The decision to have a baby was easy. The decision to have another child was hard. I would happily have 12 babies - but you have to think about all the other kids, the family, raising all of them, and how they are all affected. All of these other factors had kept me from having another baby for a few years and helped me make my decision that we were "done". But the decision to have another child ended up happening BECAUSE of these 4 kids. I feel like it will be good for them and is going to be a great part of their character and shape who they are as teenagers and adults. However, this will only happen if I help nurture in them a sense of family, love, unity, responsibility, and confidence. I wanted them to be able and confident to take care of Dane - so from the very first week I taught them very methodically how to hold, walk with, bring downstairs, get out of crib and car seat, feed, dress, undress, change diapers, and soothe.
I didn't want anything forced, I wanted it to be happy and out of their own desire and at their own pace. (becasue of this only Megan has taken on the challenge of learning to change his diaper). They don't fight over him much (they fight the most about who gets to sit next to him in the car). But they all like to hold him and help take care of him and all have a unique relationship with him. They all play with him a little differently and he responds to each one differently.
Noah really wants to make him laugh and smile. He imitates Jason a lot in the things he sees Jason do with him. Noah really likes babies and toddlers and really loves to make them happy. Dane isn't reacting to any of that stuff yet - but we can tell he is close! Once Dane starts smiling and cooing Noah will be thrilled!
Brock is our biggest surprise. Brock has never loved young children and babies. He just doesn't really notice them or react to them. I assumed he wouldn't be that interested and I needed to be careful to not put too much responsibility on Brock becasue I didn't want him to resent the fact that a new baby just meant more work or responsibility. If Brock were an 11 year old girl I would have trusted "her" to do anything with the new baby - but I didn't think Brock would want to do most things. He sure did surprise us. He has been so cute with Dane. He even talks is a sweet little baby voice when he talks to him, and HE wants to be the one to be in charge and take responsibility for Dane. He really likes to soothe Dane when he is upset. He holds him very gently and is very soft with him and just walks laps around the house until Dane falls asleep. Brock is very proud of the fact that he can get Dane to sleep. Dane probably "likes" Brock the most - just because Brock holds him with the most confidence.
I was making dinner and Brock was just talking to Dane (this is when he is like 5 days old). This was the first time Brock had ever really noticed or talked to any baby - It was the cutest and made my heart just swell.
Brock caught me taking a picture of him.
And then there are these girls... who want to be mothers to this child. Since the day he came home they have wanted to stand with him, walk with him, and change his clothes. I told them they could do all those things - but it would just take time and they needed to be patient. Once they were confident and able in one thing I would teach them the next. This is both of their first times standing with him.
Dane has been a pure joy in our house. The kids have been, beyond my wildest dreams, wonderful. They are so understanding of my time and attention to Dane and do jobs and tasks with out complaining. We had the most boring winter break but no one even noticed or cared. We were just in baby heaven for those 2 weeks. Now we are on day 3 of them back at school and I desperately miss my helpers! Can't I just keep one of them home each day?! They have also been AWESOME about getting up and getting ready each morning by themselves while I feed Dane or keep sleeping (Jason also helps keep them on track while he gets ready for work).
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