When big brother meets new baby
What happens when a big brother meets new baby sister? Today's Monday Consult is an in-the-trenches report from guest blogger Oren Miller -- also known as A Blogger and a Father -- whose new baby girl arrived just about a week ago:
On Thursday morning, we drove to St. Joseph Hospital. My wife had to get a bunch of shots and transfusions and then lie down and wait for doctors to open up her belly. I had to make sure the battery for the camera was full. I brought the charger just in case. Always the extra mile with me, you know?
Once the surgery was over and everything was fine, we were ready to face the difficult issue of our two-year-old son. Being a stay-at-home dad, I felt my boy has gotten used to having a doting, loving, quick-to-respond, I-was-his-and-he-was-mine father. And everything has been going so well. And everything was going to change.
A couple of hours later, the boy was brought over to visit his sister. Remember all those times we pointed at Mommy's belly and said, "Baby sister?" or "Baby Madeline?" Well, here she was! She wasn't in Mommy's belly anymore! She was here, ready for you to kiss her and love her and--
One look at his sister sleeping in the bassinet, and the boy ran for the door, screaming, "Granny's house! Granny's house!"
We've ruined everything... Our boy hated his sister. He hated his mother. And he hated his father. He's been betrayed. We've failed him. What were we thinking?!...
But we still had the REAL test. After all, he must have been tired. And he was shocked by the whole experience, probably. And let's face it, Granny's house WAS fun. No, the real test was going to be our boy's reaction to seeing his baby sister at home.
The day came.
He climbed the stairs, each step making it harder for us to hide our anxiety. He was getting close. He was there.
And there she was, swaddled and asleep. Boring. What was going to happen? Was he going to run back downstairs to Granny? Was he going to ignore his sister, run to the TV, and scream "Wonder Pets"? Was he going to try to hit the intruder? Were we going to see his disappointment, his anger, his mistrust? Were we about to witness our own failure?
Or was it all going to be okay after all?
(Photos courtesy of Oren Miller)
Comments
What a timely post. We are headed to St. Joe's next Monday to bring a new baby into our 2 year old son's life.
Thanks. You give me hope. :-)
Posted by: Charlotte | April 5, 2010 8:29 AM
This brings back memories. Our older son was 7 when he first saw his long-awaited baby brother through the window at the hospital. First he said, "He's cute." Then "I think he should stay here until he's four."
Posted by: Dahlink | April 5, 2010 5:11 PM
just wait. pretty soon the baby will be old enough to co-write a song with her brother entitled "Somebody tooted and we think it was Mommy." And for the record, it was the cat.
Posted by: Kayris | April 5, 2010 9:16 PM
This certainly brings back memories... our two are 20 months apart and it was a magical moment when they met for the first time. Our boy is the oldest as well. He is a good brother and takes care of her... He even speaks for her sometimes.. It's very cute.
Posted by: Colby Brister | April 5, 2010 10:27 PM
Charlotte, good luck (and congratulations). Say hi to all the nurses (apart from the mean one. SHE KNOWS WHO SHE IS.)
Dahlink, to be honest, even though my boy now loves his sister, I'm not sure he knows she's here to stay. Things might change...
Kayris, it didn't smell like the cat.
Posted by: BloggerFather | April 6, 2010 12:04 AM
Colby, right now the boy is a little too loving. Protecting him from our Pit Bulls was nothing compared to protecting her from her brother.
Posted by: BloggerFather | April 6, 2010 12:49 PM
I loved this and what a precious moment to capture!
We had a present for our three year old that the "baby" gave to him. That seemed to work for us! :)
Posted by: Shelle-BloThoughts | April 6, 2010 5:20 PM
My husband was 9 when his little brother was born. After the delivery, he was called in to meet his little brother. He went in the room, looked at him and then ran out into the hallway and threw up.
It's been more than 20 years, but the family still loves to tell that story. And I don't blame them!
Posted by: SarahKK | April 6, 2010 6:21 PM
Shelle-BloThoughts, thank you!
SarahKK, sibling rivalry can't start early enough.
Posted by: BloggerFather | April 8, 2010 1:16 PM