The big sisters are ready!

 

Their big sister books have been read and reread and it is almost time to put their skills to use. And let me tell you, I will be relying on my little helpers a ton. This will be such a different experience than when I had Viviana and Mirabella was just a baby herself at 13 months old. Now I'll have two ladies around while Jeff isn't and that will certainly come in handy as I have to send them for more burp cloths, diapers, onesies and wipes as the baby is spraying me with poop and/or spit up! I give it about a week before they get sick of it. More likely the case will be that they'll send me off on the scavenger hunt while they hang out with the baby. I know they are going to love him or her to pieces and probably will never want to leave the baby alone. 

 

 

 

 

Just as it did when Mirabella was going to be a big sister for the first time, the part in the book that says, "I want you to remember Viviana, one thing that's always true...that nobody can ever, ever take the place of you," always gets me choked up and fighting back the sobs.

 

 

 

The girls have been doing a lot of role playing with their baby dolls and with each other to prepare for their new sibling. They like to pretend they have babies in their bellies just like me, and when they pop them out, they take care of them like perfect mommies. There are countless stroller rides, feedings, doctor visits (with the occasional hospital trip after a baby falls off the bunk bed), story readings and tucking in sessions. It is the sweetest to watch and they are proud to show us everything they do.

 

 

 

Nurturing has always come naturally for Mirabella, but Viviana has followed her lead and I know the two are going to take the best care of their new brother or sister flawlessly. I was expecting Viviana to be the one to show us a jealous side after the baby's arrival, but we suspect that role may shift to Mirabella. She has been all about her mommy like never before. She has become overly sensitive and finely in tune to the fact that I am unable to do everything the way I could even just a month ago, specifically carry her. She knows why I can't do it, but still questions it every time. Her feelings are hurt when I can't scoop her up in my arms and hike her up on my side from place to place and most times she ends up in tears.

 

I'm worried how it is going to go over when the baby comes and there will be six weeks of me not being able to pick her up at all. Right now I can still do it (reluctantly) for short durations, but after the baby comes, I won't be able to do it at all. How will they process me carrying the new baby - whose weight is within my acceptable lifting guidelines - and not them? Hopefully their love for him or her will overshadow any of the hurt feelings. I know it will work out fine and eventually they will get over it, but it breaks a piece of my heart that I can't physically be all things to my girls right now, or for a month and a half to come.   

 

On a lighter note: I pulled out one of the newborn diapers from next to the changing pad and Mirabella and Viviana giggled like crazy at how tiny they were! (You really do forget how itsy bitsy they are.) When we are out shopping they point out clothes and toys, asking if we can get this or that for the new baby, and letting me know which we should get if our baby is a girl and which we should get if our baby is a boy. They'll find things around our house and assign them to the baby. When I found a container of used pacifiers they insisted we needed to keep them and couldn't toss them in the garbage. I let them know we could pick out new ones for the baby, but that didn't help. An art project for those old ones might be in store to serve as a recycling distraction.

 

Their answers are sounding rehearsed by now when they are questioned about whether they think I am having a boy or a girl. "We don't know yet," they say, almost in unison. "God gets to pick, but we get to pick the name," is their follow-up. If the question is, "Are you hoping for a brother or a sister?" it is commonly Viviana who chimes in with, "I want a sister, but Sissy wants a brother."

 

We have been playing a lot and getting in a bunch of quality time together before the big day. We've been around town, making our rounds to parks and playgrounds...

 

 

 

...feeding the horsies carrots at the race track...

 

 

...eating pancakes at Emma Krumbee's...

 

 

...doing projects like crazy...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...going to Edinborough Park...

 



 

...and have been frolicking about, right outside our front door.

 

 

 

Mirabella painted this beautiful flower pot at preschool, and the girls planted three blooms: one for Mirabella, one for Viviana and one for Baby!

 

 

 

 

 

I have been asking the girls questions regarding the baby and here is what they've said:

 

What are you most excited about for when the baby comes?

Mirabella: Hugging and kissing (him or her)

Viviana: Going to the park (with him or her)

 

What do you want to name the baby if he is a boy?

Mirabella: Sawyer (from the movie A Dolphin's Tale) or Kieran (a preschool friend)

Viviana: Sawyer

 

What do you want to name the baby if she is a girl?

Mirabella: Karen (from the movie Frosty the Snowman), Elizabeth, Rosie or Sydney

Viviana: Karen, Carla or Mermaid

 

What color hair do you think the baby will have?

Mirabella: Blonde

Viviana: The baby won't have any hair

 

What color eyes do you think the baby will have?

Mirabella: Blue

Viviana: Blue

 

Will the baby be tall or short?

Mirabella: Short

Viviana: Short

 

How many pounds do you think the baby will weigh?

Mirabella: 30 pounds

Viviana: 34 pounds

 

So cute.

 

Each girl has upped their number of kisses and sweet greetings to the baby in the last couple of weeks. They know the end of my pregnancy is drawing near and they are giving their sibling a lot of love as he or she prepares to leave the comfort zone of my stomach. Soon Mirabella and Viviana will have a new brother or sister to cherish and they are ready and raring to roll out the welcome mat!