Jun 1, 2010
This Guy
This little guy is Morrow John. Morrow is 21 months old, and has no idea what’s coming at him in August. He is my major priority right now as I near the home stretch of this pregnancy.
In a way his cluelessness is a blessing, because he’ll never remember his life without his two little sisters. But I also want to do what I can to nurture and care for him in one-on-one ways that make him feel safe and secure as we head into this major change.
Morrow loves to play at the park. Most of the time I’m too tired to take him, so it’s a special treat right now.
Morrow loves his friend “La-la.”
Morrow loves watermelon in a major way.
I’ve mentioned before that Morrow loves babies, and I know he’ll love his sisters. But I also want to cherish these moments with him as my baby. Yesterday I watched his naked behind streak down the dock at our friends’ lake and I just want to hold that memory in my heart forever. It was so beautiful.
So for now, I’m trying to prepare for this major future event but still live in the present of being mom to little Morrow Johnner.
It’s so emotional, isn’t it? Well Molly, he looks like a pretty happy guy, so I think you’re doing a good job. Now, I must have some watermelon….
He is so stinkin’ cute. Praying for extra energy for the park! It wears ME out, and I’m not pregnant with twins. (Or a singleton.)
What a precious little man! You are so right to cherish these last months with him as your baby!
He is so precious. :)
Molly, this is exactly how I felt about Ian before Aaron was born (Ian was 18 months when Aaron came along…) and how I’m feeling right now about Aaron.
My heart is actually breaking for him I know he doesn’t know what is coming and there really isn’t much I can do beyond giving him a LOT of love and attention to prepare him for his little world to be changed in a big way!
I do have one benefit this time…knowing that Ian never really skipped a beat when Aaron joined the family. After a week or so, it was like Aaron had ALWAYS been here and he was fine. I’m pretty sure it will be the same way this time, but it doesn’t stop me from worrying about it!
God Bless these little boys as they prepare for their new sisters! So precious!
Hello! I have been a quiet reader for some time and I just wanted to let you know how wonderful you are! I am newly married and can’t imagine all that you have been through. Your boys will love their sisters to bits but your needing to give Morrow a little bit more attention these days is tugging at my heart! I would send him a giant watermelon if I could. Happy motherhood, Molly!
seriously, could he get any more adorable?!
What a cutie!
I love his name, and he is precious. I remember feeling the same way about my son before my daughter was born. He was the baby I had longed for after we lost our first daughter, and I had a hard time thinking about what he would feel like with a little person coming into his world. He did pretty well. He only had one major meltdown the day we brought Morgan home, but that was because I had been away from him for a whole week in the hospital, and he wanted his momma. I handed his sister to his daddy, and he and I just went off and cuddled for a few hours…then he was fine. I love how you are spending extra time with Morrow to get him ready. He’ll be fine..you are a great mother, and I think the transition will be easier than you think becuase of that. :)
Love, Kathryn
Molly,
My kids are spaced out about exactly like yours and I’m expecting, too–though only one! Definitely a difference, but I still know what you mean. When my second one came along, I was so so glad for my older one. He didn’t have anybody to play with. This time, I’m glad for my second one, but…
I’m trying to love on him a little extra, too. I hope you get just a week or two more than you’re expecting, but even if you don’t, I’m sure Morrow will be so blessed by having these two little sisters.
Molly,
Just wanted to encourage you as a mom of 4 under the age of 5 as well… I have ALWAYS had a bit of sentimental tears toward the end of my subsequent pregnancies after #1. All “good” tears but also just due to the closing of one chapter and then not knowing what is to come ahead. But knowing it’s going to be hard and challenging, especially for the one that is getting their “baby” role usurped, but good and rewarding all in one. I have to say though…that having my 3rd and 4th has only made my older two the best of friends. They play together SOO well (except when they don’t) but REALLY have made it easier having 3 and 4 since they are such great buddies. I think the same will be true of Orison and Morrow. You will see such fruit as you give Orison more “responsibility” to entertain and play kindly with Morrow…as well as seeing fruit in Morrow as he looks up to Orison and starts mimicking the good (and the not so good!) I will pray for this transition but I can’t speak highly enough about the transition. I think the hardest one for me was from 1 to 2. In any event, I could totally relate to your sentiments of him being your “baby” for now. And I still feel such a fondness for “alone” time with all of them to recapture the “specialness” that they all have. Blessings on you all….
He’s absolutely adorable, Molly. Does he have strawberry blond hair?
You’re right in that Morrow won’t remember life without his sisters. But you will. I think that’s why we lavish the attention on the soon-to-be-ex-baby while we can. It’s our way of treasuring our family in its current state.
I had an older friend, a sort of mentor, quite a few years ago that used to tell her middle child (she had 3 so it worked well for her) that he was like the extra sweet frosting in the middle of the Oreo. She had a little special thing like that for all of her kids but I thought that one was especially nice since the middle ones (and their parents) seem to struggle the most with getting their own special attention. Anyway…just a thought:)
He is so cute, Molly! I see so much Dillemuth in him! This was a hard thing for me, too…especially having kids so close. Ethan was 12 months old when Karis came along, so he was still very much a baby!! And Natalie was just 15 months old when Levi came along. I just wanted to hang on to them being my baby for a while longer. Giving him that special time is so important for him and YOU. Ethan will turn 8 in three months (*gasp*)and I hate that all those moments that I wanted to “hold in my heart forever” aren’t as vivid as they used to be…
I’m encouraged by your intentional, specific love for your sweet boy. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!
So what I noticed out of the pictures is you and I wear the same sandals. Since your foot made an appearance in the first shot, I saw the Chacos – love them. I have pairs in 4 different styles. I’m not yet a Mom, and still have quite a bit of time before that’ll happen (finding a guy and getting married need to happen first), but I hope to have my kids bunched the way yours are when I get to that point.
He is SO cuuuuuuute, Molly!!!! Oh man! I love the pic you painted of him and his behind :) These are the most precious of days, aren’t they? Amazing!
seriously, the cuteness factor of that boy is off the charts! ADORABLE.
I have a 3-1/2 year-old, 2 year-old, and a 3-month-old.
The middle child was born premature at 32 weeks, and since I had contractions for the last 4 months of my 3rd pregnancy, I spent 2-1/2 months on bedrest last winter.
I struggled to “submit” to God’s plan for me.
“You know ME!” I thought/prayed. “I’m not the kind of person that can deal with being on bedrest!”
But I learned to accept it as a gift from His hand.
Part of that gift was endless time to sit with the older two and read stories, play Candyland, play with puzzles, color, paint, play with playdoh, learn ABCs and sounds, listen to music, sing . . . I could go on and on!
It was definitely harder with my son (who was 21 months when the baby was born). He is SO full of energy that it was really impossible to keep him entertained from my bed. And I had to have help.
But the time we were able to spend together is something I will always cherish, something that is hard to come by now that I am off bedrest, with a new baby, and have so many other things I “should” be doing around the house.
Congratulations on the new baby BOY!! and girl! What a thrill! What a joy that God has loaned these precious little ones for a season!
Molly,
I have almost exactly the same family dynamic you have (I even commented once before about this because I think its so amazing). I had a 4 year old daughter and a 2 year old daughter when my twin boys were born.
My 2 year old, Aubrey, had the most difficult transition in the family. She was doubly displaced and though she really loved her brothers she acted up a lot for the three months following their birth. We had to be diligent with our discipline as well as with taking moments with her alone to love on her. Both were essential to show her love. The twins are a year old now and she has certainly adjusted just as your little guy, Morrison will!
I just want to encourage you not to feel guilty when you can tell he’s crying out for your attention…just give what you can and be confident that God knew what he needed when he gave him twin younger siblings! The Lord may be using this in his life to develop a more selfless, loving heart! Another thing that I’ve had to keep in mind is that God is the one who has made me finite and so He does not expect me to function as though I had infinite capacity, energy, etc.
God is so gracious and will be faithful!