We are now on the one month count down to the arrival of our baby girl Eden Marie, unless the little miss decides to come early. I am so excited I can't stand it. Kit and I both feel ready for her, so we have just been spending the last few weeks being with Ryder and just enjoying our last days as a family of three.
Ryder's awareness to his baby sister:
"Ryder, where is the baby?"
He first points to my belly, then very carefully puts his hands on my stomach, looks at me then smiles. Inevitably what follows is an immediate pull-up of my shirt and a very painful point to my belly button. This is super fun in public or with people present...
"Ryder, can you show me how you rock the baby?"
Using any stuffed animal present, he will very carefully hold the "baby" and sway side to side in a funny, jerking motion.
"Ryder, what do we do if the baby cries?"
Ryder breaks into this fake laugh that is HILARIOUS. Which we follow up with the comment, "So you are going to laugh at her pain?"
Then we try to redirect with "What about saying Sh Sh Sh Sh...?"
He then throws down the stuffed animal that has been playing the part of Eden, and gets on his haunches and puts his index finger up to his mouth and in the softest sound ever, he goes "Sh Sh Sh..."
We always praise him that he is going to be the best big brother...
"Ryder, where will the baby sleep?"
He takes our hands and walks us into the nursery and points to the crib, or he just runs down the hallway and points to her door.
We have no idea past any of that how he is processing the upcoming arrival of his sister, but we are excited to have her join the family and have her meet her big bother.
We are covering this time in prayer that it will be as smooth of a transition as we can make it for the whole family.
To commemorate this special time, we ordered this book for Ryder and Eden:
I hope that you have a wonderful February first! Isn't it great to have a month that celebrates people we love?
