Big Siblings

Before I post about Christmas and all the happenings of the holiday, I want to share some sweet big sibling experiences. All of our kids adore and love Carter. Not a day goes by where one or all of them beg to hold and love on this little guy. Some days he is so content being in the arms of his older siblings, and other times, I think he's just had it with them.

When we brought Carter home, it was pretty chaotic. I felt as if I didn't get to really see my kids much and that I was some what isolated, especially from Mason. His school schedule didn't help.

Tuesday, Dec. 6 was our first day home, and I slept through Mason leaving for school, Shawn's parents and sister's family leaving and Emma leaving for school. Paige still wasn't feeling very well, and she got up to go the bathroom and didn't get up for the day until around noon. By then I had already been on the phone because my spinal headache returned and my Dr. told me I needed to come back to the hospital and have the spinal patch done again. Something I didn't want to do again, but really didn't have a good other option. I spent the next hour of so trying to arrange a place for the kids to go, and then I was on the phone with Mason's teacher, Emma's teacher and Mason's bus assistant. By the time we had the kids all figured out and Carter was fed, it was around 3 before we got to the hospital. With the spinal patch, I had some pretty restrictive rules to follow. NO bending, lifting and turning. That also meant no lifting Carter out of his bed. On top of my restrictions, we also had Carter on the bilirubin lights and I couldn't do anything to help with that either. My restrictions lasted for 72 hours. Shawn had to return to work on Wednesday, so I called the Relief Society and asked for help while Shawn was at work. I would try and sleep in the afternoon after I fed Carter, and would usually be asleep when the kids came home from school. I felt like I missed out on any interaction the kids had with Carter, but I was not in a place that I could change that.

The sisters who came to help were awesome, and very helpful. I felt pretty helpless not being able to move, but no one complained at anything I needed, and Carter and the kids were taken care of.

It wasn't until Saturday December 10 that I felt like I got to have any time with Mason. It was only a week since Carter was born, but it felt so much longer. I laid Carter down on the floor and Mason came and sat down next to him. He told Carter that he was his best pal and then tried to tickle him. It was so priceless to see him talking to and interacting with Carter. He then asked Carter why he was wearing pajama's and wanted to get him dressed (even though he was dressed). Mason then tried playing peek a boo and thought that Carter liked it.

Paige has tried to be Carter's little Mama. She doesn't like holding him when he's crying, but his crying doesn't seem to bother her either. She's always wanting to hold him, sing to him and play with him. I am sure that if he didn't cry ever, she'd never let me have him.

The evening my Mom came, our meals that were being brought in stopped. I didn't request any meals after the 14 because my mom would be here to help and I was feeling really good to just do it myself. So I started working on dinner, and then Carter woke up. I fed him, burped him, changed his pants (which he hates) and then when he was happy, I asked Emma if she could hold him and talk to him so I could make dinner. I was busy in the kitchen, and noticed that the girls were very quiet on the couch with Carter. I wasn't alarmed, but interested in what they were doing. I found Emma reading her school book to Carter and Paige was there listening in. It was priceless. Emma is such a huge help when she wants to be, and I am so proud of her when she shows that unconditional love for her younger siblings.

Paige is always trying to be a big help also. She's always trying to cover Carter up and keep him warm and she's always trying to get him to hold her hand. Some day, he'll not be so patient with her.

I am so thankful that the transition from 3 to 4 kids has been a gentle ride. I have had some bumps in the road, but the kids have been helpful and loving in ways I couldn't have imagined. I am so thankful for all the help I have received from Shawn, my kids, my mom, the sister's in our ward and from my friend Melina. I am so blessed to have my life filled with such awesome people.