Comfort Under Cover

Calvin finds a great deal of comfort in two things, Pooh Bear and snuggling into a blanket.

So when his sister started crying he suggested that she might like the vibrating chair, then proceeded to give her Pooh Bear and cover her up with a blanket -- from head to toe.

Yeah, that's Nora under there. Pooh Bear's in there, too, down by her feet.

It was such a sweet move, topped off with his mother's (which is probably actually his grandmother's) comforting technique: the double-pat.

"It's okay, Nora", he'd say, while gently patting her.

He's such a great big brother.

Galena: Party of Four

After a few special Big Brother days with Grammy and Papa, (about which I hope we'll hear more soon ... ) we joined our little guy in Galena, reuniting us as a new family of four.

It was a pretty quiet visit for Nora and me, (she was just four days old, afterall) but Cal and his Dad managed to keep busy. The big adventure was our evening at the pool.

Yes, that's my two-year old jumping off of a diving board. Granted, it's about two feet above the water, but still -- look at him -- he's flying!

Cal watched others jumping for a while before he and Eric swam over to give it a try. But he didn't hesitate. Holding my hand, he stepped up on the board, walked to the end and jumped.

And then he did it again. And again. And again. And again. ... and again.

There were quieter times as well. He cuddled up with Baby Nora, too, even sharing his beloved Pooh Bear with his new sister. I don't sense jealousy or competition in him yet. It was his idea to let Nora rest on his bear, and his choice to join her when she looked comfortable (instead of pulling it back for himself).

My son.

A Big Brother is Born

Calvin was the first on the scene when Nora was born.

He woke up to Grammy and Papa at his house and the three made their way to the hospital lickety-split.

A wide-eyed boy entered our room and climbed into the bed with Nora and me. Taking note of the baby in my arms, he turned his attention to the subtle details, like my hospital gown and Nora's oxygen tube.

But he soon found Nora's eyes and her nose, and it wasn't long before he wanted to take an active role in caring for his sister. "I want to hold my baby in my arms", he said.

He settled in next to me and held out his arms. Handing over Nora, I wrapped my arms around both of my kids for the first time; what a feeling!

And just like that, a big brother is born.

If you'd like to meet Calvin's little sister, check out her blog.