Parenting

I have always wanted to have 12 kids. It's been something that I thought would be awesome for some time now. Tonight I had an experience that is causing me some serious reconsideration. I love kids, always have, but...
Well it all started about 5:30 when my little sister showed up at my apt. She had asked me if I could watch my nephew (5 months old) for a little bit while her and her husband went to the temple. Of course I agreed - I love my nephew. He's a way good baby, and I thought, hey this will be good practice for the future. Well he was asleep when they got here but woke up before they left. He was really good for the first 1/2 hour. He just sat there playing and when he got a little fussy I just put him on my lap or played with him. About 7:05 he started getting really fussy - so being the renaissance man I thought I was, I decided to change his diaper. No big deal - I've changed heaps, so that wasn't anything too exciting. After the diaper I gave him a bottle which he gulped down. By now it was about 7:15 and I even remembered to burp him. I thought - I'm doing pretty good - this isn't too bad. Well come 7:20 it was a proverbial November 9th for me as my own wall of self confidence came crashing down (Nov. 9th was the day the Berlin wall fell). He began to cry, then to really cry, and finally to scream. I tried everything I could muster up. We walked up and down the stairs, we walked around the apartment, I rocked, bounced, swayed, cradled, cuddled, rubbed, patted, tickled, and blew on him. Nothing worked. I was truly up a creek of tears without a paddle. I finally ended up rocking him on a chair while he finished off the bottle and finally went to sleep. I was so exhausted by this point that I actually fell asleep as well. I woke up about 15 minutes later and put him on my bed where he slept for another 20 minutes. I thought that the worst was over, his parents would be here soon to get him, and that I had performed my christian service for the day. Little did I know. Hah, really little indeed. At about 8:15 he woke up again. This time he was returning in all his glory. He didn't even lull me into a false sense of security - he just started screaming - no games or false pretenses this time buddy. Well I tried the diaper thing again - nothing. Then the bottle - nothing. Then the walk, the stroll, the bounce, etc. Nothing. it got so bad my downstairs neighbors were asking who was dying upstairs. I finally just sat on the couch and let him scream in my ears - all the while being on the very verge of tears myself. If only I knew what was wrong. I was beat, humbled to the very depths, a truly broken man. As I sat on the couch in this exhausted state I couldn't help but ask myself - Do you really want 12 kids?
Interesting indeed. This was a good experience for me. I learned many lessons. When his mom and dad finally came back (9:30) I was so tired I could barely see straight. I told both of them that I would never make fun of them again - I was a new man, blessed with a new found respect for all mothers and fathers. I also called my mom and thanked her for raising me. Man, it's a miracle anyone can make it through it at all.
I finish where I begun. I really do want to have 12 kids (my wife agreeing of course will be a must) but I think I need a good dose of practice, and humility first. I have never felt so humbled in my life as I did while holding my nephew while he screamed. You want me to tell you the resistance across a 470K ohm resistor hooked to a 12 volt source with 100 watts pounding through it? Done. You want me to write you a 12 page paper comparing Hitler to a Book of Mormon character? Done. You want me to teach 12 elders how to speak a foreign language in addition to basic English? Done - no sweat. But, you want me to calm Mckay Felt after he's been crying for 35 minutes - can't do it. No idea.
Here's to all the parents out there who stay up late and get up at all hours of the night. To all those who get humbled everyday with the unsolvable problems. To all those reduced to the state of tears while trying to stop the tears of another.