Nurture Anticipation - #SLICE 2013 2/31

Last night as I was slicing, Alice ran into the room, "Mom, come here. I want to show  you something."

I knew that she had been adding items to her wishlist on Amazon. "I need to finish this first," I said. "Is it something on Amazon?"

Upon her confirmation, I took a pause from my slice after all and pulled up Amazon expecting to see a book or movie that she had added for herself to the "Girls" wishlist.

Only, when the screen came up I realized that her excitement was not for herself, but rather in finding baby items for her new sister - a silky pink headband with black polk a dots and a flower, as well as a Calvin Klein newborn tunic with leggings.

I had mixed thoughts - the pleasure in seeing another way in which she is experiencing the anticipation of becoming a big sister again, while also smiling to myself about how neither she, nor her sister were ever fans of the headbands or really anything on their heads. The headband was cute and would be fun in theory, but whether or not the baby will ever leave it on is another story.

I moved the items over to the baby registry and then showed her how to add items to the registry, including how sometimes she would need to select a size before being able to do so.

My One Little Word for 2013 is nurture and as part of Ali Edward's class, my intention for the month is to nurture anticipation. Especially with the girls' current age, it is a whole different feeling this time around. It seems easier to welcome that feeling of anticipation as a whole family.

It's in the small moments - the multiple conversations tossing around name suggestions (I've never been this far along without being settled on a name), seeing Diana come up to me in the lunch line to talk to her baby sister while I am scanning my students in, pausing among the whirl to watch intently to see the baby move or to rest hands at the chance to feel the movement... And, it's things like being able to get physically prepared - opening gifts, shopping, organizing.