By Kathryn Peck
It was only two weeks until my little one was due to arrive. I remember thinking how different it was going to be from when I brought home my first baby to our quiet third-floor apartment years ago, with barely a toy in sight. A tiny bassinet in the corner of the room, a few baby blankets, a few gender-neutral onesies. Yes, things would undoubtedly be different for the homecoming of baby no. 4.
It was hard to believe we’d be a family of 6 soon. When I owned my baby store, I would see a lot of new moms who'd say, “I don’t how you’re going to handle 4, I can hardly handle 1!”
Nothing can prepare you for the change of having your first baby. Your entire world is that baby. You can pay attention to every coo, every squeak, and every cry; you can question every small detail, from the temperature in their room to the number of wet diapers they’ve had throughout the day. It’s almost a rite of passage, and a wonderful one, for every first-time parent.
Nothing can prepare you for the change of having your first baby. Your entire world is that baby. You can pay attention to every coo, every squeak, and every cry.
When no. 2 arrives, your time and attention is suddenly divided; you have the needs of two little ones to attend to. Baby no. 3 forces you to be more flexible, more spontaneous.
And baby no. 4?
There weren’t many physical preparations that needed to be made for a fourth baby - we had everything we needed already! Rather there were emotional preparations that needed to be made. I knew that this baby would be loved; in fact, he/she would get to come home to five people who love and adore him/her. I tried my best to prepare for the transition, which would be tough a times; I prepared to deal with multiple meltdowns at once; and I prepared to welcome help. My multi-tasking abilities, which I thought were foolproof, were about to be put to the test. I prepared to simply take things day by day and enjoy this time, because it goes by all-too-fast. As my grandmother used to say, it will all be fine.
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About the author: Kathryn is the owner of Bicycle Pie and mom of 4 little ones. Also a writer, editor, and former owner of one of Boston's premiere baby boutiques, she continues to write about motherhood, children's products, family life, and all other things that test our skills and patience as parents.
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