Preparing a Big Brother

Ty is so excited to be a big brother!  He's old enough to understand that there's a baby in Mommy's belly, and when I'm not feeling well he says "is the baby making you sick Mommy?".  He's young enough, however, so that he doesn't tell randoms I'm pregnant, or friends we aren't ready to tell our news to. He is very excited to help.  We are obviously a little concerned about the transition, and how he might react to a new addition.  As my mom told me she felt when she was pregnant with my brother, I worry I won't love the second one as much as my little prince.  But as my mom also said...love is endless...and we will!  We have decided to do our very best to help our little man be ready for the new addition by doing the following:

1.  We plan to sign him up for sibling classes at the hospital to prepare him for the baby & the hospital setting
2.  I want to get him a doll to have him practice on.  Mike isn't too "keen" on this idea, but you know I'll win:)
3.  We have a few "Big Brother" books that we try to read to him often.  Here are two of my personal favorites to read!

4.  We lay in bed at bedtime and talk to him about the baby..
5.  We constantly show him pictures when he was a baby.  Here's a throwback :)

I read somewhere that if siblings see their own baby pictures they can understand they were our baby once, and it can help them understand it's now this baby's turn.   

Hopefully he'll be ready...and out of pull-ups :)  Hopefully we'll be ready too (gulp!).  Having two is pretty scary.  It's all I ever wanted when going through our IF struggles, and I'm elated to have the chance to be a Mommy of two.  But...it doesn't mean that I'm not apprehensive that I'll be able to do it...and do it well.  But I do know this...Ty's going to be a great big brother!