Sibling Prep

The following are pictures that we took to the Sibling Preparation class that the kids and I attended. We took the class at the hospital where I am going to deliver our baby. Each picture was taken at about three days old, right before they were taken home from the hospital.

Nathan

Danny

Ryan

Lydia

After the teacher introduced each of the kids by showing their baby pictures (wow, they all grew up so fast!), we went on a tour of the Labor and Delivery area, the nursery, and the Mother/Baby floor.

(P.S.-you'd think that since everything went digital all those years ago that you would NEVER have a picture where someone is closing their eyes. Remember the days when you would ALWAYS take two or three film pictures just to be safe? But alas, occasionally we all forget to check the preview screen on our digital cameras and are ALSO out of the habit of taking two or three shots. Always kind of a bummer when you see the pictures on your computer. Still cute though!)

Here Ryan and Lydia are checking out the bed where they put the baby to keep it warm, right after it is born.

After the tour we headed back to our classroom, where the kids were taught to put diapers on the dolls that we had brought along with us.

Nathan and Danny were by far the oldest in the class. They were both such good sports and actually made the whole experience so much fun!

Somehow I ended throwing this poor one-armed doll into the mix of dolls that came to the class with us. I keep telling myself that I'll get her arm sewn back on, but it just never seem to happen. I think it makes this "Successful Diapering Picture" all the more funny. Good job Nathan!

Here Ryan is cuddling his elephant that he brought. Putting a diaper on an animal with a tail presented a slight challenge, but not one that deterred Ryan.

Next the kids learned to swaddle a baby, hold a baby and then burp them. What great practice!

The class taught many other things about how to help Mom with the baby, how to handle feelings, and what a newborn baby is like. The whole thing was quite a wake up call for me, too. I suppose that this whole baby thing is actually going to happen! I think these four siblings are all prepared to welcome and help with their new little sister.

After the tour was over we concluded our afternoon by having lunch in the hospital cafeteria. As we walked out of the revolving hospital door, each of the kids had their Class Completion Certificate in hand. I guess we'll be back in just a few short weeks!