Final preparations

When I was pregnant with my first daughter H, I had a friend that was due a couple of weeks after my due date of 26th May.  On ANZAC Day (April 25) she text to announce the birth of her darling son Bob. I initially thought the text was a joke because it was so unexpected and early!  What it did do was send me into a tail spin about the reality of the fact your baby could come at any time. I was only 35 weeks at that time but my nursery had been set up for weeks, my bag for the hospital was packed and in the boot, the baby capsule was all strapped in and the birth plan was written out and distributed to hubby and midwife. (Fat lot of good that did...but that's next weeks post!). So even though she gave me a fright with her son arriving early, I was already well and truly ready and prepared for my big day by then anyway.

Third time around has been a different story, I have actually been putting things off!  I don't know why, laziness/tiredness/busy-ness or perhaps it's just me avoiding the fact that things are about to change in a big way, yet again for our whānau.  But over the weekend I decided to attempt to get some of the final preparations underway.

I have now set up the nursery room as best as possible.  My cot and change table are being returned to me soon, but I have a bassinet all all made up with clean linen, all the wraps, blankets and feeding cloths have been washed and put away and I have even taken out all the neutral baby clothes I own, washed them and put them in the drawers ready for bubs.  I was given a couple of big bags of boys clothes from a friend who returned to Canada and couldn't take them with her so they are in the closet and can be pulled out if it's a boy, just as all my left over pink girls clothes are cleaned and in a container ready to go in the drawers if it's another girl.  I even have boxes of nappies and wipes ready for action.  What more do I need really?  Boobs, nappies and a bassinet seem to be the only essentials I can think of?

H on the left and B on the right, kissing the baby before bathtime

One key part of my life I am trying to prepare this time around that I haven't had to consider before is my 2 darling daughters.  H turned 4 in the weekend and B is 2 1/2.  They are both super excited about the baby and talk about how it is coming in June and whether they think it will be a boy or a girl-it changes daily!  They kiss my tummy and talk to the baby all the time, B even tried to tip some juice down my belly button the other day so the baby could have a drink.  They both seem to be pretty positive about it all and thankfully due to a couple of aunties who have had babies recently, are quite savvy about newborns and how to treat a baby.  All I am doing is talking lots to them about the baby and what to expect but I'm not sure how they will react once it arrives.  I'm quietly confident that H will be besotted with the baby and a huge help to her Māmā.  I am also just as confident that her little sister B will be the complete opposite. She is a classic 2nd child, just like her Mum BUT I refuse to write her off yet and she could surprise us all.  In saying that, I will not be leaving her alone in the room with the baby for any amount of time!

The truth is, I don't know what the best way is to prepare young children for a new sibling and I don't know if you can adequately prepare ANYONE, (myself included) let alone toddlers, but any advice from those with a few kids to your name would be welcome!