Nebraska

Let me start this by saying its not that I don't love my babies.

With that being out of the way, I am shocked that more infants are not abandoned by their parents.  Its the combination of sleep deprivation and utterly unrewarded unacknowledged sacrifice of your entire existence in sustaining the life of another...another who has the personality and abilities of a brine shrimp.

Tonight I took care of both babies by myself, which as unbelievable as it may seem, I am actually capable of doing.  Unfortunately I had some work that needed to be completed tonight.  So...between changing, feeding , crying for no apparent reason, and fighting off the urge to lay on the floor in a fetal position, I did complete my task, which took me an twice the amount of time it would have taken me six weeks ago.

There is no reasoning with babies.

"Let Mommy finish this so I can pay the umbrella policy on the house."

Nothing.

"We have to start thinking about college, and that means money."

Even when it applies to them directly, nothing.

Still, they are very cute, and although it would be fantastic to sleep six uninterrupted consecutive hours , over all, it hasn't been horrible.

This summer the state of Nebraska enacted a safe haven law.  The law was intended to combat the abandonment of infants in places like trash bins, unfortunately, the law was not specific enough.

As a result, parents traveled to Nebraska from as far as California to leave their children at a hospital in Nebraska without the fear of legal prosecution.  The majority of children left in the state under this safe haven law were teenagers.  To the best of my knowledge, the intended beneficiaries of the law, babies, were never left.

Of the four teenagers I have lived with, I would have traveled to Nebraska with all four at different points in time.  This may be the reason they all avoid getting into a car with me.

In spite of the fact the babies have no concept of what their care involves, and it is a thankless gig, I can't imagine my life without them, in truth,  I can't remember a life without them as the center.

Sometimes I stare at my babies and wonder what they will be like, if they will someday steal my car, or lift a few twenties from my wallet.  I know its an odd thought, but what I know- or I think I know- is that even if this happens, I'm just not sure it will really even matter.

So it appears we won't be making any trips to Nebraska any time soon-- any of us.