A Moment's Notice

A moment's notice.  That's it.  She will no longer by "the baby" in less than 24 hours now.

  
Tomorrow, she will have two roles to play:

Little Sister 

And Big Sister.

She will become a "middle child", a title that comes with stereotypes and preformed impressions that I know this fireball of red curls will never surrender to.

I didn't have the same anxieties when James transitioned into his role as "Big Brother".  

While I often joke that Em runs all over James, bossing him around daily, James has always had an instinctive but subtle "something" that says, 'I'm the leader of this pack of wild jungle monkeys'.  

Up until now, we have all protected Emory from the responsibilities that come with being an older sibling.  While we expect her to simply brush off the dirt when she falls outside (because this girl is as tough as nails), we rarely expect her to be patient or put her own needs on hold for very long. 

We ignore the tantrums for attention but are quick to rescue her from a bad dream at 3AM.  We don't require her to adjust often, but in just two weeks' time, we will expect her to be just as flexible as her older brother has been for the past two years.

Even though I'm filled with worry and angst and fear of how this strong willed baby will transition into her new role, I know that once she settles into it, she's going to be pretty darn good at it.  I know that she'll be a nurturer because of the sincere concern she has for anyone who appears to be upset.

I know that she'll be responsible because she always makes sure everyone has a napkin at supper and no one leaves the house without shoes.  She's observant.  And, if someone is missing or something is out of sync she demands answers.  No matter what new roles Em takes on, she'll still be our wild child, the daredevil scaling the banister, the one that wants to roll the car windows down for every ride, rain or shine.

In just one day, a new Baby Foy will arrive into a world full of crazy.  He will meet his family where two awesome kids already exist and are equipped with their own unique qualities that will make them Big Brother and Big Sister Rock Stars!