A Big Sister's Perspective

I am enjoying Ree's perspective on pregnancy.  Her initial reaction to the pregnancy was relief.  We hadn't yet told her I was pregnant, and after my first ultrasound Jeff told her that we were having a baby.  Just one.  She didn't care at that point if it was a boy or a girl, as long as there was just one baby.  However, it wasn't long before she started telling everyone that she was having a little sister.  Uh-oh.

Thankfully last week we did find out (with about 90%) certainty, that we are having another girl.  It was a fairly early ultrasound, so the technician wasn't completely confident, but she and I were both in agreement that it definitely looked like a girl.  Ree was happy to hear that she really is (probably) getting a baby sister.  What Ree doesn't know yet is this means she will be sharing a room by this time next year.  We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

We've had some other enjoyable moments with Ree.  One day last week I was wearing a fairly tight tank top when I felt the baby move.  I looked down, and sure enough, my shirt was moving all over the place.  I pointed this out to Ree and she asked in awe, "Is the baby crawling?"  I said that yes, maybe she was practicing her crawling.

On Saturday afternoon, Ree and I were sitting under a blanket on the couch watching Jungle Book.  We must've been at a boring part, because she suddenly pulled up the blanket, stared at my stomach and said, "Make the baby crawl again!"  I tried to gently explain it doesn't work like that.  Babies don't do things on command.  Neither do kids, for that matter.  Or most grown ups.

The whole baby crawling thing has stayed with her.  One day this week she and Jeff were looking at photos and he came across this photo and ask who was in it.

Without missing a beat, she said it was Mommy and Michael.  She was not happy to be corrected and learn that she was actually the one sitting on my lap.  Jeff also explained that on her birthday when she turned 2, Leon and Michael were still in my belly.  Relieved for a reason to change subjects, she immediately asked, "Did they crawl too?" 

I have a feeling she will soon be asking strangers about the crawling habits of the babies in their bellies.  Those should be some interesting conversations.