Balancing a Career & Family. Wait, what?

Happy Monday, ladies!

In college I always told myself I wouldn’t settle down and start a family until I could completely take care of myself, financially and mentally. The weird thing? I’m actually doing that right now… I have a great job, live in a nice apartment and can afford to eat more than Ramen noodles every night. I guess I never thought this stage in my life would get here so fast, I’m only 23.

If you’re anything like me, you’re completely freaked out by your Facebook news feed – recently, it’s taken on a new role, only displaying images of engagement rings and sonogram shots. Where are the pictures of extreme intoxication? You’re even more freaked out when those pictures were uploaded by your very own sister…! Yes, it’s true, I became an aunt to a beautiful baby girl this past September.

I’ve been told Baby Fever, a common disease that takes over your ability to form rational thoughts, tends to set in during your early to mid-20s. Apparently you start picking names for your unborn children and determine their athletic abilities before you even meet the man who’s going to father them for you. Sounds kind of crazy to me!

As soon as my niece was born, I was in love. She was the cutest newborn I’ve ever seen and I quickly found myself wanting to spend all my free time with her. That’s when it hit… do I have, um, baby fever? Uh oh. I think about my niece all the time and wonder what her life is going to be like in 10 and even 20 years. I even think about how long it’ll be until she has cousins to play Pretty, Pretty Princess with her.

Don’t worry ladies – I’ve found the cure: Actually spending time with babies. Baby Fever peaks when you’re holding a little one, who keeps smiling at your funny faces and high-pitched voice. Baby Fever immediately goes away when that little one leaks through its diaper and pukes on your face. So if you think you have baby fever, I challenge you to spend more than an hour or two with a four-month-old who just ate six ounces of formula and has gas issues!

It’s obvious that I’m not ready to settle down, get married and reproduce. I think I need to have a chat with the college version of myself and ask, “What were you thinking?!” We all deserve some time to be selfish, and focus on ourselves and  careers before thinking about adding to the global population. I love being an aunt, but at this point in my life, I would rather focus on moving up the corporate ladder than moving up the family tree.

What about you – What are your plans for balancing a career and a family? I’ll take all the tips I can get!