Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

 

I didn't share this earlier, but Ilan has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of his baby sister.  In fact, when I was newly pregnant (before I had taken the test) he said to me: "Ima, I am going to be 5 when the baby in your tummy is born."  He also announced to family several months before we had our first sonogram that he was going to be having a baby sister.  Since we've known there was an issue with her health, he has been praying that God would heal her.  He's very proud of her and he's especially excited to have so much pink around.  Sigh.  When I saw him for the first time after she was born, the first thing he said is "Ima, you can rough house now!"  Sounds familiar.

 I don't think Aitan had any clue what it meant that baby sister was in Ima's tummy, but we did have some close friends who had a baby this summer so I think he somehow understood what was happening.  He's been very curious about her, wanting to touch and hold her as much as possible.  He is on maximum security these days.  Two days ago I was in the boys room putting laundry away and Scott came in to talk to me.  All of a sudden Scott shouts "OH MY GOD!"  I look to see Aitan walking in the bedroom holding his sister.  Yeah...it took a while for my heart to stop pounding.  Fortunately he had her around her waist and he didn't drop her!!  He does love her, though and likes to call her "Miss."  He also calls her Meshama.  He didn't care much for her umbilical cord, which he calls her "belly cord."  He kept asking to see it and then would say "It's yucky.  I don't have to touch it."

 

And for the little miss, aka Nes Gadol...  She's pretty much a happy camper.  She likes her paci, she likes to nurse, she likes to sleep and sometimes we get to see those big blue eyes.  She really only cries when she's hungry, having her diaper changed or is over tired (understand that she lives in a house with some very loud boys).

Overall the adjustment has been pretty smooth.  Better than I expected.   I was so completely fatigued during the pregnancy, that a little bit of sleep deprivation doesn't seem so bad.  It's been an easier adjustment emotionally for me as well.  When Aitan was born I felt so sad about how it changed things for Ilan and I, but this time around the boys are used to sharing my attention.  I'm not a very patient person, so it feels nice to have what little patience I had back.  I'm sure the boys appreciate it, too.  We've been able to get out a few times and that feels good, too.  I think we can do this...