For those with older kids...

[Jennifer H]

How are they reacting to your pregnancy now that you are starting to show more, feel more movement, etc? How old are they?

Lars (5 years old) has been excited about having a new baby since before this one was conceived! We were a bit worried because he kept insisting that we would have a girl and could not be dissuaded! Now that I am showing he asks me everyday if today is the day the baby is coming! Last week he said that we should start calling her Kiersten and not "the baby". He also tells me regularly that "when the baby comes we have to be very careful about picking up these tiny toys." And he's announced that he will help with everything except poopy diapers.:LOL

Dane (2.5 years old) has gone back and forth from kissing my belly and talking about baby girl and calls her Kiki since he can't say Kiersten to insisting that there is NO baby and that, "Dane baby!" pointing to his chest and then snuggling into my lap. Not exactly sure how he will react once she is actually here!

[gigismom]

my dd (4.5 y) is very excited about the baby. She loves to kiss my belly and talk to the baby..."I love you, baby" "Come on, kick and say hi to your new big sister" Once, I was talking to her about all of the fun we will have together once I am SAHM again (I work a few days a week now). She said, "But Mom, when the baby is born, I will be busy with the baby!!" Well, excuse me...:LOL

At the same time, she is a bit distressed about being the "big" sister. We try not to use this word with her but inevitably others do. We use"older" sister instead. She asked the other day if her clothes will still fit when the baby is born and if she will still be 4 years old when the baby is born.... I can just reassure her that she will be little for a long time and that she will always be my little girl no matter how "big" she gets. (and yes her clothes will still fit after July 3:LOL )

She is also a bit annoyed about the difficulty she and I have with cuddling on the couch these days....then again so is Dh...

Jen

[ChildoftheMoon]

My 4.5 year old dd is very excited and convinced this baby will be another girl (we don't know the sex). She is already talking about the next baby after this one!

My 2.5 year old dd goes back and forth. Some times she is talking to my belly and reading baby stories, while other times she just seems frustrated that she is running out of room on my lap and that her ma-milk is gone. She is going through a very clingy stage right now, which is difficult. For the last few of our sleeping hours she insists that I wrap my arms completely around her and we sleep this way. Needless to say I have not been sleeping well. She is at my side all day, which of course I love, but her insistance of pay attention directly to her at all times is a bit trying. I am just trying to be calm and not worry about when the baby comes, in regards to how she will react. I expect her to have some difficulties but who know she may surprise me. She talks about being excited about the baby, because that is when I will have lots of ma-milk again.

Brandi

[majazama]

My baby likes to blow raspberries on my belly :love She will also hug my belly sometimes, and go awwwww. SHe has been bringing me her baby dolls to nurse as well. I think she knows what's going to happen (in a way). She's just 16 months old right now. She will be 19 months when the baby is born.

[Threefold]

My 3y3m ds is mostly excited, and loves to rub my belly and ask waht his baby is saying now. He also has plans for how he will "gently carry the baby to my bed if she wants to sleep there", and he will hold the baby, not me or Daddy, etc. But he also has moments where he says that he doens't want a baby and does not want to share me or Daddy or "bobo" (his word for my breasts). So he seems to grasp that having a baby will change things.
I have moments too when I feel so sad for this time alone with ds to end. I know I'll fall madly in love with the baby (even more!) when she is born, but I am mourning the loss of this time with my ds. Anybody else feeling this?

[Michelle Leigh]

dd (4) has been requesting a little sister a long time. When I was having so much morning sickness, we didn't want to tell her I was pregnant... didn't want her to associate a new baby with illness. One day out the clear blue she asked dh, "Is mom going to have a little sister?"

She still really wants a little sister, but I think's this is a boy. ?? But yesterday she told a lady, "If it's a girl or boy, either way, we'll take what we get." :eek Where'd that come from? Funny how wise little children are.

She's been telling people, "My mom's pregnant. If she has a girl, we'll name her a girl name. If she has a boy, we'll name her a boy name."

A long while ago when I told her that the baby would nurse, she said she wouldn't like that very much... I was surprised since she nursed since she was 17 mos. When we take baths together, she loves to pat my breasts & ask questions about the nipples, areole, etc. She asked if I could give her some milk. I told her I'd squeeze some out for her to taste. She asked dh if he'd like to taste it, too. He said he'd pass.:LOL

She's planning to be in the water with me at birth. I think it'll be a cool experience for her--esp. bonding with the baby.

She asks a lot of questions... about changing the diaper, bathing the baby, etc. She talks about the baby a lot & often feels the baby --esp. in the morning & at night. She loves to give the baby a "massage" by rubbing body balm on my ab.

I think she'll be fine. I asked her the other day how she felt about it. We learned that a friend is also having a baby bro/sis. She announced, "How's Quincy's mom gonna take care of 3 little kids?! That's a lot to take care of." She said, "We'll be just fine. I'll help."

It'll be interesting to observe.

I had a session with an intuitive counselor the other day who advised that I make sure dd doesn't misconstrue anything... that she understand what I'm doing with the baby, etc. after the arrival.

I'm feeling like I want to get really organized with routines with dd right now & contemplate routines for later so that everything will be smooth when the baby comes.

Has anybody read any books about this? I once saw a lady talking about this on the today show... long before I was a mom, so I didn't put it into my memory bank. She'd worked & was becoming a stay-at-home mom & created routines that worked well for her...

Dd will be 4 years 9 months when the birth occurs. I'm so glad to have had this amount of time with her. She's definitely been blessed with lots of love & attention & care & quality time...

A new chapter is soon to begin.