Timmy
has been with us for a month, yet in many ways I feel like the
adjustment process is just beginning. During the first weeks our family
was operating in triage mode, just trying to get through each moment.
Life with a newborn is an exercise in exhaustion, yet Timmy has managed
to take this stress to new levels with his intense prescribed feeding
and positioning schedule. With him starting to put on weight, we are
slowly starting to relax and try to figure out life as a family of four.
Robby's attitudes towards his little brother vacillate between adoration and annoyance. Moments of affection, like when Robby is helping to feed Timmy his bottle or reading him books, warm my heart. It is during these times that I proud of my little Koopa's adjustment and feel optimistic that the brotherly bond will grow and strengthen.
Robby bestowed his little brother with a nickname, playfully calling him Hamlet . I'm not sure how he decided upon Hamlet, but I am fairly confident it has more to do with his affinity for bacon instead of Shakespeare. Although I'm not thrilled with the choice, I figure that out of everything Robby could be calling his little brother, Hamlet is fairly benign. Besides, I have to admit that the name is beginning to stick and I find myself calling the little one Hamlet.
Unfortunately the loving gestures are often short lived and are totally dependent upon Robby's mood. The pleas to put the "annoying wailing baby on Craigslist" quickly put a damper on my feel good family moment. I patiently explained that Hamlet was here to stay and that we will not be putting him up for sale. Robby scoffed and said, "Yeah, we probably wouldn't get much money for him anyway. All he does is wahh and poop."
While watching a kid-man show on the Discovery channel a commercial aired for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. Robby's ears perked up, and he watched the commercial with an intensity that is typically reserved for turtle documentaries. After the commercial was over, he glared at me with a scowl that could cut through ice. "Momom, we should have done that if you wanted me to be a big brother so bad. We could do it for just two hours a week, and we aren't stuck with the kid. You really messed up by not calling that number first!" He then stormed outside, refusing to come in for several hours.
Obviously, the novelty of having a little brother has worn thing. I know that jealousy is a normal emotion, but it is hard to watch your child struggling to adapt. We have tried to help him adjust, constantly reminding him that he is loved and trying to be patient with his pouting spells. I wish I knew how to help him, but I know that he just needs time. In the meantime, I think we are in for a rocky summer of adjustment.
Robby's attitudes towards his little brother vacillate between adoration and annoyance. Moments of affection, like when Robby is helping to feed Timmy his bottle or reading him books, warm my heart. It is during these times that I proud of my little Koopa's adjustment and feel optimistic that the brotherly bond will grow and strengthen.
Robby bestowed his little brother with a nickname, playfully calling him Hamlet . I'm not sure how he decided upon Hamlet, but I am fairly confident it has more to do with his affinity for bacon instead of Shakespeare. Although I'm not thrilled with the choice, I figure that out of everything Robby could be calling his little brother, Hamlet is fairly benign. Besides, I have to admit that the name is beginning to stick and I find myself calling the little one Hamlet.
Unfortunately the loving gestures are often short lived and are totally dependent upon Robby's mood. The pleas to put the "annoying wailing baby on Craigslist" quickly put a damper on my feel good family moment. I patiently explained that Hamlet was here to stay and that we will not be putting him up for sale. Robby scoffed and said, "Yeah, we probably wouldn't get much money for him anyway. All he does is wahh and poop."
While watching a kid-man show on the Discovery channel a commercial aired for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. Robby's ears perked up, and he watched the commercial with an intensity that is typically reserved for turtle documentaries. After the commercial was over, he glared at me with a scowl that could cut through ice. "Momom, we should have done that if you wanted me to be a big brother so bad. We could do it for just two hours a week, and we aren't stuck with the kid. You really messed up by not calling that number first!" He then stormed outside, refusing to come in for several hours.
Obviously, the novelty of having a little brother has worn thing. I know that jealousy is a normal emotion, but it is hard to watch your child struggling to adapt. We have tried to help him adjust, constantly reminding him that he is loved and trying to be patient with his pouting spells. I wish I knew how to help him, but I know that he just needs time. In the meantime, I think we are in for a rocky summer of adjustment.
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