Phones

I will try to post more about other things like Christmas later but I thought this was funny so I figured I should put it in now.

I was just sitting here at the table across from Lilly who is still eating breakfast. I had to make a phone call to our insurance company to make sure they pay for Grant's recent birth and all involved. To avoid using minutes on my cell phone I decided to use out recently acquired land line which we never use, but got the number out of my cell phone. Lilly asked to "use" my cell phone so I handed it to her.
I noticed as I was making the call she had the cell phone up to her ear and was watching me very closely. Every thing I did whether it was nodding or talking with my hands she would do. Then when I ended the call by pushing the hang up button on the phone and laid it on the table, I looked across the table and she pulled the phone away from her head pushed a button and laid it on the table.
I think I kids learn tons more from what they see us do than what we tell them. So much for do what I say not what I do!

On a side note, everything is squared away with the insurance. Just have to pay a $100 deductible and the rest is covered! Can't complain about that.

Triple D

As anyone with kids knows, the birth of a child definitely brings change to ones life. In my expert opinion it is good change. That is not to say less sleep or constant poopy diapers is a good thing but taken in the big picture, it is all good.

It is different with a second child though. You have all the new things that come with a new baby. Even though you have experienced it before you would be surprised how much you forget from one child to the next. Or maybe it is just memory suppression as far as the surprising number of diaper changes with a new born etc. At any rate you now have a new variable...the jealous sibling.

Don't get me wrong, Lilly LOVES her new brother and wants to hold and kiss him as much as possible. She also loves sitting in his bouncer and car seat, and would play with his binky all day if we let her. But you can tell she is jealous that all the attention is not on her as it was not so long ago. She is definitely in her terrible twos and has been for a little while, but lately has ignored us more and become more defiant. Then this week it seems to have gotten worse, but maybe it is my imagination.

I am just afraid she will feel as though she is being replaced, or is less loved, or neglected or something, which of course she is not, but who knows what a 2 year old thinks. Of course we aren't going to neglect Grant at all either. I guess we just have to let her get use to sharing our attention right?

One thing we decided to do to help her know none of the above is true is to spend some one on one time with her. So yesterday we had our first Daddy Daughter Date! (Triple D) I had told her about it earlier in the week and she was excited. On Thursday I asked what we would be doing the next day. She excitedly replied "Goin' on a date!"

So we dropped Marni and Grant off at Tutu's (That is Grandma Robinson as our kids know her) house and we headed to a movie. We went to see "Bolt", which we both really enjoyed! Lilly also liked the fact that I spoiled her by getting her her own popcorn, 7-up (which she referred to as her water) and candy. She liked the fold up seats a lot and enjoyed sitting at the back of them and having it start to fold up on her, then having me push the front down. (this was her first trip to the theatre, so it was full of fun new experiences) She had so much fun she didn't want to leave. In fact we sat through all of the credits because she was sure it wasn't over. Then all the way back she was saying she didn't want to go back to Tutu's house, which she normally looks forward to. I told her we will go on another date sometime and she is excited about that. I did feel bad going into the movie though, because since I was carrying the soda and popcorn I couldn't carry her, which she was fine with. But we got to the movie just after it started because we got stuck in traffic behind some house they were moving down the highway or something. Anyway, it was dark when we got in there and with no free had I had to have her hold on to my pant leg while we walked up the stairs to the our seats, and she was a little scared being her first time in a theatre, but it was all good once we got our seats and she got her goodies.

When Marni has had a little more recover time, she will take her for some one on one time as well. I think it will be a good and very fun thing for us to do will all our kids as they grow up, so I really look forward to all the "dates"

Grant Andrew Potter

Marni will post some more pictures on her blog once she feels up to it. For now here are a few that were taken yesterday shortly after he was born and also today.

Here is Grant just after they cleaned him up, so he still has some of the gel stuff in his eyes.

Just being held by his dad!

After his bath in the nursery. He was getting sleepy.

This is Lilly holding his hand. She loves him so much! He has been sleeping pretty much since getting back from the nursery last night. He doesn't even like to get up for food. So visiters didn't bother him.

Marni, Lilly and Grant. Lilly is holding him for the first time and loving every bit of it!

Another picture of Lilly loving her new role as big sister. Grant is still enjoying his nap.