Sibling Love

For months, we wondered what Piper and Fletch's reaction would be to finally meeting "Baby Brother." We'd talked to them a lot about it, but we weren't sure if it really registered with them, since they're not even 3 years old. Sure, they've been around quite a few babies at daycare, but seeing your mom and dad holding a new baby is a different story.

Late in the day that Deacon was born, Eric's parents brought Piper and Fletch to the hospital for the introduction. It was such a precious moment. They both totally got it and were so excited to meet him (okay, excited for a few minutes until they noticed all the cool stuff in the hospital room, like the sink and the huge windows with a construction site to see outside).

Piper was giddy and speechless when she saw Deacon. Fletch kept saying, "Ooooh, so cute." I think these pictures tell the whole story--it was a mixture of wonder, awe, and excitement.

Since we came home, they have (mostly) been great with Deacon. They really do love him and want to help feed him and calm him when he cries (by tickling his toes). They give him lots of hugs and kisses, and tell him all day long how cute he is. When they leave the house, they make sure to say bye to Deacon, and they give him goodnight snuggles before going up to bed. I've been very proud of how well they've done.

That's not to say there hasn't been challenges. While they haven't shown any true jealousy, they have been acting up quite a bit, especially in the afternoons when they get home. But, it's hard to tell if that's because of the change in their routines, the introduction of Deacon, or just because they're almost 3 years old, and 3-year olds aren't known for being especially well behaved. I guess time will tell.