A little more than 11 years ago, my wife Amy and I were excited about starting our family. We weren’t going to find out if “it” was boy or a girl – we wanted to be surprised.

After a long labor — like 27 hours — and an emergency C-Section, Amy & I were parents to a baby boy!

Sometime during those precious, wide-eyed and naive first few weeks, I remember tellling Amy to relax a bit one evening. I was holding our newborn, Son Z, he was asleep or doing something that did not require Amy. So, I told her to do something for herself. Just relax. Do her nails. Whatever.

Her reply?

It was something like, “I can’t. I’m the mommy.” (If you’re too young, that’s a Mad About You reference.)

So, there we were. 2 parents and 1 newborn. A solid 2:1 ratio.

We went along, and as Son Z was approaching a few months shy of his second birthday, our family plans were proceeding on schedule. Amy was pregnant with Driehorst Offspring #2: Son N, who would be born in early January via planned C-section.

During the December before,  I was talking with my best friend from childhood, Jerry. Jerry and his wife recently had their third child. During our telephone call, he said they found it much easier to go from 2 kids to 3, than it was going from 1 to 2.

WTF? Thanks, Jerry, o’l buddy! That’s just want I wanted to hear within weeks of Amy and I having our SECOND child.

Well, Son N was born, and Amy and I found ourselves juggling taking care of our newborn and making sure Son Z was not feeling neglected.

No problem. 2 parents. 2 kids. A good 1:1 ratio.

Okay, with 2 boys, why not have a third child with the hope of having a girl? (Our third child, Daughter L, is, as you can tell, a girl. Mind you, though, if she would’ve been a boy, we’d be just as happy.)

So, Daughter L was born right on schedule. Our 3 kids were born roughly 2 1/2 years apart — pretty much on our timetable.

But, now, things were different. They outnumbered us! 2 parents. 3 kids. A scary 1:1.5 ratio.

As a parent, you want to give your kids the time and attention they deserve. With a newborn in the house, that’s when the first born starts to take on that big brother role and “helping” with the baby sister.

And, let me tell you, my friend Jerry was wrong. Going from 2 to 3 kids IS a bigger challenge than going from 1 to 2.

Because, as I said, they outnumber us.

So, life is moseying right along. 3 kids. 2 sons. 1 daughter. 1 big happy family. We’re done.

Or, so we thought.

With our first 3 kids, we needed some, ummmm, doctor’s assistance. Fortunately, no twins. Just 3 happy, healthy children. No plans for any more offspring, so no more doctor’s assistance.

2 Parents + 4 Kids = 1 Happy Familly

God, apparently had other plans.

And, as Daughter L was about 3 1/2 years old and we were making early winter plans for our first trip to Disney World the next summer — Amy is pregnant with Driehorst Offspring #4. Later known as Daughter S.

So, Disney is put on hold for a few years, and our world changed. Mostly for the good; some no so much; but all according to plan. Just not our plan.

But, let me tell you that going from 3 kids to 4 kids …it’s not so much of a challenge. 2 parents. 4 kids. Sure, now they outnumber us by a 1:2  ratio, but it’s okay.

The roles each of the three oldest ones have assumed and the impact that Daughter S has had on everyone makes us all 1 big happy family.

That’s the kind of math we can handle.

-Mike

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