A Breeder choosing not to

I fear I've pissed someone off.

Those people that know and love me have all had to deal with my long winded tirades on why I'm planning on being childless by choice, and how irked I am by those who believe parenting is the only reason we're on earth.

Those that don't are often dumbstruck by why I would choose not to.

I get everything from, "But you're able to right? Like you're healthy and everything?", to, "Well then, who will take care of you when you're older?". As if the concept of saving for your retirement, or having better things to do with your time than to throw up for 9 months straight (followed by 3 almost completely sleepless years), are completely foreign ideas.

Friends with children: I'm sure your kids are lovely, and that their arrival changed your life and you're blissfully happy and I'm not going to begrudge you that. I'm very happy for all of you. Wanna try doing the same for me? After all.. I'm the one buying the shower gifts and honestly never expecting anything in return except those mini-quiches you served as appetizers.

I am perfectly content being the 'aunt' that is going to spoil your kids rotten. I love kids. Just for short periods of time. I'm no good at cleaning up the various battle wounds acquired by rambunctious tots, and changing a diaper is something I haven't done since my (now 15 year old) brother was a baby. I am really good at shopping and playing with toys.

So just a quick FYI, I wasn't trying to be a bitch when I told you I guess I wasn't going to know who I really was if finding out required having kids. After 7 long years of trying to justify my choice to every baby crazy person in my life, my defence mechanism is to respond to things tongue in cheek. No offense.