January 8, 2021 we brought Juniper home and officially started our journey as a family of 5.

Brett’s mom was at our home with Winnie (4) and Axel (18 months) while Brett came to pick us up from the hospital, which is thankfully a quick 7 minutes away. Juniper didn’t make a peep in the car until we pulled in the driveway and then she started wailing, so we decided I should go in and greet the kids before Brett brought her in. Their little faces at the window were the sweetest sight! After hugs and hellos, Brett brought Juniper in and they immediately ran over to get a closer look at little sister.

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Winnie used the word “cute” about 10,000 times that day! Safe to say she was smitten with little sis. When I put Juniper down in the Moses basket in the living room, she fussed a bit and Winnie immediately went over to gently “shush” her and sing her a song. My mama heart was in a puddle! Even a week later, I’m so proud of how she has handled this transition. Bringing a new baby into our normal routine really rocks the boat, but Winnie hasn’t missed a beat. She enjoys “taking care of baby” and it has given her so much confidence in her role as a big sister and mama’s helper. When we brought Axel home, Winnie was 2 1/2 years old and it was much different since she was used to being the only apple of my eye. This time around, she wants Juniper involved in everything we do! When it is just the 3 of us, Winnie loves to say “Girls club meeting!” She wants her there for bedtime story time, which is a big deal y’all. She loves to sit and chat with Juniper since she gets the most smiles out of her. The sister bond is so sweet to witness.

Axel really surprised me. I thought he would’ve taken the “ignore and deny” route with new baby sister but he has been so engaged, curious and understanding (I mean, as much as an 18 month old can be!). He is well aware of the phrases “gentle” and “soft touch” from handling our cat, Bella so I knew he’d be familiar with those prompts when I needed to use them. He loves to rub her head and point to her facial features, especially the eyes so we did have to revisit the “no poke” policy. He brings me diapers and pacis when needed, so very helpful! Axel loves to be involved, so I try to make him a part of the process. He’s very interested in the breastfeeding aspect and thinks it’s hilarious. He self weaned around 13 months so there doesn’t seem to be any looming jealousy attached to it, thankfully! The biggest hurdle with Axel has been not being able to pick him up, but we are working through it and I’m thankful for all of the help from Brett, my mom and my mother-in-law!

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Now, I know we are only a week in so there is still time for hardships but this transition from two to three has been the easiest thus far. I wanted to note a few things I implemented (or didn’t!) to help the transition, these may have helped!

• My mom came to stay with us for a week and she really focused on quality time with Winnie and Axel. I do think this helps with any immediate jealousy issues. The kids were excited to have their Pipa (what they call my mom!) here and found their own special routines with her each day. If you are bringing a new baby home, I would suggest having someone your other children are close with to come stay if they can. Obviously, another set of hands is always helpful but I truly think the value here is that extra quality time and close connection being the main objective.
• We spoke of Juniper heavily before she arrived, we made a point to note things that may change such as, “when Juniper is here we may have to be a bit quieter when she’s sleeping” and “you may hear baby cry at night, but she’s is OK and mommy will take care of her”. I also made a point to mention hurdles from recovering from birth such as not being able to pick Axel up and having to rest much more than usual. Obviously, this was more for Winnie than Axel. She is very detail oriented and often wants to know the reasons behind any stated claims so I wanted to be sure to clear up any questions on the forefront. For Axel, we focused on playing with baby dolls and gentle touches.
• While we were in the hospital, Brett went home to handle the morning routine, preschool drop-off and pick up and stayed the night at home. This helps keep the routine fairly in tact and honestly, I’d rather him at home getting a good night’s rest than have both of us in the newborn fog! This may be difficult if you’ve had a c-section as you may need more help at the hospital OR if your hospital imposes stricter COVID rules. Brett was allowed to come and go from the hospital but I know some hospitals may make your partner stay in your room the duration of your hospital visit.
• Just a note, when we brought Axel home we did have him “give” a gift to Winnie (a set of dinosaurs) and it went over very well. This time, I didn’t give any gifts and no one has complained so I’d say this isn’t a necessity!

All in all, it has been quite a blissful week as we ALL soak in sweet Juniper. Family of 5, let’s say it again because I can hardly believe it! These are all mine?!

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Has anyone else planning to or brought home a new babe recently? Any other little ones? Comment below how they’ve handled the transition and any hardships you’ve encountered or are worried about. Let’s talk it out and support each other!