Thursday, September 29, 2011

Addison - the BIG Sister!

Addison's going to be a Big Sister somewhere around March 14, 2012. Although, if you ask her, there's no "going to be" involved - she already IS a Big Sister in her mind!


I'm Addison O'Neill. I'm a Big Sister!
Addison has been introducing herself (as her full name) for the past several months. However, once we introduced the concept that she is going to be a Big Sister to her back in late July, she has been introducing herself to EVERYONE as Addison O'Neill, the Big Sister. And I do mean everyone - the checkout lady at Food 4 Less, kids on the playground, friends, etc. It's just a part of her name now!


Introducing Silly Baby to Baby Punky
We found out about O'Neill baby #2 in mid-July. A few days later, I said a couple things to Addison about Mommy having a baby in my belly. She didn't seem that interested or really understanding of it, so we waited until our first prenatal appointment on July 19 to really tell her the news. Tim and Addie met me at the Dr's office after work, and on the way there, Tim was telling her we were going to see Mommy at the Dr and see the baby in my belly.
She was very excited when we went in for the ultrasound. Now, keep in mind I was not even 6 weeks along at this ultrasound, so there wasn't much to look at. But we still pointed the baby out to Addison and she was excited, pointing and saying "There's baby!"


Addison's Announcement 
When it was time to tell the grandparents that a new O'Neill baby was on the way, we wanted Addison to play a big part. So, when I was about 10 weeks along, we arranged to see all 3 grandparents in one weekend. On the Friday night, I wrote a poem to put on a card that Addison decorated for each grandparent. Grandma Simon came down to babysit on Saturday and on Sunday, Grandma G and Grandpa O'Neill and co. came over to swim in the pool. Shortly after they each arrived, we  told them Addison made them something. Addison handed her the card enthusiastically - although I'm not sure she totally got what was going on. We tried to get Addie to announce it as the card was being read, but she wasn't participating. When they each got about halfway down the message on the card, they got it.


This is what the card said:
I know something you don't know!


Over the fall and through the snow
In Mommy's belly, my baby brother or sister will grow
Yes, I'm going to be a big sister, and today is the day I can let you know!


On Monday morning, Addison wore her new "Big Sister" outfit over to Auntie Lorie's. Before we even got inside she saw the shirt and was so excited. The Simon cousins were all excited to as we shared the news with them as well. Apparently for weeks before, Addison had been saying that she was gonna be a big sister and there's a baby in mommy's belly - so they weren't completely surprised!
The final act of Addison's Announcement was for the Facebook world, in this video:




Addison loves watching this video of herself - and we love watching it too. It is already putting tears and my eyes and I can only imagine what it will do to me years from now when Addison and Baby Punkin have grown up together. It will be a great keepsake, that is for sure!


Follow Baby Punkin's developments here: www.babypunky.blogspot.com