Precious Preparations

We have been busy bees getting things ready for Maddox Christopher to arrive (scheduled induction at 6am on Feb. 8th).  I have been trying to finish projects and cleaning around the house....knowing time for such things will not exist for a while.  I have scheduled Maddox's newborn portrait session....so excited for that!  Evan and I went ahead and took our Mommy & Me swim class because I will not be able to get in the pool with him for quite some time.  We turned our office/craft room downstairs next to my bedroom into a temporary nursery...this turned out much nicer and "finished" looking that I had envisioned.  I ordered and have the cutest "Biggest Brother", "Big Brother", and "Baby Brother" t-shirts ready for the boys to wear when they meet.  I have Maddox's sweet outfit purchased, monogrammed, washed, and packed.  We have the infant car seat washed, installed, and inspected.  The boys took the Big Brother class at Brookwood Medical Center.  They have Maddox's gift to give him when he is born (his sweet lil' lovey).  Maddox has done his shopping so he can give Brady and Evan their big brother gifts when he meets them in the hospital.  We have so many things ready for him that now we are all just ready to meet him, hold him, love on him!

I have wondered how Evan will react to a little baby in our home, how he will react to his Mommy being so needed by someone other than him.  He is a lot younger than Brady was when he was born.  He will be just shy of 21 months when Maddox is born (Brady was just shy of 3 years old) and, as we all know, we are all different.  I have an idea how Brady will react because we have done this before (although things can always be different this time) but I have had no idea how Evan will react or how much he understands or will understand.  I feel like I have gotten some glimpse of it lately..not sure if this is a taste of how he will be or just wishful thinking but he has a real interest in babies...real and dolls.  Whenever there is a baby doll around...at our Moms' Club Christmas party, at MiMi & PopPop's house, at other friends' houses...he goes to it and holds it and loves on it, saying "baby, baby".  A couple of weeks ago, we were at story time at Whole Foods with our friends Alli, Eli, and Shephard Nations.  I held Shephard (about 7 months old) for Alli and Evan was watching me.  I purposely held him close, snuggling on him, loving on him to see how Evan would react.  Would he notice?  Would he get jealous?  Would he care?  He was SO SWEET!!!! He watched me hug on him and patted his leg and his little feet so sweetly and just continued to sweetly say "Baby, Baby".  He leaned in to hug him.  It was so sweet.  I was so happy to see this hoping that this is how he will respond to Maddox. 

Then just this past week, we were at Chick-fil-A and in the play area again with the Nations and her sister Melissa and her kiddos.  There was two babies that day for him to notice - or not - both Shepard and John Whitten.  He noticed and was enthralled and "in love" with both of them.  It was so cute to watch.  So in less than 2 days, I will get to see first hand how my sweet Evan responds to being a Big Brother. 

I still have a hard time with this notion, my sweet little baby is a "Big Brother"..that just doesn't seem right...it seems WAY too soon, too young, too early....he is still my baby!! I hope the adjustment is not too hard for Evan, but I also hope this adjustment is not too hard for Mommy...I do not want to miss out on this sweet age and stage with my Evan.  I want to enjoy Evan, not mourn his babyhood.

I am praying hard for a smooth transition for us all.