This kid. I adore him. I have truly cherished my time with him, because he's an awesome kid but also because we almost lost him in utero and because there's such a big gap between him and his older siblings.
He absolutely LOVES Adelyn. To the point that it is so, so hard. He loves to cuddle her, aka smoosh her flat. He always wants to have his face RIGHT in Adelyn's face and forces her head to turn and look toward him all the time. He CANNOT let me nurse her alone and must be sitting in the little wooden rocking chair with us or, better yet, laying on her while she tries to eat in my arms. In Jaron's words, "They must've been great buddies before coming to earth. But Reed clearly liked Adelyn more than she liked him." :D
I decided the best place for Adelyn when she was not in her bed was in the pack 'n play - away from Reed's reach. Even then, Reed tried his hardest to get to her.
Once I even put up the baby gate so that Adelyn and I could have the rocking chair to ourselves for just one feeding.
After a few weeks of constantly wrestling him off of her, I found myself resenting Reed's interest in her. And that made me SO, so sad.
I decided at that point that I could not do two babies so close together again.
But it has gotten better.
Adelyn is old enough already to be a little interactive with Reed and that appeases him somewhat. He's still constantly in her face and likes to pull on her arms to follow him but now she will coo and smile at him and sometimes he's content to just lay beside her for awhile.
Then sometimes I'll see Reed pointing out the window, trying to show Adelyn something. Or sharing a toy with her. Or softly placing his hand on her cheek and smiling at her.
And then I can remember that the best thing I've ever given my kids is their siblings.
