A new chapter means the close of another...

• Now I know that all children with siblings must go through this at one point or another, but it doesn't make it any less challenging to learn to live with a new sibling. In two years Xiana went from being just me and her, to me her Brian and Ekco, to a new baby brother. That's a bit much but like I said, I think she is adjusting quite well. I know she loves her new brother a lot and is anxious for him to be more responsive and alert. Still, there are a few changes that, truth be told, made me a little bit sad. Not the weepy it's so unfair sad, but the, wow, I didn't realize these things would change sad. For instance, for Xiana's entire life she has waited for me to come get her out of her bed in the morning. Until she was 18 months she didn't call for me or anything, just patiently whispered in her bed waiting for me to come fetch her. Then I explained to her that she could call for me in the morning and I would come get her and she started doing so. Every nap and every morning she yells, "mommy!!" and I come and get her. Recently we've started a new game where she hides under her covers when I come down and then mousy and I proceed to look for her. After we came home from the hospital I was quite sore and knew that I wouldn't be able to manage the stairs promptly in the morning, especially if I was nursing a certain little one. So, I explained to her that in the morning she needed to come upstairs. She understood and agreed. Now we have a new tradition emerging where she comes upstairs and climbs in bed with me saying hello to her baby brother as she does so. It's sweet, but I can't help but feel a little nostalgic for her sweet voice calling me in the morning. It doesn't seem to bother her much, but I feel the excitement of a new chapter while simultaneously feeling the loss of the close to another. Ordinarily at night she stalls bedtime by calling out, "I love you! Good night!" from her bed for a while after she actually goes to bed. That too had to end because now I go to bed at the same time as she does. It's funny though, because as I sit here writing this I realize how trivial these things are, how much they don't really matter in the long run. Everything we do together will remain and new traditions and rituals will replace old, no matter what. So, bring on the new chapter... but I am grateful still for the last one. It was a good one!!!
  

She has stayed busy and entertained herself a great deal which also makes me a little sad, still I know it's good for her to be able to do so. Everybody told me that a new child ages the older one. I believed this but nothing prepared me for how much bigger Xiana now seems. I keep telling her that her little tooshie used to look and feel so tiny when she snuggled me, and now it just seems so big. Her tiny little hands and features look enormous even though she remains a petite little child. She is highly impressed with this new discovery and tells me repeatedly how big she is now that she is a big sister. Perspective is a remarkable thing.
The first week I went to Michaels and bought all kinds of crafts. These crafts successfully got us through the first, somewhat tearful week. They kept her busy and made her feel like she had my attention. Also they cemented her newfound big girl stage in that she was able to play, unsupervised, with glitter. I have also discovered that she can do many things I previously thought were too old for her such as: put her own laundry away, put the silverware away, make pancakes, help by bringing diapers, wipes, etc when we are in the process of changing her baby brother. I find she really is a big helper. I imagine Kolton will be expected to do those things even earlier than her now that we are aware of her vast capabilities :)

• She continues to say hilarious things like "Dad blowed his stinky breath on my mood ring!"


• Or, as she was riding her bike, "Watch this, I can ride it better than you will imagination!"


• Or, when she was being picked up for a playdate she came out and said, "I think I got everything, I got my cell phone" while she patted the bulge in her front pocket.


• Or, "Who was your husband when I was in your belly? Did he die?"


• Or, "My mousy is named Taylor Swift." Not to mention she recognizes and can sing every line to at least 8 Taylor Swift songs. I think that's compliments of a big sister.


• Or, "Let me show you how pretty I am."


• Or, right after clapping her hands rather emphatically, "now my hands feel ugly."


• Or, at the start of American Idol she yelled to me in the kitchen, "mom hurry! you have to come see Jenifer Lopez's dress! It's beautiful!" (also compliments of her fashionista older sister)


• Or, "Dad's nowhere to be found."


• Or, she came into the living room and said, "mom I cleaned my room all up!" "Thank you!" I told her. "I thought you would burst into tears of happiness!" She is a funny little monkey and she loves her baby brother. He loves her too. One of her favorite things is kissing him when he's rooting because it seems he is kissing her back. Already she is well adjusted and doing great! I'm very proud of her!