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When my second one was on her way to join our world, my first born had her hunches. She was too young to understand the meaning of having a sibling. So we decided we might as well wait to explain to her why she shouldn’t be sitting on my tummy every time she and I played reverse piggy ride, or mount on my back either – I was not going to walk on my wrists and knees with a Yankee Doodle riding on my back. Enough of a reason to get boisterous. Almost outrageously so.
OK, so here I was a like a nutcase on not one, but a millionth of occasions when I thought I would tell her why some of her demands couldn’t be met those days when her yearning for attention was at the peak. “Should I tell her?” “Maybe not…what if she is too tender to take it, what if she is hurt, what if she will have a fright of being the big sister now!” The attempts only remained indecisive; they remained so for quite long.
Until one day when she screeched out in an outburst of emotion, “You will not love me anymore when the new baby comes!” God, she’s got a sign! I figured out that the baby-hunch is probably as strong as that of mommy-hunch. I had to do no telling. Is it the blood-bond? That should describe it well. And if it holds good, the extremely adamant and attention-seeking behavior of the sole superstar of the family has explicably begun to unfold itself. Here are few how’s and why’s of the tumultuous times when the older child will have you put your nose to the grindstone:
1. My Bed Becomes Hers
There won’t be a single time when she would want to snuggle in her baby cot. No matter how hard you try, she will wail until you pull her out from there (some are too clever to jump out on their own ;) ) and you slide her in beside you. She will latch onto you tight like you must be with her for eternity. (You will love her tender feelings for you).
2. Take Me Out… NOW
Brace yourself up to take her for an outing even if it is midnight or past that. If it means going to Walmart for that stuffed toy she sighted the other day, or going to Dunkin Donuts, be up for anything right from a shopping spree to a picnic in the car. Slip out in your pyjamas if that’s the need of the hour. Just don’t fall asleep on the driver’s seat, though.
3. Let Me Eat Mommy Food
Mommies growing babies in their bellies are always hungry. But equally ‘hungry’ are the first-born brats. Sneak into the kitchen. You will be followed there too. And soon there will be a tug of war over the health booster drinks made for mothers-to-be.
4. I Want That Pup
Yes, even if that meant stealing your friend’s dog. That is how pestered you will be. (Sure your little one knows she must have company, but she can’t wait for the real one to come along.)
5. I Want To Shower With Mom
You won’t allow. Even the pitter patters of the shower will not subdue the banging on the door. You will have to pat dry quick and head out like you haven’t cleaned yourself; you have only drenched yourself.
6. I Want Those Onesies
Your first child will be tempted with anything you buy for the new one’s arrival. “I want those onesies.” What? But those don’t fit you now! Worse, they will try getting into the minutest diapers.
7. I Will Take The Front Seat
Yes, fix a baby-seater beside the driver and get penalised.
8. I Won’t Come Home
You go to visit a friend. For some reason, your darling has already befriended the adults in her heart. She was bored throughout the sitting. But she will refuse to budge when it’s time to leave for home. She will want to settle there for good ;)
9. I Will Wear Mommy’s Clothes
And she will barely be able to walk in the XXXXL size. But will cling onto them like she is making a fashion statement :)
10. I Want My Cartoon Network On
You will switch over to a new TV set all by yourself. But the little monster will dictate you to watch the animation film that she is watching on her TV too. So…goodbye to your favorite shows for…well…a long time to come.
Capture those moments of cute stubbornness. You will come to love them even more when the momentary phase of heavy-duty drama is through. And she would laugh as she watches with her sibling when they are all grown up!
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