Portrait of Play 2017, Week 16

We’ve spent lots of time on the couch this week, lots of hours past noon in our jammies with messy hair, lots of time just being. The girls are both smitten with their new baby brother, and he’s pretty much a real life baby doll to Charlotte. She wants to hold him and carry him around always. She can’t help but move him around and sing to him and touch him. She loves to put her finger in his mouth and gets the biggest kick out of how it feels when he sucks on it. Winnie has a more subtle affection for Roland. I’ve sensed a little bit of a sadness from her, but so far it doesn’t seem like there is any jealousy. Her favorite thing to do is to come up and give him kisses, so many kisses. She also likes to point out his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, poking them as she tells me each part. She loves to put his pacifier in her mouth and always makes it a point to show me she has it by pointing at it and smiling. They both speak to him in a voice an octave higher than their normal speaking voices. Charlotte always says, “Hi, little guy, ” and Winnie just says all these sounds that are too soft and sweet and high pitched to understand. They were both pretty grossed out by his dried out umbilical cord, even though Charlotte cut his cord after he was born, and they keep their distance during diaper changes. Our routines and schedules have been all over the place, but thankfully we have a clear schedule to accommodate it. James was able to take some time off work and has been able to take some more time working from home which has been very helpful. I’m starting to feel the adrenaline wear down, but I only have to make it one more week before my mom comes. Roland is sweet and sleepy and oh so cute, and he’s pretty lucky to have these two big sisters.

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