Preparing to be a Big Sister

If I didn't know better, I'd say Tory has an acute case of Big Sister Nesting in preparation for baby brother's arrival. She's always loved baby dolls, but her affection for them has been in overdrive the last few weeks. Most days, Tory spends her time feeding her babies a pretend bottle (or even sharing her real food lunch with them at the table), wrapping the babies in dish towels (her favorite kind of baby blankets) and putting them to sleep by rocking them, reading them stories and using Baby Aden's real-life bouncy seat and swing.

One evening last week, my mother-in-law Janie was visiting and we played toys with Tory in her play room. Tory insisted we sit in the dark so her baby doll could sleep. She pulled one of her kid-sized chairs over to the doll's bed and read the baby a story book. Then, Tory sat calmly next to her baby's bed and patted its tummy. This went on for ten minutes or so and every time I tried to turn on the light (so were weren't sitting in the dark!), Tory shouted "No, Mommy! Baby sleeping!" Janie turned to me and said, "Look, Heather, she's imitating you. You're such a good mom to Tory" and her comment seriously made my week. I guess I never thought much about Tory imitating what I do with her everyday and how it shapes her view of the way a mommy should care for her baby.

In ECFE toddler class every week, the minute Tory spots one of the babies in the room (little siblings of her classmates), she bee-lines to their car seat carriers and begins to rock them (sometimes a bit too aggressively; thankfully the moms and dads are very patient with her "helping"). At music on Fridays, I all but bribe Tory to leave my friend Lindsey's baby alone in the stroller. Actually, I do bribe her. Lindsey usually lets Tory hold Baby Taylor afterwards if she's followed my instructions to leave the baby alone during class.

Tory has such a nurturing spirit and I think it's fantastic. I'm anxious to see her relationship with Baby Aden unfold (if not a little nervous for the adjustment period of wanting to smoother the baby with kisses and blankets, stuffed animals and whatever else she finds in her toy box). Only a few more weeks until life with a new baby at home begins for this little girl.