Siblings: September

These were taken very last minute yesterday but I have a good reason, right? Last week the girls finally met their baby brother! I honestly didn’t think the day would ever come and yet here we are, a week later and it feels like he has always been a part of our family. He has slotted in so well, adapting to our routines and being a dream baby all in all. I’m not saying there haven’t been moments of pure exhaustion and times where I’ve panicked that I can’t do this – but compared to the girls he is just so chilled!

I think the girls felt as though he would never arrive – I’ve been pregnant a third of LJ’s life so it must have felt like an eternity! Even when I made it to my due date I would say ‘baby will be here soon’ and they would look at me as if I was mad – it must have just been such an abstract idea for them, even with G having been through it all before.

His arrival wasn’t the best timing in the world, with G starting school in the same week. But, I was thankful that I was able to take her on her first day- I had been so anxious that I would miss it. She was my very first baby and I didn’t want to let her down. I have wondered if that was the reason for such a long pre-labour, that my brain was holding me back. It ties in as it all ramped up that evening, it was as if my body could finally relax knowing I had fulfilled my duty to her.

With a new baby brother and starting school, G has been a little unsettled and it hasn’t been the easiest thing to watch. She’s not been horrendous but it has just been little things, acting out, being rude and generally being the opposite to my sweet little girl I am used to. I don’t want either of them to feel pushed out so I have done my best to include them in the process – to help get their brother get dressed, to fetch me muslins and baby wipes etc.. and it seems to have improved the situation.

We are all finding our feet still and I imagine it will take a good few weeks for the girls to settle and get used to having another sibling around, but a week in and I think we are doing pretty well. The main thing is they absolutely adore him! LJ is very maternal towards him, wanting cuddles all the time and G is taking on a very protective role, overseeing LJ and everything she does when he is around. He is very lucky to have such caring sisters, I cannot wait to see how their relationships will change over the months and years to come. 🙂