The First Few Days at Home

Baby Sammy; Two weeks old

Attention Harvard: He's already lifting his head!

December 11, 2006; Life with Two under Two

We're home from the hospital, and all the grandparents have come and gone. Today is the start of "normal" life for us as a family of FOUR!.

So far, Bailey has adjusted to having a new brother 1000 times better than I could have hoped. So far he greets Sammy with a bright "Hi, you!" in the morning. He points out Sammy's chair, and a toy that Grama got for Sam and announces that these things are Sammy's. We haven't yet tried to break the pacifier habit with Bailey, knowing that it would be tough when the new baby came home. At night, Bailey depends on his Blankie and Bee in order to go to sleep. Bailey does like to taste Sammy's pacifiers, but will say "Baby Bee!" as he does so.

What should we play with from the toy box? ....I know! My new brother!

There has been hardly any outright jealousy. In the week or so home from the hospital, once Bailey burst into tears when I put Sammy into Bailey's special chair. He cried and pointed "Bayee chair! Bayee chair!" I made a big deal of moving Sammy out of Bailey's chair and telling him he couldn't go there. The next day we bought a new chair for Sammy. Bailey has clearly accepted that he is not allowed in Sammy's chair and seems okay with that.

It breaks my heart that Bailey's other favorite chair, my lap, is CONSTANTLY "occupied" by my new nursling. Bailey just waits patiently by knee, and I try to read books and play Play-Doh while leaning over Sam. 9 times out of 10 that Bailey comes to me, he finds a nursing Sammy already there. Only twice has Bailey grown impatient with this new deal. One morning he said "Sammy all done" and gently tugged at the pillow, then pointed to the new chair and said "Sammy goes" I wanted very much to tell him that there would always be room in my lap for Bailey (like I distinctly remember my mom telling me) but the truth is, that while Sammy is nursing, it just doesn't work. Another time he called Sammy "Bad Boy" when he was unable to get enough morning hugs and kisses just standing by my knee.

Yay, Both my boys on my lap!

When I do put Sammy down, in the last day or so Bailey has run up to me happily announcing "My turn! My turn!" and I gather him up. I've tried to make special time to play trains with him, read books, and talk together before bed. So far, this life's transition is going really well....I just hope that Bailey isn't disappointed to realize that while Grama, Pap-pap and Doofuss went home, Sammy is still here.

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

Okay, I admit it, the new camera takes some good pictures....

All the grandparents were such a big help to us as we transitioned from a family of 3 to a family of 4. Linda was here this last week, and Bailey really enjoyed Grama. She brought him a medical kit as a big brother present, and it was a big hit. Yesterday, they built a gingerbread house together.....in a yin/yang sort of way. Bailey would try to eat the candy before Linda could get it on the house, while Linda tried to get it on the house before Bailey ate it.

Getting ready to help Grama....Not playing "dress in drag"

Or, Grama, You can pull the candy OFF the house.....and eat it!

Like this, see?

Ta Da! The compromise

Sammy loves to be in the bosom of family...literally. One of the best days that Linda was here was spent with her snuggling Sammy while watching Pirates of the Carribbean for 3 hours. I got to wrap Christmas presents and watch Lifetime; or Boo Hoo, The Story of Some Lady as Jeff calls it.

Gramas are soft cozy places

Even Jeff got to realize his holiday dream....playing long complicated board games by the fire with Christmas music on. Life is good.

This was before I spilled a coke all over the Northeast and brought the game to a screeching halt....oops!

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