Jocelyn the Big Sister

I had been *very* nervous about bringing a baby home and how Jocelyn would react to it. I did not think that she would like her baby brother. I mean, let's face it, Jocelyn enjoys the spotlight (I wonder where she gets that from) and I didn't think she would want to share it.

Well, when we brought her to the hospital, she was definitely confused and concerned, but she definitely, well, noticed Donovan. She usually doesn't notice babies (just their toys, which she wants), but this one she did. She didn't understand why mommy was at the hospital, and why she had to stay with babysitters (thank goodness we got grandma out here quickly!), and who this new baby was. But once she met him, she ignored him. We had treats for her in the hospital room (pudding, cookies, etc.) and Donovan got her a present - an Elmo doll (which is her new best friend, right up there with lamb and Pooh Bear).

When we came home without Donovan, Jocelyn seemed very pleased to see us, and act4ed as though she missed us. When we left the next day for most of the day, she said good bye to us like it was no big deal (as if we were going to work or something... it was that time of day). But when we came home a few hours later with a baby, things changed a bit.

The details are a bit fuzzy, but my recollection is that she mostly ignored him at first, and me. But eventually she warmed up. When Donovan would cry, Jocelyn would mock cry in response (she still does). And that first day, we told Jocelyn that a fuzzy brown and blue blanket was for her baby brother, she brought it to him and now always brings it to him when he is without it.

I think that by Tuesday (the second day he was home), Jocelyn started to express an interest. We would ask her where Donovan's different body parts were, and she would point to them (it's a game we play with her and our bodies). So that was sweet how she included Donovan in her game by pointing to his feet, nose, hands, hair, etc. That night she even kissed his forehead before going to bed.

Every day has gotten better. She shows Donovan her toys, always brings his blanket (and sometimes other blankets) so he can stay warm, she has offered him her juice, and she kisses him goodbye before heading to daycare. She's a good girl. He sleeps a lot, so she often looks in on him, almost as if she's asking him to wake up. It's very sweet.

Of course, I am nervous about how she will react when Grandma leaves. Now she always has somebody paying attention to her. There are three adults and two babies. Once it's two on two, there will be times when Mike and I both need to do something with the baby (or with Jocelyn) and the other will need to entertain themselves for a minute or two. Donovan will be easy - we will bathe Jocelyn while he is napping, for example, if it times out that way. And if it doesn't, we'll drag the bouncy chair in to the bathroom so he can hang out with us while she is bathing. But Jocelyn will be trickier, even though she is old enough to entertain herself. She is also smart enough to climb on all of the things she is not allowed to climb on when we are tied up with the baby (as she has already demonstrated). But we'll survive. People do.