Intro

I know, I know, having children does not mean you're automatically grown-up. Many people choose never to have kids (and believe me, there's nothing wrong with that). And then of course there are all those who never should have become parents in the first place. Just ask Mike, or any cop. They're called job security.

But to me, all of a sudden the weight of tremendous responsibility is on our shoulders. And this isn't like watering a plant or taking care of a dog (even if your dog happens to be the neediest animal on the planet). This is shaping another human life! Seriously, talk about pressure, expectations, and a venture into the unknown. Being in our late 20's with a house, a marriage and careers, we fit the definition of adults. Yet part of me still felt like a kid, not ready to belong to the mysterious "grown-up" crowd.

There is a memory of complete exhaustion on my mom's face after I had some kind of dramatic meltdown as a little girl. She let out a small secret smile. "I can't wait until you have kids of your own."

Full circle. Here we are.

And I guess I finally feel like a grown-up.