I have a confession to make…
I have days, quite a few of them actually, when I dream about having only one child.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give away my twins for the world, nor do I regret having our little boy. I know just how lucky we are, really I do, but every now and then I wonder what it would be like to only have one child.
I have these wild ideas that having a single child is somewhat akin to parenting nirvana. The time you have to enjoy a single child. The ease with which you can leave the house with just one child. The cool things you can still do with just one child in tow. The amount of time you still get to yourself when you only have one child. These are the crazy notions that fuel my singleton envy.
I've never had just one child so I have no idea how wonderful, easy or hard it is. I'm sure it is not all roses. I am sure there as many hard moments with one child as there are with two or more. I'm sure there are single children that are as hard work as any twins would ever be, but hey – lets not burst my little fantasy bubble here. Let me wallow a little first.
In my singleton fantasy I have one child, a very small, groovy pram and a tiny and very cool nappy bag. Heck I don't even need to take a nappy bag for one child, I'll just take one of those little groovy zip pouches.
With my one child, I can pop up to the shops in a jiffy. I can sip lattes at my favorite cafe while I bounce the jolly baby on my knee. We can go to swimming lessons and to baby gym. People will not stare and point at us as we walk by. Strangers will not stop us to ask incredibly personal questions about how my one child was conceived.
In my singleton fantasy when my one child wakes in the night I spend time resettling them with the knowledge that when they go back to sleep so will I. I can breastfeed my one child quickly and easily, anywhere I go. Traveling is a breeze, shopping is a breeze…in fact, life is a breeze with my one child.
Do you think I am going a tad over board?? For sure…but envy does strange things to a person, you know!
(photo by me)
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I will back you up and say you are not alone. I love both my kids for so completely different reasons. lol They both complete me at different times. But goodness, there are times I think that just one would have worked. I couldn't pick one of course.
But there are times it just seems like it would be easier.
No worries, it doesn't make you love them any less in any way. I'll stress that mine are 14 and 11. So it's just a thing we always deal with. Maybe it will go away when they move out? LMAO
i've said many times that i wish i could have had these exact children…just one at a time. spaced out a bit so i could enjoy each individually. the first year's memories are especially blurred and i hate that i never got to do those sweet mommy & me kinds of things with them.
but just now as i watch them playing together…growing up side-by-side with their best friends…i feel like this way was perfect.
still…
I have had the same thoughts. I love all of my kids, but I wonder what it would be like to have just one at a time. I do love that they are growing up together and always have playmates.
I have felt the same over the last 7 years. I love them so much, but sometimes… Like yesterday when I had to buy double the school supplies for first grade. If my children were spread out then I would have less expense all at the same time. I know that sounds bad, but really, twins (+) are expensive.
I wanted to have one baby so much just so I would be able to give he/she all the attention it needed. However, be careful for what you wish for…I now have two sets of twins 18 months a part. (ages almost 7 and 5) They are wonderful children!!! But somedays…. : )
It's not always all it's cracked up to be but sometimes it is
I had a singleton first and she screamed for 4 months straight – awful, hard, I cried all the time too – no wonderful dreams. Second time around I had another singleton and he was perfect – slept through everything and life was great! Then came the triplets and well, that's hard no matter how you look at it 
So, I totally get it but it can go either way! Not to burst your bubble or anything…