Attention Please

Have you heard? There's a new baby in town, and she might be disturbing the peace.

The other night was the first real time that I saw the "first child fangs" come out. I was doing the dishes (like the perfect little house wifey - HA) and Reed was playing with Owen, when Sawyer started to cry. He went over to grab her and give her attention - and in the blink of an eye Mt. Owen erupted.

When people say every child is different, they're not lying. My two babes couldn't be any more different, and yet they share a lot of the same qualities. He was a chill little baby, never making a peep. Owen could just sit in his swing or bouncy seat forever and be perfectly content. While Sawyer is also a good baby, she likes to be held. When you're not holding her, you're in trouble. She too enjoys her activity center and other things, as long as you're right there playing with her. Maybe it's a girl thing, but she enjoys being the center of attention. But for Owen, that attention needs to be on him.

It's so crazy, when I look at pictures of Owen right before Sawyer came into our lives, he looks so little. Now that he's a big brother I look at him in such a different light. He's such a big boy, and so self sufficient it makes my heart melt sometimes knowing that he's not the baby anymore. I think adding the second kid is definitely an adjustment, and it's important that you make special time for your first born. I remember literally crying while I was pregnant with Sawyer (those hormones were off the charts), thinking how could I share all of the love I have for Owen, with another child? And If I did share it, then would Owen feel as loved as the other baby? It's ridiculous to even think that way, but in the end it all works out.

My advice to anyone embarking on the beautiful journey of expanding the family, is to make an effort to plan and set aside your special time for the first little one. I bet your thinking, "Duh Summer, I was already planning on it," but let me tell you, that extra attention will slip away from you real quick. There have been special times where I will leave Sawyer with Reed, and take Owen to the grocery store with me, or even to a mommy-son date at the Dinosaur Exhibit (which by the way I thought he would LOVE, but it was a little too Jurassic Park-esque). He just feels so special knowing that he's the only child there getting all the hugs, hand holding & lovin' in the world.

While you might think that your new baby has more needs and therefore requires more attention, think again. All children have needs, they just might be different needs. I encourage you to make special time for all of them, and focus on giving your undivided attention to both of them individually. I promise your big guy or girl will warm up so much quicker to the fact that there's a new baby in town, and you'll feel so much better about sharing the love (not to mention save yourself from some major meltdowns).