Personality?

I wonder frequently what the personality of this new baby will be? We have two fairly "easy" kids right now. They are still kids, of course, but they are fairly good listeners and sleepers and eaters and poopers and seem to be cautious. On a very basic level, that makes them "easier" in comparison to the super adventurous kids that climb on tables and run at full speed the second you set them down and would have no qualms about jumping off the top of the playground set (ie, Greg's brother Chris).

So naturally, there is that inner still mom voice that worries we have a "Chris" on his way to shake up our world in ways we didn't know possible.

Gulp.

Lord help us! We will love him regardless but for the record, I just want to say having Eli and Annalee become so close and most (not all) of the time, playing and entertaining each other so wonderfully... has been such a gift for me. Do I still lose it and fail and get crazy tired of discipline and all that? Yes. But it could be worse!

They have their issues. Eli wants to be entertained and he likes to push buttons (saying poopy whatever and walking the line on listening or whining for snack ten minutes after eating). Here's a quote I wrote down that made me laugh and I want to make sure it's recorded. I was cautioning Eli about something he was doing in the dirt next to our house (I believe he kept getting it in his face from the wind):

Me: "I don't think that's a good idea."

Eli, briefly pausing to consider, then with his classic shrug: "Well, I'm still doing it."

He was so matter-of-fact about it. At least he's honest.

Sidenote: are their cautious personalities nature or nurture? I say "be careful" way too often to be considered a go-with-the-flow mom, I'm sure of it, so I have to wonder if I've messed up their inner adventurousness. Getting Eli to actually be brave enough to go down the waterslide, or get a shot, or take a shower... it's exhausting. Once he does, he's all in but getting him to take the plunge... oh my!

There will be loads of change coming up for our five-year-old and our two-and-a-half-year-old. They have had lots already. The new daycare transition went very well (she was so impressed with how easy they were, especially Annalee) so that's a relief. But with a new baby and Eli starting kindergarten next fall, it's going to be interesting seeing how they change.

As for Annalee, I'm certain she is a mini of her father in most every way. She is introverted. Yet silly when around those select few. She's crazy stubborn. I knew it before but that trait has come out so obviously these last few weeks. Oh dear. She breaks out that lower lip and just looks at me. Last night we went to bring cupcakes to the new neighbors we met. They weren't home. She held on to those cupcakes and did not want to leave their front door. I told her we couldn't wait for them to get home (I think they actually went to Wisconsin) and she would not budge. It involved a whole lot of her screaming. And a long walk back to our house. She gets it into her mind...and... it's hard to sway her. This could get interesting! I will make sure Daddy is all over that. Since every time I say "I love you, Annalee!" she responds "I love my Daddy!" I'm fairly certain I can play that card when having to deal with her being a stinker.

They slept in their bunk beds last night for the first time, these big siblings, and it went well. I'm sure we will have some rough nights but for now, YIPPEE! We can (attempt) to get a baby room ready!

And speaking of... my platelets not only stabilized, they went up! So a 37/38 week induction seems much more plausible now. TBD!

-Heather