hard

No matter what age your baby/kid is, being a parent is not an easy task. 

I know you see your friends on Facebook and parenting is so fun! 

And the pics are so cute! And going to the zoo is so much more fun with a toddler (which it is) but please keep in mind that these are the happy times. 

No one is posting a picture of themselves at 3AM up with a coughing toddler, because let's just be honest they probably look like a hot damn mess. 

When you see your friends and their kids out, if the parents are good at what they do the visit was most likely strategically planned out after nap when the child is well rested and on their best behavior. This is not always the case, and if the parent is good at planning, then the bad behavior stays at home for just the parents to enjoy. 

Being a parent to a newborn is hard because they can't talk.

Being a parent to a toddler is hard because they don't stop talking.

These are all things I wish someone would have presented to me before I became a mother. I know these are all things that I never thought about before I got pregnant, or when I was pregnant... I only thought about them as they were presented to me.  Motherhood has been a great experience for me, because I have an amazing family and an even more amazing son. I am extremely blessed for all of these things, but some parents aren't as blessed. I am blessed to have a child with a very big and loving heart, who is healthy, and who is cute as all get out. My advice to all my friends is to wait as long as possible. One day you will be able to experiences the joys and hard times of parenthood, but do your living first. I promise you won't regret it!