confessions

Before Lily was born, Joel and I gave every.single.second to watching/playing with/talking to Oliver.  He loved it, we loved it.  So, when I was pregnant with Lily, I started worrying about how unfortunate it was that she wouldn't get that one-on-one time with us.  

I talked with a mom at church about this, soon after Lily was born, about how badly I felt that she wasn't getting ALL the attention that Oliver got--and the mom assured me--"It can be a really good thing!  They learn from their siblings!"  I hadn't thought of that before!  And you know what?  It's proved to be totally true.  

Lily is really fortunate.  She's learned early how to stand up for herself, how to say "no!", and has developed some 'street smarts' a little sooner than Oliver did...   But she also has a wonderful playmate around almost all the time, has a peer to talk to and share a room with, and has learned firsthand how fun school and AWANA (our children's Wednesday church program) really are.  She is READY to go to both!  (But needs to wait another year...)  Instead of having a smaller vocabulary--she talks as much as HE does! 

Seeing all of this, I am thrilled to add a third child to our family.  I love that, although more people can also equal  "more conflict"--it also equals more peers, more laughter, more opportunities to grow, more silliness, and more FUN!   I can't wait to see how Lily and Oliver take to their new little brother.  From their interactions with other little babies recently, I know they'll be super helpers.  And what a good thing it is for all of us to learn how to love, to live with and to care for other people--NOT just ourselves!

BRING ON THE BABY!  :-)