HOME ----ABOUT----AWARDS----CONTACT

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Taking sides

Hannah is my mommy's girl. And she always has been, from the moment she was born. She is a snuggler and I've cherished the time I've spent cuddling with her, all the way back to when she was a tiny nursing baby. She was one of those babies who loved to nurse too and would often lie there latched on just looking up at me after she'd stopped eating - yes, Mommy was a pacifier. It was hard to break her of that habit. Oh she loves her daddy too, don't get me wrong there. But there's just always been a special bond between her and I.

Abby, on the other hand, has always been a complete daddy's girl. Again, from the time she was small and would fall asleep on his chest. Ron thinks that it's because he got to actually help feed her (breastfeeding never worked very well the first time around), and I'm sure it has at least something to do with the fact that he was home full-time with her for several months during her first year. She loves her mommy, but she needs her daddy. I think that's one big reason why this work schedule of Ron's has thrown her for a loop - she doesn't see him nearly as often as she used to and she misses him. A lot.

When we only had the two kids, it worked out rather well. Daddy and Abby, Mommy and Hannah. We never did it that way on purpose, but somehow that's just how we always ended up. We wondered while I was pregnant with Becca, how a third child would upset this dynamic. Now that Ron and I were to be outnumbered by our children, we were curious to see how we would be able to handle that and how our two older children would react to the tiny being who would upset their lives.

Becca took our world by storm from the very beginning. Her older sisters adore her and there has been little sibling rivalry so far. There is more of it lately, now that Becca's older and wanting everything Abby and Hannah have, but they've really handled it well - better than I would have expected really. I know it's been hard on Hannah to not have my lap as available for her while Becca was nursing - and beyond, because Becca is another mommy's girl, and she is quite protective of my lap. My biggest difficulty so far, is probably bedtime stories because I have 3 little girls who all want to snuggle on my lap and one of them who is quite vocal if anyone else other than her is sharing it. I foresee some battles to come between Hannah and Becca over the territory called 'Mommy'.

Bets, anyone?

Vote for my post on Mom Blog Network add to sk*rt

9 wonderful people said...:

Amy@UWM said...

I have two mommy girls. No daddy girls. Usually the little one wins out because, you know, she's little and because the older one has a wonderfully sweet temperament. Sometimes we take turns, like with their toys. And also like with their toys, sometimes if everyone wants mommy, no one gets mommy. Usually depends on how screechy things get. If you figure it out, let me know!

Jean said...

I have the same issues with sharing "mom". There's never quite enough room for all of them to squish on the recliner. Somehow we make do, even if I'm the one that gets elbows in my chest and can't quite peer over all their heads to see the book.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the attention while they're still young. I know I do. I'm afraid of when they get older and don't want to be with Mommy anymore. *sniff*

bcmomtoo said...

You may just have to schedule 'mommy time' on that calendar you do every month!

It's nice to be wanted. Enjoy it because they grow up so fast.

Scribbit said...

Oh my youngest has got her dad wrapped around her finger. SInce the day she was born!

Mom Knows Everything said...

My daughter is a mommy's girl, except for when I yell at her father then it's all about Daddy. My son changes from day to day all depending who is in the room with him. If I'm with him he wants Daddy, if his father is with him then he wants his Mommy.

Anonymous said...

I'm betting on the youngest! I know my youngest has a way of manipulating his older sister, so he can get what he wants! :)

Unknown said...

There are times I end up with all 3 of my kids on my lap. That's a hard thing to do since the oldest is 13 and she is as tall as I am!

Kim @ TheBitterBall

Julie Arduini said...

No contest for me---my daughter is 150% daddy's girl. She snuggles with me every once in awhile but it's a constant song of I want daddy and can I sit on daddy's yap? (lap). This was a fun read.