Sugar Cookie Tends To Ginger Snap

Well, Monday night Cookie refused to go to sleep without being about to touch the baby as she drifted off to sleep. It was so precious that I let them both sleep on the bed next to each other while I waited for Michael to come home from softball. I even got some cute pictures of them side-by side fast asleep (that are too much a close-up on Ginger for me to post here).

This week Cookie has been very loving to the baby. She's wanted to hold the bottle for her to eat, and when one of us is feeding the baby on our lap, she likes to crawl up on our lap too so she can be right there as well. She tries endlessly to put the pacifier in the baby's mouth if she is cranky. She pets the baby's hair and rubs her little arms and legs. She even tries to climb into the baby's carrier - right on top of her (which we don't allow, obviously, but seeing her try to get that close is just too adorable).

Cookie loves supervising Ginger's diaper changes when done on the bed so she can watch. She gets up close and "inspects" like a scientist and watches our every move.

We've talked to Cookie a lot about the baby, and that she is not our baby, but only here with us for a while. We tell her that she is our daughter, and that the baby is not. We have told her a lot more these past days how much we love her, how proud we are of her, and how glad we are that she is ours and no one will ever take her away from us. Oddly enough, she seems to understand enough tidbits to have gotten over some jealousy she displayed on Monday night (which resulted in a major crying "meltdown"). Clearly, this is a big change in the household - and one that Cookie doesn't understand fully. There's a baby. She takes away mommy or daddy quite often. She is fascinating, but a source of great concern for her as well.

Last night, when Cookie saw Ginger laying in the crib, she walked over and saw that her Pooh bear was in the crib. This particular pooh bear has a head that lights up and plays soothing tunes when you press it's tummy. Cookie got it from her grandparents when she was 11 months old and loves it to this day. I thought for sure she was going to whine about it being with the baby, or try to take it out of the crib. But, no. Instead, she reached into the crib, pressed pooh's tummy and just stood back and watched the baby enjoy it. I almost cried. She's so loving.

This morning I was feeding Ginger her morning bottle while she was propped up on a pillow on the bed. Cookie grabbed her sippy cup of juice and proceeded to lay her head down right next to the baby so that they were laying right next to each other having their breakfast.

The reality is that the two girls together are an exhausting challenge. Still, I feel we made the right decision. She's an excellent baby so far, and sleeps as well as can be expected for 8 weeks. She a lovely little thing.

Tomorrow afternoon is the family team meeting. I bought Ginger a special 4th of July outfit to wear. I hope her mommy is willing to work hard and work fast. This is no stage of a child's life to miss. Michael and I are seeing her first emergent smiles. Her mommy should be seeing these. I sure hope the system works - your prayers for the team meeting on Friday are greatly appreciated!