But are our boys ready?? Sam, you've been giving us a pretty hard time lately. As much as I love that you're breaking away from being Jasper's little shadow, you've definitely driven us more than a little nuts these past few months. Potty training was a major feat to say the least. And we're still working on that. In fact, just last weekend, we caught you in the backyard, relieving yourself (unfortunately not #1), but we just didn't have the heart to correct you because you were so proud of your big "accomplishment." Our laughter quickly turned into frustration when you put your hand in it. Just awesome. At least we were able to send you off to summer camp without diapers. You got Camper of the Week your first week there! We still need to work on sharing, and you still want everything that Brother has. You're obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and you still call them "inja" turtles. One minute, you're telling Daddy how much you love him, and the next, you're telling him he's a bad daddy because he asked you to put your shoes away. You still call me a princess and you know that the baby is a princess too. You love Skittles--they're your favorite. You only eat the sprinkles off the donut, and the icing off the cinnamon roll. You take FOREVER to eat anything. You keep Jasper up late just about every night because you can't stop talking and playing, even after we've corrected you over and over again. As a result, you wake up grumpy each morning. Your facial expressions are hilarious. You've become adventurous and much more independent, which scares us a bit. You don't need to hold my hand, but when I ask to, you don't seem to mind. You love running around the house naked. When it comes to correcting and disciplining you, Daddy and I work very hard at maintaining patience with you because that's the only approach that works for you. You challenge us to be better parents. You're still a fantastic cuddler and you love touching my belly.
I just hope this new baby doesn't disrupt your world too much. I hope that you know you're still my baby, just as Jasper knew. I hope that you're as happy as we are to add her to our chaotic-yet-content family. I hope that you don't ever feel less special than you are. I hope that you continue to come into your own because I just love that silly personality of yours. I've read articles about the middle child, and I've listened to advice on how to be inclusive of my other children when bringing home a new baby. But nothing can really prepare me for what's going to happen because I just don't know how you will react to it all. But Sam, just know that a mother's love is never divided. It's multiplied. I love you more today than yesterday, and when we become a family of three, I'll love you even more for the new big brother you'll be.
We've known for six months that we're having a girl, and I still can't believe it. I'm going through the motions, decorating her room with more yellow and pink. I even made her yellow curtains with bows. But as much as I've always wanted and even expected a girl, I still can't mentally grasp it. Then again, I never dreamed of having three kids--til I met the right person to have them with. I cannot wait for Jeremy to have a daughter, and to see his heart melt a little differently this time around. I imagine that she'll have bows in her hair, and dinosaurs and trucks in her hands. I know she'll fit in just fine with her two amazing brothers.
Yep. I think we're ready.
