We went to visit my in-laws the other night – brother & sister-in-law and their 2 kids, ages 5 and 8. I”m excited that our baby will have some cousins right in town to play with! We haven’t seen them a lot during the pregnancy, and I want them to know that this baby is their cousin, so when baby started kicking it up, I invited them to come and feel. The 8 year old was pretty blase about it – she’s already felt babies kick, so it’s no big deal for her. However, she was VERY keen to suggest names for us, which was another fun conversation.
The 5 year old, though, was quite interested and came right over with his hand on my belly. The look on his face when he felt the first kick! Utter amazement and delight. He sat beside me on the couch for quite a while, feeling all over my belly quite comfortably (even under my shirt!) and commenting on how the baby was moving.
It will be so great to see these two as big cousins, and watch them learn how to take care of the baby. I can’t wait!