Big Sister All Star

When you are having a second child, you never know how the older sibling to be will react.  Cara was not quite two and a half when Brianna was born really understand what was happening or how her life was about the change.  I expected jealously and anger, hoped she wouldn’t hit or bite and would at least tolerate her new sister.  Now that Bri has arrived, I am filled with joy and pride as I watch them interact; Cara is such a good big sister.
 

The day we brought Bri home from the hospital Cara couldn’t wait to hold her.  We had been in the hospital for a week and she had seen Bri and touched her, but never held her.  You could see on her face how happy and proud she was to be a big sister when she looked down at her in her arms.  It only lasted a few moments before she lost interest and wanted to go play, but it was beautiful.  When we had to change Bri’s diaper, she went racing up the stairs.  Kevin looked at me and said, “Ten bucks she comes down with the wipes.”  Sure enough, a few minutes later there she proudly held the wipes she had carried down the stairs to help us with the diaper change.

We haven’t been completely devoid of jealously issues.  There have been moments when she thought life would be better if I would just put Bri ‘there’ as she pointed to the crib or swing so that I could be free to play with her. But if that is the worst of it, we are doing pretty good.

Every night she gives Bri a hug and a kiss before going to bed.  When Bri is sad she stops everything to tell her she will be okay and pat her on the head (gently of course).  She is Bri’s personal paci gopher and is an excellent interpreter of Bri’s cries, translating to me that Bri is hungry and needs milk.   She gives Bri toys to play when she is doing her tummy time and is my assistant when I give Bri a bath (she is in charge of the legs and the tummy).

I am sure they will fight as the grow up, I would wonder if they didn’t.  But right now, I look at Cara with so much pride at what a kind and generous person she is becoming.