Siblings: October

Well I don’t actually know where the time has gone? You do realise it is almost December right? Part of me is excited by that fact but then the other part of me is so sad that my baby boy is growing up so quickly. He is 5 weeks old already and this is the second Siblings post he has been a part of, just crazy!

As a family we have adjusted to him being here but I am not so sure about the girls specifically. It isn’t that there is any resentment or anything like that, more that their behaviour is a little less ‘like them’ than I’d like. I feel bad even saying it really as actually they are still so well behaved and anyone else would think I was mad for even suggesting that they are anything but. The thing is, you know your own kids don’t you? And I know that they are out of sorts at the moment.

In true ‘middle child’ style, Lils is the one who is showing the greatest change. My heart breaks for her really as I just don’t know what I can do to make it all ok. She has been so tearful lately and almost reverting back to a baby-like state at times. She is due to start pre-school in January and I am just so unsure as to whether that is the right decision for her- something I will write about another time I think.

Her behaviour is impacting on her relationship with Gracie and the two of them seem to fight more often than not now. It makes me so sad to see them like it, one crying and the other looking at me to see how I will react. I don’t even know how to react half the time as I know that they are both dealing with changes beyond their control.

It isn’t all bad though, there are the times of sweetness and affection between them and I need to remind myself that those are the times that will come back again once everything has settled down. Someone said to me the other day that it takes 3 months for siblings to adjust, so we have a way to go yet.

So besides the shift in the girls’ relationship, there is the growing bond between them and their brother. I think the novelty of having a newborn has worn off a little now as they don’t ask to hold him every minute of the day thank goodness. Instead though, they are fiercely protective over him and the moment he gives so much of a whimper they are there, offering him a dummy or letting me know that ‘baby wants booby mummy’ haha!

I know that once everything has settled down, that when it isn’t all so new, it will all be ok. For now though, I am going to carry on keeping the peace and try my best to make sure everyone feels as valued as everyone else.

These photos were taken last weekend when we went to a local farm to go apple picking. We’ve not spent much time ‘just us’ and so we braved the cold and rain to get out of the house. Thankfully it stopped raining by the time we got there and we enjoyed some fresh air (as fresh as you can get when the orchard is next to a pig sty! Ha!