Round two...
I know I've been through this before, but I must admit - I'm starting to get anxious.
Now that I'm in my third trimester, I've been thinking a lot about the baby's arrival.
Some of my concerns are probably a little silly...
Will my water break at an inconvenient location - like work or church?
How long will I be in labor this time around?
And how are we all going to fit in our house?
But then there are bigger issues ...
Will our baby be healthy?
Will the baby reach full term?
Will we ever agree on a name for our little guy?
And of course, one of my greatest concerns...
What is Tyler going to think about all of this?
I've been trying to talk to Tyler about his little brother and the fact that there's a baby in mommy's belly. This week, for the first time, it seemed like he understood. When I said, "There's a baby in there - your little brother is in there" as I pointed to my stomach - he began to gently rub my tummy. Then he laid his head on my tummy and kissed it. But once he got up..he gave my stomach a nice slap...OUCH! So much for tender moments!
I talked with Tyler's pediatrician about my concerns....
Her advice was to make sure when Tyler comes to the hospital to meet his new brother -- not to have the baby in the room with me and Todd. Instead, she suggested when Tyler arrives we should all walk to the nursery together to get "our" new baby. And of course... have some small gifts for him -- so he won't resent the baby for getting all the presents.
I also read in a parenting magazine that if you must decide between responding to your newborn's cry and your toddler's cry. Respond to your toddler first. Your baby won't hold the tears against you...your toddler might.
I thought it was all good advice. But I still wonder how it's going to turn out.
If you've got any suggestions on how to make the transition easier for baby number one -- I sure would appreciate hearing from you.
Or tell me what concerns you had during your pregnancy or as your raise your children.
*Update> By the way, I've gained almost four pounds since I first told you about me "weight" dilemma!