Inclusion

When I was a little girl, I was FASCINATED with pregnancy, babies, and birth.  I was awe-stricken by pregnant bellies, and I often asked (to the complete and utter embarrassment of my poor mother) for pregnant mothers to lift their shirts so I could see their growing belly.  What I would have given if someone would have let me in their hospital room when they gave birth so I could witness this process for myself!  It's a miracle, and one that I so desperately wanted to be a part of.

My little girl is a spitting image of me at her age with regards to her interest in human reproduction, in general.   She asks the most insightful, thoughtful, and deep questions when it comes to getting pregnant, staying pregnant, giving birth, and then taking care of a baby once they are born.  I always give her honest answers, and never act embarrassed by her questions.  I never put them off by saying or thinking "you are too young to know this."  I always use proper vocabulary and terms because I don't want this to be a source of confusion of discomfort for her.  If she knows she will always get honest and truthful answers from me, then hopefully she will continue to come to me as she gets older.

But above all the knowledge I could ever give her - she wants to be included.  She wants to go to my doctor's appointments with me and hear the heartbeat.  She wants to be in the delivery room when this baby is born.  She doesn't want to see pictures of the umbilical cord - she wants to see THE umbilical cord.  And it's not a "I want to be with my mom" interest.  It's a genuine scientific interest of how this entire process works.  And you know what?  I LOVE it!  We will pack her a hospital bag and take her with us when I go into labor.  I have shown her animations of childbirth and she cannot soak up enough.  When she is ready, I will show her videos of real childbirth so she is well prepared for what she will see.  Some will frown upon showing a 5 year old this kind of thing.  But if you knew my daughter, you would know that this kind of education is right up her alley.

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, Sariah became a little mommy again.  Everything she had was suddenly diapered, dressed, swaddled, and taken with us in the carseat.  Yes...a real baby carseat.

From the beginning, Sariah has desperately wished for a little sister.  We had a name all picked out and Sariah felt very attached to this little being growing inside of me.  And of course, I was 100% certain I was having a girl so I would play right along with her.  But then a thought struck me - what if we are having a boy?  What if I pick Sariah up from school the afternoon of my sonogram, and tell her she's having a little brother?  Her heart will be broken.  She will feel betrayed.  And then a tender mercy came to me - "Take her with you to the sonogram."  Of course!  Since she wants to be a part of this so much, bringing her with us will be so wonderful for her!  And then if it is a boy, she will be able to see him moving and growing, and she won't be so crushed.

So we took her.  Sariah could not take her eyes off the screen while the sonographer looked at the brain, the heart, the stomach, the umbilical cord, the bones, the spine, the kidneys, and everything that is growing.  Sariah asked some pretty amazing questions and the sonographer loved answering them.  And then the time came...it's a BOY! You're having a little brother!  Sariah's face fell for a mere 30 seconds.  But then she was right back on cloud 9 with the fact that there was a baby in there, it was HER little brother, and she will get to see him be born.

What a wonderful experience it was to have her there.  She is going to be the best big sister because she feels like she is a part of this experience.  And even though this is our 3rd one, having my loving husband right by my side made it all perfect.  We cannot wait for baby brother to get here - he has a sister and brother eagerly awaiting his every cry and poop!