Introducing Baby Sister!

Last Thompson 3 photo just 3 minutes before seeing baby sister

Dear Son, 
This is a transitional post for our family, your life story from Mama's perspective encapsulated in this blog.  It is now that I announce the birth of dear daughter, sister Hazel Lucille Thompson, 6lbs 11oz, 19" long born September 8, 2012 in Indiana.  Her beautiful, thoughtful birthmom, WW, made the first parenting choice to place Hazel in our family after getting to know each other for two and a half months.  We were there at the hospital just minutes after she rushed her way into the world.  This post isn't about her just yet though.  In a sense it is a last post to you exclusively, as I work out how to make room and tradition on the blog and in our daily routines to include Hazel.

Thank you for the last 3 and a half years.  We are good buds.  Playing, creating, and reading our days away and learning together good behaviors from bad.  A piece of me is mourning the end of our days together, but I am excited for you to be a big brother and for sleepy, milky mouthed Hazel to wake up and join us in the fun.  Just know we didn't bring Hazel to our family to disrupt your world...but to enhance it.

So!  The days leading up to Hazel's birth you were very excited and showed it by choosing things for her and helping me set things up to take care of her when she arrived.  After getting up quickly upon the 8:02 am text, "Babys gona come," in the car as we made it to Greenwood you declared, "This is a great place to take baby sister!"  Daddy asked where you'd take her and you said, "The mall!"  Oh the difference of 10 minutes and reality!  10 minutes later we were in the hospital.  The nurse phoned the room and informed us the baby had been born and the afterbirth was being delivered.  Aye!  Mama sprinted down the hall.  I turned behind me to quickly see and hear Daddy yelling at you to come back as you jumped from his chair and dashed after me.  
A few minutes later you and daddy were entering the cleaned up delivery room.  You looked around and saw baby across the room in the incubator, nurses messing with her.  

Henry's body language is not hard to interpret

Your face was strained and you became a shy quite boy we don't often see.  You didn't want to touch her just yet and were relieved when Bahboo and Grandma P arrived.  They took you to uncle Gary's after a time.  When you returned a couple of days later you were missing Mommy and Daddy and at least touched sisters head.  Bahboo had to pull you in the room resting on top of a suitcase on wheels, which you didn't leave.  

The hospital has some hotel rooms up top so I spent some time with you jumping on the bed and begging for Henry kisses.  This perked you up and lifted your spirits.  You were ready to return to WW's room.  You were very proud of giving Hazel and her birth mom WW their special bunnies.  You had picked them out and made them, placing three hearts at the center and test squeezing the softness of their hugs.  

First Thompson 4 photo

On returning home we were a little worried that you were feeling sad about the changes to come.  Mama bought you a package of "booger" gummies.  What else could help a confused 3.5 year old than gummy booger?  

You needed Mama and Daddy so badly but "not with that baby in your hands."  The first night you were home in particular you did all sorts of wonderful helpful things like helping lay out blankets, get diapers and wipes, and to put the scoops of formula in the bottles.  You didn't want to get too close to "that baby."  I told you to give her some lovin'.  You said no! but I put her in her lamby seat and said, "Ok! That's fine, you will when you're ready."  I walked out of the room leaving you two together.  I looked out of the corner of my eye to catch you looking to see if I could see you.  I could but you didn't know and you placed your hands gently on the side of her seat and leaned over her with the sweetest of intent and the finest manners of gentle movements, puckered your your lips and softly kissed her forehead, looked at her a moment, then looked back up to see if we caught you.  You didn't know I did... I went to the kitchen with Daddy, Krispie and Currie and lost my breath.  It was so sweet and gentle I was overwhelmed.  Later I asked you to give her a kiss and you told me you did but that you would only do that in private.  

This lasted 20 seconds, maybe

I knew then you had complicated feelings swirling in your busy brain.  I think you and baby Hazel will be just fine, sure to be good buddies soon enough.  I am excited to see how you grow with this new change.  Never worry peep, you are still a mountain of importance to us...we haven't forgotten about you for a second and never will.  Thus add single child Henry to the pile of Henry's while you make this transition to brotherhood.
Love, Mama