Why I want to be a Parent - Part I

So last weekend I went to this birthday party... The last birthday party I went to was for myself. I threw it. It's kind of become a tradition... An elaborate tradition that's happened every other year. Granted I've only done it twice... once for my big two-five, and then again this year for my 27th birthday. Does that qualify as a "tradition"?


Well it's a themed 4-course dinner party, complete with handmade invitations, menus and an immaculately set table. The truth is it's an excuse to use the fine china and stemware I bought for myself, and to cook some really delicious food. Food that I want to cook. Goodness! I sound really selfish... but it is my party... I can cook what I want to.

At any rate, these days adult birthday parties are few and far between... unless it's a milestone number. The birthday parties I go to now are for all the babies my friends are having.
Can I actually be entering this stage of my life? My friends are all having kids. And they're kids are having birthday parties. This is crazy.

So this past Saturday it was little Miss Josie Juliana Cappelletti that was celebrating her first birthday. It was her party and she could have cried if she wanted to, but miraculously I don't think she did (at least while I was there). And the McEliece home was filled with little ones. Lots of little ones.

A part of me felt utterly overwhelmed with the constant level of semi-chaos that ensued all evening and the amount of energy that all these bundles of joy contain. And another part of me thought, "Jessika, you'd better get on it!" Haha!

Btw little Miss Josie's Mama is an amazing photgrapher.
Click here to view her amazing work

It is a tremendous honor to be a parent. It's one of the hardest jobs out there... I've seen it stretch my friends, growing them in patience and love like nothing else in this world. It's a huge responsibility, and can be challenging, frightening and sometimes heartbreaking. But it also is a privilege and a joy beyond anything I can understand right now. Truly I can't comprehend it. But I'm excited for it. One day.

Besides, little kids are just awesome! I loved being a little kid. I always wished I could go to Never-Never Land, not to avoid responsibilities, but because I just loved playing imaginary games, having amazing made up adventures in my backyard with my brother and the neighbor kids, or putting on talent shows. I think it was my favorite time of life thus far. I'm excited to go through this again with my own kids one day...

A friend/co-worker of mine showed me this video on You Tube, and it made me even more excited to be a parent. I guess these dads, who are all friends/brothers, have their kids make up these stories and they video record them as they tell their "kid histories" ... think mad-libs style. And then they (the adult men) act out their kids' stories. It's ingenious. It's hilarious. I want to do this with my kids... One reason (of many) why I want to be a parent some day.
Hope you enjoy this little video. And if you're a parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, what have you... I hope you cherish those little bundles of joy in your life. They are such a blessing!