Anyway, a funny story:
Yesterday we were having lunch and Paisley asked if she could have a cookie. This surprised Jon because he thought that covering the pan of cookies with a dishcloth and leaving them on the stove would be sufficient in hiding them from our toddler. He was wrong, and answered with "What cookies?" She then pointed to them from her chair at the table. She was nearly finished with what she was eating, so we told her to take 2 more bites from each item on her plate and then she could have a cookie. "I hold cookie?" was her response. "Nope, take 2 more bites." "I see cookie?" "Nope, just 2 more bites and then you can have it." "You put cookie on table?" At this point we were rolling because we have quite the negotiator. I finally got up and put the cookie on a napkin in front of her. Needless to say, she enthusiastically finished her 2 bites.
I'm worrying about the transition from only child to sibling is going to be hard on her. She loves being the center of attention, and unfortunately is able to be because there is just the one of her. I see the possibility of a fierce regression ahead of us when this baby is born and it worries me.
I've been trying to talk more and more about the fact that a baby is coming. She seems to have a general understanding-especially since the baby's room is all put together, but I don't know how much she can really grasp at this age. She's funny too because out of the blue she'll come up and lift up my shirt and hug and kiss my belly and tell the baby hi. Other days she hits my belly for no reason. She is so sweet to babies and LOVES on them as long as I'm not holding them. As soon as I pick up a baby she gets FURIOUS and demands to be held. This is probably my biggest concern.
To those moms out there that have gone from 1 to 2, what suggestions do you have to make the transition easier? I've heard giving your older one a specific job or 2 helps (binkie duty, etc), and I'm thinking about getting her a toy carseat and toy pack-n-play for her doll so she can put her baby down and carry her baby around too. I'm trying to talk about it as much as possible to somehow prepare her but I really don't know what's going to work best...suggestions?
We gave dax a baby doll, and practiced what we do and do NOT do with a baby. We constantly practiced being soft, and not touching the eyes... It really seemed to help when I brought Kai home. Don't stress too much about it. Just talk about bringing home baby sister, and that Paisley will be a big sister, and such a good helper, just hype her up! There will be rough times, and there will be days that Paisley will have a hard time, but she will do great and get used to it. Don't worry! :)
ReplyDeleteI was seriously nervous Liza wouldn't handle the baby well. I thought she had the personality of a youngest child, and really was going to suffer.
ReplyDeleteSo far, the opposite is true. She loves Harrison, she loves being a big sister, and she really doesn't seem to be struggling or regressing much at all.
Mostly it just all works out. Let Paisley be a big part of taking care of the baby. It's a lot harder to be upset by being displaced when you have a vested interest :-)
And if she doesn't come around much at first, give it time. I can only think of one case in which the older sibling didn't come to love the younger one with time.