Hand-Me-Downs!?!

I took advantage of Damon's day off yesterday to do some solo shopping, even getting a jump on some Christmas shopping.  The Carter's children's store had additional markdowns on clearance merchandise, so I took advantage of the sale and picked up a few things for Alexa and baby #3.  Alexa was excited by the new clothes...until she took a quick inventory of the baby's items versus her own.  At that very moment, the reality of a baby sister seemed to register with her.

She immediately ran to her bedroom and closed the door, so I let her have her space for five minutes or so.  When I entered her room, a sobbing Alexa was on her bed crying, "Why don't you like me anymore?"  Oh the drama (the "only child syndrome" we were hoping to avoid)!  I knew immediately that the quantity of newly purchased baby clothes versus her own was the source of her angst, so I calmly reminded her that babies need a lot more clothes because they spit-up and make messes more often.  Besides, I rationalized, "You'll always have new clothes but the baby will have to wear some of your old clothes.  Those are called hand-me-downs."  Well, I didn't exactly get the response I was expecting....you would have thought I told her Christmas was cancelled.  She exclaimed, "WHAT!?!  The baby gets to wear my old clothes?!?"  I had no idea sibling rivalry could start when the baby is in utero....

I was able to talk Alexa out of her frenzied state by recounting stories from my youth in which I had to wear Aunt Karen and Aunt Terri's old clothes (I might have exaggerated a little bit about the ickiness of their clothes ;) .  That seemed to do the trick, and she volunteered to go through the containers of her old clothes with me to pick out clothes that she is willing to share with the baby.  Tonight we stopped into BuyBuyBaby to return something, and she wandered into the infant clothing section and wanted to pick out some outfits for her sister.  Whew...it seems the crisis has been averted (for now).

The next couple of months will bring a lot of change for all of us, but I am hopeful the drama component will subside.  Otherwise, Damon and I are in for some loooong years ahead!

A baby brother was so much easier....no sharing clothes with Granty!