So that leaves me to tonight's post. Tonight my kids and I were watching The Rugrats Movie, which brought back a bit of nostalgia from my earlier years. I loved that cartoon growing up, and it was cute to see the characters I once watched on TV *star* in a full-length film. The general concept of the movie was there's a new baby on the scene (in the movie, it's a brother...but we're not telling you if our life will imitate art in this case!), and the older brother (along with his friends) are quite taken aback by his presence. I left the kids in the living room to make some dinner for us, but heard them chattering while I cooked. The conversation went something along the lines of this:
Brynn: Gavin, is dat the baby brudder?
Gavin: yeah, they have a new baby and he cries a lot.
Brynn: mommy has a baby in her bewy.
Gavin: I know this, Brynn.
Brynn: it's a baby gi-waffe
Gavin: no, it's just a regular baby, not a giraffe. Mommies can't have giraffes.
Brynn: I fink it's a gi-waffe.
Gavin: whatever, Brynn. The baby will come in April and you'll see it's not a giraffe.
Brynn: I fink it will cry 'wah, wah, wah'
Gavin: I hope not, Brynn. That will be really loud for my ears.
I was smiling as I listened to this interaction for several reasons: a.) I love the little conversations that my kids have with one another--it reminds me that they're little people, with their own opinions (more on this later), b.) Brynn's pronounciation of her words cracks me up, c.) Gavin's rationalization and dismissal of her random thoughts is adorable (i.e. 'whatever, Brynn'), and d.) Brynn is convinced that we're having a baby giraffe. This fact of course, is based on the fact that she's 2 1/2 with a steel-trap memory. I asked her one day if she thought it was a boy or a girl, and she said girl, then boy. I joked that it wasn't a boy nor a girl, but a giraffe...and it stuck. So, we're now calling 'baby', 'giraffe' (well, at least Brynn is)
As I was cooking and listening to my kids, I replayed their conversation, only this time my smiles started to give way to the realization that this whole baby thing is really happening. Of course, I know it's happening each time 'giraffe' kicks me or wakes me at 4:30 am to pee; but the whole concept of 'baby' in our household is taking shape as we enter into 2011.
See, April sounds far off...but really, it's not. I just got my '24 week' email from The Bump, and am reading that giraffe is now the shape of a papaya (of course if it's a Conley, we know that it's a papaya with REALLY long legs!). We're just about into the third trimester, the last trimester, and then before you know it, we'll have a new member of the family, a crying member of the family, a member of the family who will require a lot of mommy (and daddy's) attention, which will take away from Gav and B...the latter of whom requires a TON of attention!.
Randy reminds me all the time when I say "we are going to have three kids", that I was the one who thought of this idea. He was totally content with playing man-to-man defense, rather than having to play zone defense, but the thought of three was far more thrilling to me, and what can I say...happy wife, happy life ;)
I'm watching and listening to my two 'little people' however, and am realizing that parts of this movie could potentially ring true in our household, for we never know what this little giraffe has in store for us. My mom (of three) has told me 'by the time the third one comes along, they have no choice but to go with the flow'...which I'm hoping is the case. But there's that transition part. That introduction part where we are getting to know who this new little person is and they are trying desperately to figure out what the hell happened to the quiet, peaceful little life that they once led inside my belly (I know, my grammar...'they' does not mean 2 babies as both my brother and Gavin have questioned!). These thoughts swirled around as I watched the scene in the movie where Tommy, the older brother, is overcome with jealousy as his mommy and daddy spend all their time consoling a crying baby brother. Tommy is hiding in the closet of the nursery and sings his own rendition of the lullaby he just heard his parents sing, only changing the words to suit his own needs: "Baby, please, rest your head. Now it is time for bed. Please stop. Don't you see ? I want mom and dad for me." *Thank goodness Randy wasn't home at the time...I was teary-eyed and he wouldn't have let me live that one down.*
Yes, we are beyond thrilled about the excitement of a new little life...and yes, I'm emotional, hormonal, and well, pregnant...so my thoughts are scattered (moreso than normal), and swing is all directions, all the time (my poor husband!). It's reconfiguration of family dynamic that is exciting, anxiety-causing, and overwhelming at times. When Brynn was born, Gavin was just 22 months...still a 'baby' in a sense (especially in the whole diaper-sense!). He wasn't quite able to verbalize any of the opinions that he had about his new little sister. He might have acted out a few more times than normal, but overall he was really cool with it. Easy going, and just chill (thank you, Randy, for providing that gene!). But now, instead of a toddler with very little input into family changes...we will have a 3 year old (who is VERY opininated), and a just-about-five-year-old, who is not quite as opinionated as his sister, but still tells us how he's feeling. Often. Yikes.
I know we'll make it work. I know that we'll have our times of trial, tribulation, exhaustion, tears, and jealousy. I know we'll make it work. I know our family will be happy, will be complete. I know we'll make it work. Even if we have a giraffe. ;)
Sending love...from baby giraffe!
Yea, a bump picture!
ReplyDeleteBeing old enough to remember you when "little" bro J was born, my own #3 bro, and just having #3 myself, I totally get what you are saying. :)
Hugs!