How’s Connor handling having Jacob around?

Well, pretty well.

He is quite protective of his little brother…

When we took Jacob for his first checkup at the doctor’s office and the doctor looked him over on the examination table/scale, Jacob began to cry.  Connor ran over to the table, looked up at the doctor and said, “No.”  He was trying to push the doctor away…we had to move him and tell him it was “ok”.  I picked him up so he could get a view of what was going on.

Spin it forward to last night, when we were changing Jacob’s diaper.  Jacob has a bad diaper rash (much like Connor had when he first came home from the hospital) so he cries quite a bit when we change his diaper.  So, Victoria and I were both huddled around Jacob while changing his diaper.  Jacob began to cry and Connor came running over to “protect” his little brother.  Again, he said, “No” and tried to push us out of the way.

He wants to be a big helper…

He has helped me feed Jacob by holding the bottle while I hold Jacob.  H doesn’t want me to hold onto the bottle, so I’ve tried to explain that I have to help him for right now…it kind of worked.

He likes to grab Jacob’s “burp cloth” and give it to us when we need it.  Today, he grabbed Jacob’s blanket for me when I asked for it.

He loves and cares for his brother…

When he goes to bed, he asks if he can “give Baby Jacob a kiss”…we pick him up and let him kiss Jacob while he is alseep in the pack-n-play.

He likes to hold, hug, and kiss Jacob while sitting on the couch.  He would love to hold him by himself, but he (both of them) is not quite big enough for that.

And the one that shocked me today…

Connor stayed with Ms. Laura today while we took Jacob to the doctor for his checkup.  I told Connor earlier that we were taking Jacob to the doctor.  When we returned home (with both the boys), we went about our normal activities…getting ready for dinner, changing diapers, etc…  About 15-20 minutes after being home, Connor was playing in the family room and I was in the kitchen getting something to drink.  Connor says, “Daddy, how is Jacob feeling?”

I responded, “What???”  I wasn’t quite sure what I had heard and needed him to repeat it.

Connor responded, “How is Jacob feeling?”

Amazed I responded, “How is Jacob feeling??”

Connor said, “Yes.”

And I finally said, “The doctor said he is doing much better.  He feels good.”

Connor replied, “Good.” and continued to play.

All I could think of is that he remembered for a brief second that I told him that Jacob was going to see the doctor and he associated being sick with the doctor.  He didn’t break stride while playing, but wanted to make certain his little brother was feeling good.

Does he have some jealously issues?

Not too much, but the first couple of days he begged to lay down with me while Jacob was laying with me.  He also wanted me to pick him up while I was holding Jacob.  I quickly realized that I needed to “split my time” with the two of them…so when Jacob is sleeping I wrestle, hold, sit, and lay with Connor just like we used to do.

I expected some of this and to this point it hasn’t gotten out of hand.  It has definitely improved and each new day I see Connor learning to “share his time” with Mommy and Daddy.