Regression

We thought Clio was doing well with this whole Becoming a Big Sister thing. First there was all of that business naming her animals "my little brother-sister." Then she woke up one day and announced to Dave, "I'm getting a brother-sister, and we're going swimming!" As swimming is her absolute favorite thing to do, it seemed like a good sign that she would want to bring this new sibling along. Finally, we've been reading I'm A Big Sister Now, by Joanna Cole and Maxi Chambliss, which Clio has essentially memorized in her reverence. ("Babies little. No walk, no talk, no eat pizza.") She insists on reading it before every nap and every bedtime. And when we tell her our new baby is in mommy's tummy, she lifts up her shirt and says "me, too. Me, too!"

The other pregnant perch moms and I recently compared notes, and it seems like there's a variety of behaviors running through the older-siblings to be, ranging from indifference to a real lack of enthusiasm to some interest. This seems normal to me. But now, it appears that Clio would prefer to be the baby. Her "no pants, only legs" rule has evolved to "only diapers," which is truly all she thinks she should wear. She is also talking baby talk. Literally saying things like "goo goo ga ga," espite the fact that she can communicate fully and express herself in quite a sophisticated way considering she is not yet 2. While I suppose this seems like a natural reaction, too, I hope it goes away when the baby comes, and she slips into her BIG sister role. I'm getting tired of the tantrums over pants!