Thursday, April 7, 2011

siblings

Getting their diapies changed.
Shortly before I had Ezra I came across a blog in which the mother of two children was giving advice to parents who were going to have 2 under 2.  PERFECT post for me at the time!
(can't find the blog or that post for the life of me, sorry)
She gave lots of great ideas and advice.  I've thought about many of the things she mentioned several times since reading her post. 
One thing she said really stood out in my mind more than anything else though: 

"Don't feel sorry for your first child when everything changes, a sibling is the greatest gift you will ever give them."
 
 I remember feeling this overwhelming reassurance when I read that sentence.
At the time, I was feeling sad and a bit stressed thinking about how having another baby would change Cambria's life.
It was never going to be just the three of us again. 
How was I going to make her feel special? How would I love her and another baby in the same way and as much?
After reading that post it all clicked. 
I wasn't hurting Cambria or taking anything away from her by having another baby, I was giving her something (or someone!) so awesome and special. 
I LOVE all three of my sisters and LOVE being from a "larger" family, by today's standards of course. 
I've always felt sad for people who were the only child in their family because for me, almost all of my childhood memories involve my sisters. 
My sisters are my best friends and I can't imagine not having them in my life.
Of course your parents will always love you unconditionally, but if you have siblings who share this same unconditional love, you are fortunate.
I hope Cambria and Ezra always love and support each other unconditionally. 
There will be times when they will fight and hit each other and make the other one cry, but I hope that through it all, they remain close throughout life and never take each other for granted.
Having Ezra barge into her life was definitely an adjustment for Cambria, but she's adjusted well and seems to have nothing but love for her brother. 
After all, she's really not ever going to remember life without him :)
I wish I could thank the woman who wrote that post for helping me realize all this. 
Ezra 6 weeks, Cambria 20 months.
Since having two children I've also come to the realization that two just isn't enough...

5 comments:

  1. Love this post Brandie! So true! You were my Ezra :)

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  2. it's true. she won't remember what life was like without him. that's a good thing i think. because if she were like 8 when you had him things would be different.

    most of my good memories are with meredith. and since i'm the youngest, she taught me how to do things and how not to do things. and even though i followed by example, if she messed up i knew not to do what she did.

    and since they're close in age, they'll be in the same school together. that helps too. if meredith hadn't been there first i wouldn't have made half the friends i have now. she helped me a lot.

    i'm sure cambria will do the same for ezra.

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  3. I was the big sister, when Paul came into my life (I was 27 months old), and I have to say, Paul and I have a relationship quite unique from what we have with our other siblings. Obviously we all love and value each other very much, but by the time the other boys were becoming little people, we were old enough to have other friends. Paul and I literally were each other's best friend for many of those early things, and I think it has given us HUGE soft spots for each other. Nothing gets me emotional as quickly as Paul when he needs support or is upset. And I've told you about the time he cried when I was a senior, right? At our church? We had adult men bawling. The big sis and second child/brother is something I know and have a particularly wonderful admiration of. I can only imagine (and expect!) that Cam and Ezra will share the same very special bond.

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  4. And two is not enough! I LOVE the LOVE in a big family too! Cannot imagine my life without it.

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  5. Look at those sweet babies! Siblings are a great gift!

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