Playing Big Sister

We're trying to prepare the twins for their new sibling. It's been a bit of a challenge because they're at that age where they are at the cusp of understanding. They understand things at a very superficial and literal level. They have head knowledge that they are going to get a sibling. But I'm almost certain they have no comprehension of how their lives would change irrevocably.

Anyway, part of how we're getting them ready is to talk about how they will be involved with the baby. It's easier with Jordan. She falls naturally into the more nurturing role between the two of them. She likes babies, she wants to console them when they cry and she can stand and watch them, riveted for lengths of time. Evan, while he likes babies too, sees them as toys. He is however, terrified of himself as a baby, bursting into tears every time he chances upon a video of him as an infant. He will then, pitifully and tearfully, while sobbing, tell us that he doesn't like Mommy carrying a baby. I have my work cut out for me with him.

I know some feminists out there would be extremely disapproving that I bought Jordan a little baby doll at a garage sale. Well, I had fun with mine and I don't see why she should be deprived. Plus I thought it would be a good introduction to how she can care for her own life sized baby doll coming early next year. It's a bit of both a hit and a miss with her. She likes her baby doll sometimes and will rock it to sleep. Other times, she'll just toss it by the side of her bed and not look at it for days. Yesterday, I bought her some milk bottles. The type that when you tip over, the milk disappears magically into the cover and when you put it right side up again, the milk flows back out.

Both Evan and Jordan were more fascinated by the bottle more than feeding the doll milk initially. But Jordan soon got into it and was seen trying to position Baby Doll on her lap, the way I cradle her when she's all manja (re: extremely affectionate and clingy) and feeding the doll.



















At the same time, she was trying to keep her doll's eyes open by sticking her fingers into the doll's eyes as it lay down. This comes from me constantly telling her that she must finish her milk before she falls asleep (lest the milk cause all her teeth to rot out of her little mouth!) She hasn't yet figured that all you need to do is to sit the doll up a little bit and the eyes would be open.

We've bought gifts for them that are supposed to be from their new sibling. I think the adjustment will be difficult. Evan already feels neglected when Jordan is in one of her moods and Jordan gets upset and tells her brother to go to his father when he tries to lay on my lap ala her. Everyone tells me that it's better because they do have one another and they do grow up and mature when the next sibling troops along. Whatever it is, I'm not looking forward to having to play mediator in the change of dynamics that is to be upon us soon.



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