Kids Who Don't Exist Yet

I had this weird moment yesterday at my parents' house where I was walking toward the open door that separates the kitchen from the living room, and I saw, for a split second, the image of a couple imaginary future kids running through the door. It was a whole life story in one fleeting moment — I had two kids, they were visiting their grandparents, and they were having fun running around the house. Is that normal? Is my biological clock taking over my brain?

To find the answers to those questions, I headed to the Internet, of course. There are several blogs I read on a regular basis, and one of those is Penelope Trunk. Penelope's blog fascinates me because, while I don't always agree with everything she says, she's a great writer, her posts are compelling and informative, and her topics are exactly the kinds of things I wonder about — like, how to be successful in your career, how to deal with challenges in the workplace, how to write openly about your life. Plus, she's been blogging forever so there are a ton of things to read on her site. For example, here's one from 2002 about having kids in your mid to late thirties.

I'm getting married in September, three days before my 31st birthday. Not that I believe marriage is a prerequisite for kids, but my husband-to-be and I decided to wait until we're legally bound to each other before we start a family. We have a trip to Australia planned for about a year from now, though, so kids will have to wait until after that. (I don't see myself travelling through the Outback with morning sickness.) I hope I can keep my biological clock at bay until we come back from Down Under!

(If you already have kids, one of the other blogs I read regularly is Opie Dawn. Check it out if you like modern, adorable, stylish children's products, along with ideas on how to enjoy time with your family.)