Alex and Ellie

Ellie has been home for over a week now, and we've been slowly readjusting our daily routine. It's very much a time of change, especially for Alex. Many have asked if he has been jealous and I think its been quite the opposite. So far I would describe him as being curiously affectionate, helpful, and proud of his little sister whom he calls "Ahh-Lee".

• Yesterday, instead of calling out for mom and dad for his milk, he came downstairs with a little stuffed doll at the end of his outstretched arm saying "Bay-bee Ahh-lee!!".
  

• When Ellie starts to cry during the day he will quickly run over to her playpen and peek over the edge to see what's wrong. Since he's still can't reach to get a full view, he will run to the other end of the room to return with one of his kiddie chairs so he can step up and take a look. Upon seeing Ellie, he will turn around, look to mommy or daddy and proclaim "MILK! MILK!".
  
• 'When we brought Ellie to Alex's daycare for the first time to visit everyone, he quickly ran up to Ellie's side in her carrier with a gleaming smile. When asked who she was, he proudly exclaimed "Bay-bee!!" And when all the other kids came running to see the baby Alex was right there in the front holding the car seat with both arms making sure he had the best view :)
• When Ellie is on the sofa or lying on her mat he will climb up to sit next to her or lie down by her side. Sometimes he puts his arm around her, and one time he tried to "read" a book to her.
  

We all know that kids can change quickly so perhaps next week will be a different story, but so far so good. When Nicole was pregnant we made an effort to talk a lot about the baby in "Mummy's Tummy", Ellie's arrival was far from a surprise to him. We would even walk or sit around the house holding one of Nicole's Baby Cabbage Patch kids named "Baby Jason" so Alex would get used to seeing Mom and Dad holding a "baby". One of the more interesting ideas we got (thanks WT!) was to have the new baby give their older sibling a gift when they are born so they feel special. When Ellie "gave" Alex his present "Portable mini-book set" the first time they met at the hospital, he let out a beaming smile, and for the rest of the day he was proudly calling her name while he carried his book-set under his arm. Clearly first impressions mean a lot!!