How we got to BITB

"Jackson is becoming a big boy: we took off the drop side of his crib to create a toddler bed; he began going to day care two mornings a week; and he knows that he’s going to be a big brother.

One day after nap time, Jackson and I were talking on the couch and he wanted to see my Jackson belly. I told him my Jackson belly is now only in pictures (he loves looking over our photo albums) but that I have a new baby belly growing.

We went over the fact that my Buddha belly is going to grow and grow (all bellies are Buddha bellies to him) and then one day he’ll go to Grammie and Bepa’s or maybe Grandmommy will come stay with him while Mommy and Daddy got to the hospital to have the baby.

We talked about bringing the baby home and what a baby does. That he can help us change and burp the baby. That the baby will cry and giggle and coo. Jackson was fairly interested in all of it. He kept asking to see the baby now.

I explained that it’s inside my belly and showed him my tummy. We talked about how we rub the belly (never hitting or poking), kiss the belly, even that we can give the belly raspberries. He is very good at that!

He got his Baby Doll and put it under my shirt, pretty neat to see him working on understanding everything. Then Jackson put Baby Doll under his shirt and walked around the living room. Too funny. I think Jackson is going to do well with the baby.

When asked what is in my belly, Jackson smiles and says “baby.”

When we say our evening prayer and bless all our family and friends, we end with “bless Jackson and bless baby in the belly”."
--Clare, early-August