Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Baby Fever and the Bump Watchers

They spotted Patrick early on...
Oh Patrick.  You're cute and all.  But I have to tell you, you're sisters think you're not little enough to be "the baby" anymore.

Their impatience is growing by the day.  Earlier in the week I saw Sadie evaluating my tummy when I was wearing an empire waist dress (apparently I shouldn't do this, even though "it's comfortable" unless I want to evoke speculation from the preschooler and toddler set).  She then asked if there was "a baby in there,"  (actually, I think it was said in statement form) with a crazy/bright/hopeful look in her eye, and then asked if I was sure that there wasn't (yes, yes I am).

Yesterday I was reading to her on the couch and she leaned back and put her head against my hip.  "Here," I said.  "Scoot up and put your head on my tummy.  It's softer."  She sat up like a bolt and began to grin.  "Because there are babies in there?"  she asked gleefully (and what?  Babies?  Plural?  The kid doesn't just hope for a sibling, but for multiples?)  "No." I replied.

Later in the day I caught Sadie and Mae evaluating my tummy while I worked in the kitchen.  "Are there babies yet?"  Sadie asked.  Mae came over and pulled up my shirt and stared hard at my stomach for a minute while Sadie saw the mark that the elastic band of my skirt had made and said:  "I see it!  I see the scar where they took Patrick out!" in an excited voice.

He was so much more holdable when he was tiny...
Oh children.  Even God gives Mommy a little longer between babies than you are, with exclusively nursing a 19 lb not-so-little-brother (who I should note, just hit the five months this week).

But there's baby fever in the house and it's apparently spreading among those under four feet tall.

Sure the little guy is cute, but he's too big to be held easily now.  And he squirms to get down and play on the floor.  Besides, Sadie lets me know.  We want a sister.

"What do you think Patrick wants?" I ask.

"A brother."  She says after a moment, and then looks slyly at me as if she's found a new chink in the armor of my answer.  "And Patrick wants a brother Mommy."

But now that he's a "big" boy...
Whoever said that kids freak out about the idea of a new baby haven't visited our house, where the reaction definitely goes in another direction...  the gleeful anticipation and lobbying prayers for another tiny baby, that holds still and doesn't have an opinion on being held by the four year old, have begun.  

I'll try to avoid the suggestively high waisted clothing (that make up much of my closet after four pregnancies) so that we don't have daily hopeful false alarms from the bump watchers.

Is this how the Duchess of Cambridge felt for the year before they announced their big news?  Because the little wanna-be investigative reporters in our house have begun speculating... and appear to be making daily (incorrect) announcements about the size of our family.

Yup... I'll be searching for my most slimming dress today...

And Patrick, if you could help Mommy out by letting your sister hold you for five seconds without fussing to get down and practice pushing yourself up to crawl (so you escape your sisters) that would be great!

9 comments:

  1. If it makes you feel a bit better, my oldest son asked for a new baby while meeting he baby brother. I homebirth and I wasn't even out of the birth pool yet. ;)

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  2. My son (3) keeps informing me that he'd like a sister next. I still have 3 months until our 3rd child (a boy) is due. He's excited to have a brother but wants the next one to be a sister. Ha.

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  3. I am 12 days away from the induction of my third baby, and my oldest (5 year old daughter) has been talking for two months about a fourth! She's also trying to enlist her 3 year old brother in the action by telling him that if he wants a baby brother next time (we're having a girl), he will need to ask Mommy soon "Because I wanted a baby sister and that's what we're having." That's right, kids, get your orders in early! :)

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  4. All three of your stories have me grinning! LOL!

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  5. Our daughters always ask for new babies almost immediately after we bring one home. Sadly our #6 was born into heaven when I was 19 weeks along with him, but even then, one of my daughters asked when we could have another baby. Oh honey, if only it were solely up to me. :)

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  6. Have to go anonymous because we just found out our good news. Our youngest will be four soon and we had been trying for a few years and God's decided it's time. Well, the soon to be four year old announced the day before we found out that I was NOT to have another baby because HE is MAMA'S BABY. Come December I will have much explaining to do.

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  7. That is so sweet! I think the worldly world never understands what a huge pull new life has on little ones. My kids are telling me we should have ten kids and I'm only pregnant with #7!

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  8. I only had the one (younger) brother, but I did ask here and there if we could have a sister. Fast-forward almost 30 years, my brother gets married, and—finally—I have a sister (-in-law)! My brother maybe didn't play dress-up and dolls as much as I wished (although he was a good sport), but he came through in the end and found me a great sister-in-law.

    So, for every brother that an older sibling wishes was a sister, there is the possibility that there will be a sister-in-law in the end, and vice versa...

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  9. Cam, thanks for following my blog! I have been meaning to write more posts, but I've been at a loss for words recently. Love your blog!

    Laura @ Lady of Carmel

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