Sister, Sister

Having three kids in the past three and a half years is a bit crazy. Part of my thinking on this was closeness in age might help them get along with each other. Time might just prove me quite wrong on that experiment, but with Claire and Macy only 19 months apart, I didn't want #3 to be so left out just due to her age.

I fully expected Macy to react very negatively at Piper's arrival. Granted, Piper just joined us less than a week and a half ago, but I am THRILLED at the girls' reaction to and treatment of Piper.

When Macy was born, Claire was apathetic to the whole situation. Quite seriously, she was more interested in the helium balloon she and Ga-Ma brought to the hospital. She would want to hold her for about 10 seconds and pretend to eat her the whole time. Then, Claire would push her off her lap.

So, this time around I expected that apathy from Macy. I thought Claire would like Piper at first, but I thought the excitement would go away pretty quickly.

Imagine my elation when, with me all hopped up on just-had-a-baby-hormones, Claire and Macy came to meet Piper and were just enamoured with her. Macy burst in and exclaimed, "she's beautiful!". (Comic sidebar, Macy did keep telling people Piper was a boy, though...) The nurse commented that they were both big sisters now, and Claire and Macy simultaneously thrust both arms in the air for the universal symbol for BIG.

Claire wants to hold Piper for as long as we will let her. I even folded laundry while Claire held her! Any peep out of Piper elicits an "it's ok, baby" from Macy. If Piper isn't being held or worn, the girls are very concerned about where she is. They comment about how soft her hair is. They are sharing my new baby bliss. I am even being careful to give them attention (or probably more honestly, have Bob give them lots of attention).

I was holding Piper putting Macy to sleep, and Macy wanted me to lay next to her. I had Piper between us, and Macy fell asleep. I couldn't believe she didn't feel slighted. And, Piper is a replica of Macy as an infant so it was pretty funny to check out their similarities while they slept.

I know this won't last, but I am just pretty pumped to have given them all something I didn't have - a sister!

In the very least, I can read this and laugh at my naivete while they spend the next 15 years bickering...