Sibling Bliss

In February 2004 Babe and I found out we would be welcoming Baby #2 in early November. I was ecstatic because this baby was my life's mission after miscarrying the October before. That was my initial reaction anyway. When the dust settled I was thrilled at the idea that Jay, who turned three that February, would get to be a big sister just like I was to my younger sister. I imagined the day Baby #2 would arrive and how happy Jay would be to finally see the elusive baby we kept talking about throughout the pregnancy. There was much preparation to be had if I really wanted Jay to be all smiles upon meeting her baby 'brudder', so this became my life's mission!

Over the nine months we spent waiting and growing Nas, I read all kinds of magazines about bringing Baby #2 into the picture without leaving Baby #1 on the fringe. No way did I want my Jay to feel replaced because that simply was impossible to do! But without any effort on our part I knew it could get ugly. So after reading "make the baby HERS and she'll feel like she's the doting Big Sister" I decided this was ingenious, especially because Jay was already a little mama and would love being little mama to Nas. It worked like a charm! Although I must say she seemed a bit apprehensive about his arrival that late October afternoon, it wore off pretty quickly.

Fast-forward to today. If you have more than one child you know better than most that siblings have their moments. I don't know if they get tired of looking at each other, need more supplements of some sort, or just want to drive the parental units crazy, but more than one child is a recipe for plenty of arguments. That being said, they also have some really good times together. This is what I was shooting for when we decided we could go for Baby #2 - sibling bliss.

Nas is in his last year of preschool, therefore navigating the ins and outs of how kids treat each other and how he should react when he feels mistreated by friends. Jay is his best friend - hands down, his big sister is his go-to-girl when he needs to talk. So typically after homework is done and snacks have been chowed the kids will end up in the playroom together. One day when I walked past I overheard Nas telling Jay all about his day, the good, the bad and the ugly. (Side note: When I asked him how his day was all I got was, "Fine." Go figure.) I smiled when I heard him dish because if I'm not his confidante somebody needs to be and because "Sissy" is on my side (wink) I am pretty sure she'll come to me when need be - at least at this point.

They were playmates when Nas would sit in his high chair and Jay would make him laugh like no one else could. I know that when Mommy isn't with them, Jay is sure to take on the role ensuring Nas is safe and behaving the way he is expected to. I also know that if Nas needs anything and Sissy is the 'mommy figure' he will go to her first. Jay loves being the big sister and takes full advantage of her title, and she's darn good at it too! They stay up late on weekends, sleeping in the same room, laughing and talking, shushing each other when they hear a parent's footsteps nearby. And the laughter that fills our home when the kids get on a roll is just what I signed up for when we decided two kids sounded doable.

Two sets of clothes with the change of each season: $200; Ibuprofen for the headaches caused by Wii arguments: $7; Movie tickets for two kids: $18; The blissful bond shared between a sister and a brother: Priceless.