Big Brother Already

Obviously Eli was not old enough to be excited about or involved in the preparations for Maddux's birth. Since he wasn't yet two, the best I could get out of him was an identification of 'bee-bee' when he pointed to my large stomach. This time around though, he obviously gets it. And even though he was initially disappointed to learn that his newest sibling will be a girl, his excitement has remained since we first told the kids the news.

Now that I'm showing, he's reminded daily of her impending arrival, and he often pats or rubs my tummy and says something about the baby. Last week the kicks that I've been feeling for some time became big enough for others to see and feel as well. Eli was the first person to be able to feel her kick - he has been sure to tell others about this.

The absolute coolest thing so far happened this morning. The kids didn't have school today, so we spent some time this morning filling out the new baby book. Both kids were very involved in this and enjoyed giving me 'answers' to the blanks in the book. After we finished, Eli gave me his huge grin and said, "Mommy, I'm going to go to the store and buy something for the baby when she's born. I'll probably get Grandma Cathie to take me since you'll be with the baby, so maybe she can take me to Target and I'll use my own money and get the baby a stuffed animal or blanket. Or maybe monkey pajamas."

Be still my heart.

How awesome is he. And he even included the part about ELI being the one to pay for it, as we've often discussed this regarding gifts and how spending your own time or money on a gift makes it more special than spending Mommy or Daddy's money. Life is good.