No one has asked what Noah thinks of all this but I’m gonna tell y’all anyway! He reads this blog some days (mostly looking for cute Madison stories and checking to see if I am not giving too much away about him) and I’ll ask him to read this time, too.
I told him about the new baby before Pennie told Madison in part because I had to tell someone and he was standing there. (Well, sitting — at his school computer, which you can see in the pic from inauguration day.) He said, “Really? Wow!” and he got pretty excited.
He’s long argued that any sibling of Madison’s will also be a sibling of his regardless of biology or legalities and Pennie, happily, agrees with this. Since he isn’t interested in having any more kids moved in here, he was counting on Pennie to help cement his big brother status. All the prestige with none of the bother! That’s how he sees it.
He’s sympathetic to how it must feel for Madison because he remembers how he felt about new babies before we had one. Noah’s famous line was uttered at about two. Someone asked him, “How would you like a new baby at your house?” and he replied, “One house, one baby! Dat’s gonna be it, dat’s all!”
He never wanted a sibling; he told our social worker he didn’t want a new sibling. Up until he met Madison, he wouldn’t budge on this. But right away he fell in love with her. Not that it was an easy transition — he’d been contentedly on his own for seven years when she showed up. Occasionally he would lament the good old days and he tested me a lot that first year trying to trick me into saying I loved him best and always would.
(I would say, “I love you the best of all boys and I love Madison the best of all girls” and he one time he smirked, “You got lucky with that!” meaning that if we’d gotten a boy I’d be floundering.)
I can count on Noah. He helps normalize stuff for Madison all the time and he’s generally good at offering her sympathy — trips to the dentist, staying somewhere without mommy, getting a skinned knee washed out — he’s a veteran and being that he was one of those ultra-sensitive kids who needed tons and tons and tons of processing and discussion (“and then I’m going to wash the boo-boo out with a washcloth very very gently and the washcloth is warm and I will just press it very gently…”) he’s extraordinarily patient.
Today at lunch he casually asked Madison if she was hoping for a boy or a girl (boy) and what kind of names she thought would be good (Lola, which is the name of Pennie’s dog or Harriet or Tommy) and what she would do with the baby (big sister things). He also brought up the things Madison will be able to teach the baby to do. Like dance, for example, since he’s happy to take credit for teaching Madison to dance.
He’s a good big brother as evidenced by his mad tea party skillz.
(there’s another version of this pic on my facebook that is also pretty darn cute)
Possibly related posts:
He is indeed the most useful of all big brothers in the entire history of big brothers. Way better than my big brother anyway.
“One house, one baby! Dat’s gonna be it, dat’s all!”
Made me laugh out loud!
It takes a very special kind of big brother to play tea party with his little sister. What a great memory to have captured on film! I guess saying “captured on film” is outdated now huh?
Love that boy of yours…and how he’s helping her process the whole thing in a very safe way.
You have truly amazing kids
THIS is a great man in the making.
I did wonder what Noah said in response to the “I have jealousy about it” comment, but this is even more interesting. Noah sounds fab.
Noah is one smart guy. Both your kids are smart.
FWIW, Sunshine looooooves Moonbeam’s siblings. (Well okay honestly she loves Rain–Little Guy is too little yet to be very interesting. But she and Rain are absolutely friends.)
Jake used to play tea party with Molly-only he had to play out the “Do you want some tea Mrs Nesbitt?” routine from toy story and it always made Molly cry! I am laughing so hard right now! It’s nice that Noah doesn’t do that to Maddie!
Oh, I swear…it’s mind blowing what a good brother he is. Mind blowing.
I just have to ask, is Pennie married now?
It’s great that Noah is such a smart kid.
Bet you just can’t imagine life without him.;)
He’s an amazing big brother and it’s so obvious how much he’s Madison’s hero. With him in her corner, it’s all the more obvious how she’s got so many people rooting for her, that she’ll be OK with all of this. Not untouched, but ultimately OK.
Hey Cindy, No Pennie isn’t married but she is in a committed relationship.
Noah’s a darling kid. I hope my sons turn out like him as they grow. That statement of his at two? Wow, that was precocious and cool. He knew what he wanted and didn’t want, right?
How wonderful for Madison to have such a wise older brother. I hope Liam can be as helpful to Kaely if/when we have to announce a coming addition.
And scary, for Madison (and you) – I’ve seen a similar situation a few times in step families, where a child is suddenly going to have a half-sibling and wonders if that child will replace them in their step-parent’s heart (including when the step-parent has been their only parent of that gender), and hopes it will be a different gender to them. (did that make sense?). Exciting too though…