How Much Older Are You Than Me?

Today is my youngest son’s 12th birthday. As kids often do, he was playing a numbers game out loud the other day. “So when I’m 20, you’ll be how old?” I said, “Just add 40 to whatever age you are.” “Oh, right,” he replied. “So when I’m 40, you’ll be 80?” I nodded.

In a previous post, I shared how my youngest son was an “extraordinary birthday gift” because he was born two days before my birthday.

He is now the same age that his oldest brother was when he was born (as shown in photo).

My husband and I knew what we were getting into when we attempted pregnancy. Besides my history of miscarriages, we understood that I would be 40 years older than our youngest child. In many respects, I have been able to enjoy my youngest son more. Since he was my fifth child, I was comfortable with attachment parenting and didn’t feel the need to defend nursing my baby on demand and carrying him wherever I went.

My mother was 47 years old when she gave birth to my youngest sister. I remember the excitement in my mom’s voice when she showed me the “at home” pregnancy test. At the time, I was a rather cynical cafeteria Catholic, so I was a little taken aback with her positive reaction.

My youngest sister kept my mother “young” for years. As for me, I have never regretted the decision to be open to life at age 40. In fact, I have always thanked God for my “baby.”

Happy Birthday, Paul!

13 thoughts on “How Much Older Are You Than Me?”

Happy Birthday Paul! We are so glad that your Mom and Dad were (are) open to life! You are a blessing to us all 🙂

Happy Birthday Paul

I was 40 when our last child was born. It turned out to be my easiest pregnancy, despite all the doom ‘n gloom predictions from the doctors.

Thanks, Ginger!

JP, I got a lot of gloom and doom predictions when I was pregnant with my fourth son at 36 too…my pregnancy with my youngest definitely had its challenges, though! Thanks for commenting!

My youngest was born when I was 38. I can’t explain it, but I really felt that someone was missing from our family. I’m glad that we were open to God’s Will. John had been such a gift!

That’s beautiful, Dana! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Ellen, my second youngest daughter, Sophie turns ten tomorrow. She plays the number game too and for her, it is also easy: just add 40 too. Sophie was my gift and birthday present after the death of her older baby brother. Then we were blessed even more with the birth of Gemma-Rose when I was 43. I remember when I was grieving over the death of our baby son. The doctor knew we were hoping for another child and I remember her saying, “There’s plenty of time!” Quite a statement from a non-Catholic doctor, considering I was fast approaching 40!