Handling my three year old and three month old

This has long been in my draft folder (since I gave birth pa to JD). It's my post sana on how to handle your toddler and newborn. Kaya before mag debut ang daughter ko at mag binata ang baby boy ko, dapat ma-share ko na tong post na to.

When we found out I was pregnant with JD, we immediately prepared R for the pregnancy. We told her there is a baby growing inside my tummy. We let her talk to the baby and she would say "ate R ito", although we doubt she understood already. But I guess it became apparent when she saw my growing tummy and she was really mesmerized when it moved. She would also understand the times I couldn't carry her anymore and she'd say "kasi di pwede mommy, daddy nalang".

I thought it was going to be smooth sailing until I gave birth to JD. She even visited us in the hospital and seemed to be excited with her new baby brother.

But once we got home and we started with our new routine, she didn't easily adjust right away. The first few weeks were particularly tough. Here's what I experienced with R:

• She wanted to lie down in the crib too
• She would tell me "bigay kay daddy/lola si JD, carry me, or lagay sa crib/bed si JD, play tayo" 
• She actually admitted to Daddy A that she was jealous
• Whenever she sees I'm carrying/breastfeeding JD, she would call her yaya and would cry if she wasnt in the room and ask would ask her yaya to carry her or make her timpla milk
• May ilang instance din na bigla niya napalo si JD when he was crying incessantly

But I guess it just really takes some time, effort and a lot of explanation. Here are what we did so R could adjust:

• I try to kiss and hug her with my free hand while JD is nursing or I read her favorite book to her, or we sing together
• Whenever she shows me something (specially something she learned from school) I respond to her with glee and I always tell her I'm proud of her
• She has lots more playtime with Daddy A, specially the rough and tumble type which she likes 
• We signal visiting relatives or friends na siya muna ang pansinin before the baby.
• We regularly go for her carousel rides and meryenda dates
• I showed her baby pictures and videos to her and explained that when she was small all our attention was on her since she was still small and incapable. Naaliw naman siya to see herself as a baby before.
• Most importantly we teach her how to share her toys and to love and care for her brother. We also tell her that she's a good ate.

Those worked naman kasi now she can't get enough of her brother. She just kisses and hugs him all the time. More importantly she shares her toys with him (except ung Barbie at makeup, ay mahigpit na pinagbabawal yan ni Daddy A!). She is even more than willing to help in changing the baby and giving him a bath (alalay lang dapat and never leave a toddler and baby unattended).

I'm really glad I have a mature and loving daughter. I really hope and pray they have a wonderful sibling relationship even in the future. They have to know that they're all they've got specially when we, their parents, are no longer around. Sana kagaya rin namin ng bro C ko, at si Daddy A and his siblings na "we got each others' backs" ang peg.