"You don't know that."

     Our second baby... No, we are not pregnant again, but we have thought about him or her a few times since having precious Vaught. What new parent doesn't have a few thoughts about Baby No. 2 at some point? When people have asked us when we thought Baby Pace the Second might happen, we've usually responded with something like, "Well, Vaught's so good, we don't want to think about another one just yet," hinting that we're just fine as a family of three (plus the pups). And it never fails (other moms know this, too); someone chimes in, "Yeah, well your second one is going to be a little hellion!" "Enjoy this good one while you can; the second baby is always a nightmare." "You're going to have a mean little girl the second go-round!"

You don't know that. 

I'm just going to put this out there: I think children have the personalities their parents give them. I'm not talking about genetics. From day one, from conception really, I think you can teach your baby to be "good." 

Kate, you've completely lost your marbles. 

No, I haven't, but I keep a spare in my pocket just in case. Hear me out. 

     After getting past the initial shock of discovering I was pregnant, I went about my life as usual. Aside from a daily prenatal vitamin, nothing changed; I was still just normal me. I embraced every aspect of pregnancy without complaint. People kept telling me, "Just wait; you'll be miserable! Wait until you can't see your feet. Wait until you're swollen and sweaty!" It never happened. Well, maybe it did, but I didn't notice. I took everything as it came and accepted it as part of what God was building inside of me. Sure, I felt a little crappy sometimes, but I never was a bitchy pregnant girl. 

     Once Vaught arrived, I parted ways with many of my previous conceptions about motherhood. I threw out the baby books and the Googled advice and just let my mom instincts do the job. Sure, I took all the necessary precautions to protect Vaught and keep him healthy, but I didn't jump hurdles to Clorox my house every day. Right now he eats organic, clean baby food; in a few years he'll be eating cheerios and French fries off the car floor... And I don't even want him near a French fry. I paid no attention to the pro-co-sleeping parents and taught my newborn how to sleep on his own. With a now seven-month-old who sleeps through the night in his own crib, I don't regret that a single bit. I firmly believe that he is such a happy baby because he sleeps independently. 

     As far as new motherhood goes, I have embraced it all and continue to do so each day. I don't get bent out of the shape when things don't go my way or when we're thrown off-schedule. There have been many times when I felt like bawling my eyes out; I chose to laugh instead. I have celebrated the good times and smiled through the bad, and when things got really tough (and they will at times), I told myself, Bad times don't last forever. 

     Please don't tell me that our next baby will be a brat or that he or she won't sleep or that they'll be a little devil-child or that I'll wish we'd just stuck with one (yes, people have said that), or, or, or... Your children are what you make them. Because Eric and I are seriously the most laid back, non-worrysome people you could ever meet, Vaught is likely to be the same way. He just sits and giggles and takes it all in. He is such a happy baby. Even if our next one isn't Vaught made over, we'll love him or her no matter what.