Gifted sister

Today Sophia has referred, several times, to herself as "the baby." We were in the bathroom at Target, and she wanted me to put her on the changing table. Then I brought home an infant car seat (passed along to me by a kind family, bringing the number of baby items we have on hand for this child up to...one. I am a moron.), and she spent the evening buckling herself into said car seat, demanding a blanket, and even babbling classic baby talk.

More than a few people have mentioned that this new baby will be...how do they put it?...challenging for Sophia. Or "a big change." I keep insisting that I believe she'll be fine, and I do. She is, after all, an intensely social little girl, and what is this baby except another person? Sophia LOVES people. She loves to talk to them and make them smile and take their stuff and bug them and talk to them some more. So yes, ultimately, I do believe she is going to adjust to this baby just fine.

That doesn't mean she won't suffer some adjustment period. After all, adding to your family is sort of like throwing all the cards up in the air. You don't know where everything's going to fall for a while. And while I think the concept is oversold, it is hard for the baby to move out of the baby spot.

However, I did not quite expect her to start dealing with her angst quite so soon. This little person (whom we call "Zyggy" for "zygote" even though s/he's technically a fetus now) is barely the size of a lime. Zyggy's not touching her stuff. And yet here we are, with a great big girl climbing up in my lap and petulantly announcing that SHE is the baby and ga ga goo goo.

You know what this means, right?

She's clearly gifted.

Comments

[Tenessa]

My daughter was not yet two when her baby brother was born. I thought it was going to be an issue because she was so good at being the baby of the family. It turns out that she decided her baby brother was indeed HER baby and would sometimes almost fight me for the right to take care of him. It didn't take her long at all to go from being the best baby in the family to the best big sister.

My oldest would be happy if we continued to have babies every couple of years. He loves being a big brother. :)

[Pam]

She is ABSOLUTELY gifted!

[Sheryl]

When I gave birth to Haley, she arrived with a gift for Emily, a stuffed cat which is still beloved to this day, and I think made the transition a lot easier. I also posted a sign on the door that let visitors know if Emily was there, I'd appreciate it if they'd talk to her first, before ooing and aahing over the baby. Sophia's basically like a first born child, because the boys are so much older. I'm sure she'll love her new baby though.

[Mir]

Well of COURSE she's gifted. And gorgeous, too, though I love the expression on her face in that picture. "THESE ROSETTES ARE CRAMPING MY STYLE."

[Emma]

Congratulations!! What a surprise to come back from holidays and read that you are pregnant, especially since I had the same surprise discovery about myself - a self I thought near-menopausal and definitely no longer fertile - while I was away! I'll be nearly 43 when the baby is born (barring that scary m-word) and have a couple of older children already (though not the same difference as yours)... since you are a few weeks ahead of me, I'm counting on you for a heads up on all the things I've forgotten. ;)

[Pamela L]

Congratulations - and, yes, Sophia is gifted and beautiful!

[venturigroup.it]

Good bringing up a child is among the greatest presents
that you could give your child to prepare them for their life ahead.

If your toddler acts up and desires all occasions to center around her, she must understand
endurance and the power to wait for her turn.
Time-outs may be effective when toddlers are being persistent or self-centered because it
eliminates them from being the center of attention.