Just right

I remember when we were first breaking the news about Ella, I would generally respond to queries as to how far apart the babies would be with 'Almost two years,' because that seemed somehow more respectable than 21 months. Even before Baby #2 entered the picture, I thought that at least two years would be an ideal spacing, because then the older child would be, well, older, and more helpful and independent, and I didn't want to feel overwhelmed with a baby and a toddler.

As the pregnancy progressed, I was a little nervous and apprehensive about how things would work out, but also excited because Jane seemed to be learning and improving by leaps and bounds. Almost overnight, it seemed, she could walk and express herself. Her teeth came in. She covered ground rapidly such that when Ella arrived, Jane was in prime shape to be the older sister. If we'd waited until we thought Jane was old enough, by the time the little sibling arrived Jane might have been past all that and firmly and selfishly ensconced in the middle of her own little world.

More and more I see how perfect the timing was. Jane is going through issues right now that I would not have wanted to deal with when I was exhausted with the pregnancy. It was easier carrying around a 15-month-old Jane, three months pregnant, than it would be to carry a 2-year-old Jane now. Jane is learning so much now and forming memories so rapidly that she would probably have remembered a time without Ella if there were no younger baby on the scene yet. Although she was a little disoriented by Ella's arrival, she got over that quickly and now accepts Ella into her worldview, without question and without jealousy or resentment. Even though dealing with two little people requires a bit more logistical planning, it's so much easier to help Jane through a challenging task or to get down on her level and play with her if she asks.

So the moral of the story is that God's plans are always better than mine. After all, I thought I wanted to marry a man at least a foot taller than I. Ha! What was I thinking??