I have been married for 5 years and have no desire to have children right now, maybe not ever. I find it very upsetting that my husband and I are treated as less than a real family because our "children" have fur and four legs. We love our life and it gets frustrating that everyone thinks we need offspring to be happy and fulfilled. I think an invitation to a bar is a little unfair for a pregnant woman, but friends should be sensitive to the fact that child free women may not want to hear about their strollers and play groups all the time.

The Boy and I have been married for almost 17 years (together for 23, OMG!), and there were never children on the radar screen at all. Don't be pressured, by the way. I have no regrets, and neither do any of my child-free friends, who range in age between 35 and 60. We're all having fun.

Maybe you're hanging out with the wrong pregnant crowd? When my friend first found out, she told another friend (tearfully, because she was still in shock), "Messy's gonna hate me now because she doesn't like babies!"

I was able to reassure her that I like babies just fine, especially when I can hand them back to their mothers when they start to get a little ripe. My Cool Niece is now 9 months old and cute as a bug. Also she's walking. She gets better at it every day. Soon we'll have her on a leash, she moves so fast!

My friend is part of the mommy crowd that likes being an adult. She worked at home while on maternity leave because babies sleep a fair amount. She went to a group for new moms where everyone was talking about baby-related stuff - the best diapers, the best nipple cream, the stinkiest load the little gaffer ever dropped, the perfect stroller....and she had to leave about halfway through the second meeting. She described the conversation as "gag-worthy".

Feel free to ignore the weenies that tell you you're missing something. If you don't want kids, then you're missing nothing. As for pets, they don't want to go to university, they never need braces, and they don't need your attention 24/7. When your friends are paying for all that, you'll be safely retired.

If anyone tells you that that's selfish, tell them to get lost. I've always thought that criticism was larded with just a hint of, dare I say it...jealousy.

With Carrie and the shoe registry?

Yes I am behind the 8-ball in viewing that because we are off the cable grid.

sans was crying & threatening to report me & Doxa, I think it is strange he didn't make a shitstained appearance today. wonder if he got himself booted.

If I had more affluent friends, I would have a jewelry registry. There's a ring at Georg Jensen that involves a citrine that's just stunning.

Hmmmm interesting DB. I wonder if he finally cried wolf too many times? For all the aggravation he does serve a purpose.

Heeeeeesssssss back! Do you really think its a he?

Well, most babies sleep a fair bit. I had one who literally slept only about 6 hours per day, total. It was very hard on all of us. The others were more normal in their patterns, and I could have a life.

My mom had the same problem with me. Now I usually sleep about 4-6 hours a night, if that. Apparently my grandmother was horrified because one night while she was visiting I fell asleep while playing. Since I so rarelyl slept and would wake up if moved, my mom left me asleep while the adults were hanging out. My grandmother decided that wasn't good, so she tried to move me and woke me up.

Apparently my mom's comment was, "You woke her up, you entertain her."

Send her some flowers right now!

Of course, she could very well be napping - making up for the lost sleep when you were little....

LOL! My mom actually sleeps very little as well. I suspect that it's a genetic thing because there are a number of people on her side of the family who simply don't sleep much.

The biggest problem was that my mom worked nights and so my parents had this bright plan that they didn't need any sort of daycare because someone could always be home with me. The problem was that I was awake when my mom really needed to sleep all night. When I was about 3 we were playing "hairdresser" with my mom sleeping and me combing her hair. Well I went and got some scissors and gave her a hair cut.... At that point it was decided that a few hours of day care a day wouldn't harm me.

My mom is great, though. My parents did a pretty good job of giving us enough rules so that we had structure, but not so many that we didn't learn how to function in the great wide world.

My son has Always been able to saty up late, just like his dear Daddy. At 14 months old he never goes to bed before 10 or 10:30 and "the guys" frequentlaly stay up to 11:30 or midnight watching tv and "resting" on the couch. He sleeps in to 8 every morning and naps well during the day so we figure all's well. The only hitch? Mom can't hang and I frequentally go to bed at 9:30 or 10:00, which means I get short changed and have to get up with the little nibbler if he wakes up at 2 a.m.But htats the breaks, at our house as long as every one is getting an okay amount of sleep that counts as good enough!