Sticker

One night my daughter had a sticker. She told me that she wanted to give the baby the sticker. Then she put the sticker down my shirt so the baby could have the sticker.

So thoughtful.

I Want To See

My daughter will sometimes ask, "Want to see baby in your tummy."

I explain she can't see the baby yet. But she insists I lift my shirt so she can see my belly.

Mommy's Milk

My two year old was worried that the baby would try to drink her juice or her milk.  I told her that the baby would be too little. First she would drink Mommy's milk.  That's all I told her. I never told her where Mommy's milk was.

One day we were playing one of her favorite games where we pretend to sleep on the bed. Out of the blue, she puts her head towards my breasts and says, "I drink your water."

I gently pushed her head away in shock.

A few weeks later at church I was cradling her and she tried again. I moved her head down and she pretended to drink milk from my stomach!  

Oh boy! 

Toys and clothes for the baby

I've started packing up some of the baby toys and clothes that are too small for my 2 year old. So now when she sees some clothes that are too small for her she says they are hers. I tell her they are too small for her and now they are for Baby Abbi.  She'll point to the dresser and say, "My clothes," I say, "Yes." Then she points to the box of clothes and says, "Baby Abbi's clothes" and I say, "yes." 

She has lots of dolls and stuffed animals that used to be mine.  Now when she says they are hers, I tell her, "No, that is mine, I am sharing with you. You can play with it." So when the baby comes along, she will know those were mine, not hers, and we are sharing with Abbigail. Also, hopefully, it will inspire her to share her toys with her little sister.

She also knows that there is a box of toys that are for the baby. They are too young for her to play with so I took them away now so that when I give them to the baby, hopefully, she won't get upset.

Advantages of a younger sibling

My 2 year old and I were cleaning the playroom.  I told her to put all the animals in the boat.

Toddler: No, baby do it.
Me: You want Baby Abbi to do it?
Toddler: Yeah.
Me: She can't, she's still in Mommy's tummy and she didn't make the mess, you did.

So, she already sees the advantages of being an older sister.

Wow!

At dinner, my husband and I were discussing a date we had been on.

Husband: Was that before we were married or after?
Me: I think it was after we were married.
Toddler: No! You married.
Me: Yes, we are married.
Looking at her dad she said: You put baby in Mommy's tummy.
Me (shocked): Yes he did.

Where did she learn that? We are not that frank with our 2 year old.

What's the baby's name?

Before we knew the gender of our baby we would ask our daughter, "What is the baby's name?" She would answer, "Baby in Mommy's tummy."

First Teacher

This pregnancy is different than my last because I have a toddler at home, who has her own adorable and funny things to say about mommy being pregnant. I am still a teacher and though she is my daughter, I am her teacher too, because a parent is a child's first teacher.