Getting Good Practice

After just an hour watching Johnathan James, I know two things about how it will be when Ethan is born. First: my boys make excellent, loving big brothers. They both are very gentle, give lots of loves, and want to help with everything. In fact, I can hardly reach the baby on my own lap with four extra hands trying to contribute!

And second: I will be VERY busy. Not with the extra work a baby requires, but with trying to keep the baby from the well meaning hands of the older boys (Nick, in particular.) Nick likes to share everything with the baby; his juice, toys, sleeping space, etc. So far, Nick has tried pouring juice on Johns head, bury him in hard toys (not the soft plush ones, but the hard plastic ones), and climb into the pack-n-play bassinet. This he actually manages to do (it was sitting up against the couch). Thankfully, I was holding John at the time. Otherwise, we would have had a squashed baby! Nick is much too big for the bassinet, but he wanted to participate in every baby "activity". I hope he doesn't get too jealous when Ethan is born. Nick likes to climb up on my lap when I am holding John, and he will wrap his arm around the baby and give him loves. He is very gentle. Of course, with one baby on my lap, one baby in my tummy, and a toddler all trying to share my lap....well, you can imagine how comfortable I am!
I gave each of the boys an opportunity to hold John....for practice, of course. Here is Joey holding John. He does pretty good. It reminds me of when Joey first held Nick in the hospital. I think my mamma's heart burst with love and pride at that time.
Here is my precious Bug holding his first baby! I can't wait to see him hold Ethan. You can see the owie under Nick's nose. The other day, Nick was playing "peek-a-boo" under a blanket and was walking towards me. He stepped on the blanket which caused him to trip and smash his face right on the edge of the coffee table. It was so awful...his nose started gushing immediately. By the time I got his nose flow stemmed, I noticed he busted his upper lip. It swelled up, right in the middle, and he looked like he had a beak-mouth for the rest of the day. It was so sore for the next few days. But the owie under his nose didn't show up until the next day. The best way I can describe it, is that the blanket gave him a really bad rug burn when he fell. I think it will take quite awhile for it to heal. He is still pretty sensitive about it...he doesn't even like to get his faced wiped off.

Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend. Be blessed.