Prep'n the kids for the new bundle

When Anna was born I was a little worried about how the twins would handle having a baby around. A little worried. They love babies and were excited about getting a little sister, but they were our only children for seven years. Even though there's two of them, I think twins can feel like an only child in many ways. I talked to them a lot about how life would change, included them in preparing the nursery and shopping for clothes, and we gave them big sister gifts when she was born. If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know that they adjusted beautifully. In fact, they blew me away with their eagerness to help, and have an almost maternal sense of responsibility for her. They're excited about another little sister, and although I think it will take extra effort on our part to make sure we're still focusing on them exclusively when needed, I know they'll adjust to the growing family like rock stars again. Anna is another story. 

Every time I've worried about a new milestone or adjustment with Anna, she's proven me wrong. She's the most adaptable, easy going child I've ever met. But, she's the baby. She is the perceived center of our world in most scenarios; even the twins dote on her. I've been reading up on introducing a new sibling again, looking through books we own and some we don't for tips, and have tried to talk to Anna about the new baby. With the exception of a passing acknowledgement here and there that there's a baby in my belly, she wants nothing to do with it. I've been reading blogs by women with similarly aged children and they gush about how excited their toddler is, and how the new little brother or sister is all their two year old talks about. I sort of expected Anna to embrace being the big sister, and feeling the superiority of age with a new baby arriving. Instead, the crib is still "Anna's bed" and the teeny, tiny onesies I bought are "Anna's clothes", which inexplicably don't fit and can cause a brief meltdown from time to time. The Sailor isn't worried at all. He thinks she'll roll with it like she does everything else, but I'm a little more skeptical. This could be the first speed bump we hit with her.

I'm contemplating buying four little matching somethings, one for Margo and one to give each of the girls when they meet Margo in the hospital; the goal being to create a sense of camaraderie. Finding something that is as entertaining to Anna as it is "cool" to the twins will be the challenge. I'm leaning towards a slightly over-priced, elegant, small, stuffed animal that can be kept on their shelf for years to come. The Sailor is going to be thrilled about another superfluous purchase this month, but females like to feel special, and sometimes it's a small gesture that can make a world of difference.


Story Time: I remember when I was five months pregnant with the twins and I flew from Hawaii to Texas to spend some time with family when the Sailor left for Iraq. The pregnancy was a shock to everyone, so it wasn't exactly celebrated. My Dad took me to lunch one day and then to an upscale maternity store. He bought me a cute outfit and this $40 jar of balm to prevent stretch marks. It may sound silly, but the stretch mark cream is what I remember most. My sensible, clueless when it comes to pregnancy, father wanted to do something nice, without the slightest clue what to do for his 20 year old, newlywed, active duty, pregnant daughter I'm sure. The frivolity of the trip is what tipped me off, and despite seeming insignificant to him probably, it meant a lot to me. You never know what small gesture is going to stick with someone.

FYI, stores like FAO Schwarz sell an inordinate amount of plush elephants, but seriously lack cute bird options. What exactly makes an elephant more cuddly than a blue bird?

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