Siblings

All throughout my pregnancy I talked to Virginia about being a big sister. At first she wanted a big sister. But once we established that that wasn't going to happen she seemed okay with getting a little sibling. Then she seemed to show a distinct preference for getting a girl baby.

I would ask her, "What should we name the baby if it is a girl?"

She would say, "Sassafras."

Then I would ask, "What if it is a boy baby?"

She would say, "It not a boy."

Well, then it was a boy. But, you know, Virginia came home from day care the day Horatio was born, walked up to him and said, "My liddle brudder?" And never mentioned having a sister again. She wasn't disappointed at all.

I feel like we have been charmed with how well she has continued to react towards Horatio. Having a new baby in the house is hard and it does create extra tension sometimes, but Virginia only gets mad at her parents, never her brother. And the most "rivalry" she has displayed is asking someone to, "Put 'Ratio down." because she wants that person to play with her instead. As long as there are multiple adults around (and Horatio isn't nursing) we actually try to do this because, why not? Virginia needs lots of love and attention, too!

Recently Virginia has started trying to help take care of Horatio more. She talks to him and shows him toys during tummy time. She loves stroking his head and "holding" him. She "reads" him books and sings to him. She asks to have him look at her and declares, "I luff him!"

Last night in the car Horatio had had enough after a long evening. Virginia started consoling him, "I know, Boy-o." Then she sang to him and when John and I started trying to help talk to him she insisted, "No! I talk to Boy-o."

I know it won't always be like this. Some day they will fight over toys and probably lots of other things. But today there is sibling harmony.