Hi All - 36-yo woman here with 40-yo husband. We have been together 9 years and are established in our careers/financial stable. We have traveled, have individual and couple hobbies, and enjoy our quiet existence. I didn't marry my husband because I thought he would be a good co-parent and father (he would be, it just wasn't something I valued). We have always been on the "more likely no than yes" side of the parenthood fence and have built our life assuming we would not become parents. Recently, however, things may have changed.
We got our dog (1.5 yo) about a year ago. When we got him, he was extremely skittish and nervous around other people, jumped at random sounds, and scared to be alone. When we had his first vet visit, he hid under my chair the entire time and wouldn't come out even for treats. A year later, he is still not fond of people generally, but he has come along way. At his 1-year checkup, he was brave and playful with the vet. She commented on how far he has come and how proud we should be of him as pet parents.
Watching him interact with the vet, I felt a swell of pride and joy like a lightning strike; a feeling I have never before felt and would be so sad not to feel again and again. That feeling for those few minutes, in combination with a lot of therapy to convince me that I would be a much different parent than my own parents, was enough to make me re-evaluate parenthood.
My question is - is this enough? Is it a sign? I have thought at length about the about the loss of freedom, the financial constraints, the impact on my relationship, the tiredness, the frustration, etc. etc. Are those feelings of pride and joy enough to surpass all of those sacrifices?
Any advice is welcome. Thank you!