Kaz over at I Hate Snaps recently blogged about his daughters assertions that she wanted to be a baby again. While Amy hasn’t ever exhibited the associated levels of distress that Kaz describes, it’s certainly been a trying time at the Hughes household.
You can tell when an attack of “I’m a baby” is imminent. Her jaw goes slack and she develops a vacant look in her eyes (this is usually the point when random passer-bys comment on how much she looks like her father). She starts talking in a barely comprehensible mutter and pretends she has no power in her arms and legs.
Fairly predictably she starts behaving this way whenever she feels Evan is beginning to dominate our attention too much. If he is crying she pretends to cry, if we are feeding him she demands we feed her too, and if we are playing with him she wants in on the action. This acting out isn’t exactly a surprise, and is also completely understandable. She’s gone from headliner status to having to share double billing, never an easy transition to make.
Our appreciation of her feelings doesn’t make her behavior any less frustrating however. The last thing you want when your seven month old son has just projectile vomited over you is your three year old daughter demanding that you change her imaginary nappy.
We’ve been handling the situation with a equal mix of ignoring, reasoning and humoring her and things seem to be getting a bit better.
I must point out that in most respects Amy has been a wonderful sibling and has coped with the change remarkably. She obviously relishes her role as big sister and Evan hero worships her. She is rarely anything but kind to him, even if she can get little too rough at times. She’s always keen to fetch and carry and help out in his care, and has an uncanny knack for keeping her little brother amused even in his grouchiest moods. Both Evan and ourselves are lucky to have her.
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go pretend to spoon feed my daughter.
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Dude – this isn’t a very reassuring story … our second one hasn’t come yet! :)
… and thanks for the “shout out” as the kids today (or, at least, the kids 10 years ago) say.