Surprise, Surprise

Only a few weeks after the central Illinois move, Aaron and I became pregnant.  The plan was to have our second baby during the second year of residency in 2017.  Baby number two laughed in the face of that.  Baby was extremely active in the womb.  Sleep was scarce.  Months later, the sonogram and sonographer indicated that baby was a boy; the plan was to name him Henry Daniel.  Henry because it's classy and Daniel for my uncle.  Baby laughed at this and arrived a girl: Esme. During her first 10-1/2 months of post-womb life, she slept through the night for two consecutive, deceiving weeks.  Based on her womb activity, I should have known.  It was quite a struggle.

Now, Esme is 18 months old, into everything, thoughtful (perhaps calculating is a more accurate term) and sweet.  As my mom says, "she bounces along her day."  She is starting to understand concepts and is more likely to parallel play with Charlie - which he loves at some moments and hates at others because she needs more practice with sharing and taking turns.  Esme does get a bit frustrated that she can't do all the same "school" activities that Charlie does; she feels jipped if the activity is similar and not the same as his.  She loves her brother and, I think, will be the leader of our offspring.  Tantrums are emerging but are fairly scarce for now.  She is quick to hug and give kisses on the cheek.  Esme loves being held by anyone - she doesn't know a stranger. Her favorite books include Madeline Loves Animals, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, an anthology of Thomas and Friends books, and The Little Blue Truck. 

The week before Thanksgiving, the kids started room sharing in preparation for baby three.  Esme moved to Charlie's room, the larger of the two rooms.  They are handling it well.  It was harder for Esme, but she adapted within two or three days. If she had slept through the night before we moved to northern Illinois, I think we would have started them room sharing immediately. Charlie and Esme are really enjoying it.

Aaron and I are not certain how Esme will react to a new baby in the house.  She's quite attached to me and may find it difficult to share even more.  Esme is loving with her baby dolls, kissing, feeding, swaddling, and putting them to bed.  Our hope is that all of the love for her dolls is an indication of her impending reaction to baby three.