Last year, around this time, we had just started choosing plants and making a plan for our backyard. Thank goodness many of our choices were succulents that could tolerate this drought! But we also planted a variety of citrus. Two of my favorites have been the potted Kumquat trees by the pool. They made it through a week of frost and have been so productive—they’re covered in beautiful, juicy fruit.
I can go from excited and confident to misty-eyed and guilt-ridden faster than one might imagine when asked how I feel about Hudson no longer being our only child. We have such a special relationship and it can be heartbreaking to think about anything changing that—even if, logically, I can think of all the ways having a sister will make his life richer. After all, there will be one more person in the world who adores him.
And she, the new baby, will be so lucky to have such an incredible big brother. No doubt his world will be rocked, but I couldn’t ask for better reactions from him so far. He does things like kiss the baby goodnight, and offer to share with her (i.e. my belly) his carrots. He tells strangers “mommy grows bigger and bigger,” “I have baby sister in mommy’s tummy,” and “I be big brother.” We talked about where she will sit in the car, and he reached into his “box” in the backseat to show me the toy he is going to give her.
Hudson is particularly sensitive to other children crying, so we’ve been talking a lot about how babies cry because they can’t talk—and that baby sister will probably cry a lot. This is perhaps what he mentions most of all, and he even calls one of the new baby books we have been reading “the crying book.” He likes to look at the page where the baby cries and then talk about it.
Still, factor some pregnancy hormones into this whole mix and… yep, weepy mess. So I’ve solicited some advice on introducing “baby sister” to Hudson.
Here are my favorite tips I’ve gotten so far for preparing one’s first-born to welcome a new baby into your family…
On Sunday, my friends Melissa and Emarie threw the most lovely party for me and the baby. I couldn’t get over just how pretty everything was! I felt some initial guilt over the idea of a shower for a second child, but I can’t say enough about how wonderful it felt to let myself get excited for this entirely new little person, among wonderful friends. (Many also new!) Our family, this new baby as well as Hudson, Aron, and I, are so lucky to have all this warmth around us.
(And quite literally, too—who would have thought we would be having lunch outside in January?!)
I can’t help but want to share some photos…
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