In contrast to the video I showed on Tuesday, Mazzy embraced the addition of Harlow pretty quickly and continues to enjoy her company. Sure, she'll get pissed when I'm holding the baby and she wants to be the one sitting in my lap. Or she'll request I leave Harlow in the other room while I come with her to play. But for the most part, Mazzy keeps coming up with new and interesting ways to interact with her little sister. Whether Harlow likes it or not.
Since Harlow can barely move, she is more Mazzy's prop than her playmate. Or helpless victim, depending on how you look at it.
Harlow just furrows her brow as Mazzy pokes, prods and smothers her, silently plotting her revenge. If you could hear Harlow's inner monologue, it would probably be something like, "This is cool now, my friend. But you just WAIT."
Here are Mazzy's top ten methods of harassing the baby:
1. Dress-up the baby, usually in various hats. Then surround her with carefully selected and precisely placed toys. (see above)
2. Run circles around the baby. Literally.
3. Make the baby hold unweildy objects.
4. Scream into the baby's ear.
5. Force the baby to eat a fake banana.
7. Violate the baby's belly button.
8. Make a bridge over the baby.
9. Jump over the baby giving her mother a heart attack.
10. Pretend the baby is a telephone.
Note: I have no idea how Mazzy even knows what a rotary phone looks like.
Despite how often I must tell Mazzy to be careful around Harlow and discourage her from performing some of her more reckless interactions, I know Mazzy's antics are all with the purpose of one common goal:
Get as close to the baby as possible.
STOP MAKING ME WANT A SECOND CHILD.
Ahem, sorry for the outburst. This is beyond adorable.
So cute! Your girls are adorable.
I SECOND THIS…. STOP NOW 🙂
Absolutely. This post immediately made me realize how blessed second children are. I adored the newborn phase and spent tons of time playing with and reading to my newborn, taking him out into the world, etc., but nothing I did compares to the stimulation that Harlo receives from Mazzy! The jumping-over thing sounds terrifying indeed; the ear-screaming not so good; the rest is beautiful. Lucky girls to have each other.
The video ending of Harlow just staring into the camera is adorable and sums it all up!
Love the blue blanket… where would one find something like that?
I love this. I can’t wait, my second will be here in october and my boy will turn three in February. He already tells everyone he has a sister(we don’t know yet, I think he’s just clinging to the last word in the “thats your little brother or sister”), and insists on carrying around the sono picture of the black mass that will one day look like a baby and showing it to random people in stores. I know that’ll change when baby gets here… LOL
Harlow has the best facial expressions. She does look like she’s thinking “Just you wait…”
As my baby turned 1 on Monday and her big sister will be 3 in May, I can only warn you….it gets even better! And yes…the baby is the most laid back baby in the world, but she has finally realized some revenge. We’ve already heard “mommy – Emmy is bothering me!” from the big sister 😉
You gave me baby fever, damnit!
She knows what a rotary phone is thanks to Sesame Street! I couldn’t figure out how my 2 year old knew until I saw Mr. Noodle using one. Then… I realized that it the type of phone that Sandra Boynton uses in her books — all makes sense now.
I could have written this almost word for word about my two boys…except changing out “using baby as a telephone” with “smother the baby in couch cushions”. What can I say? He likes to be under the cushions so he thinks his brother will, too. But in the end, it’s TOO CUTE how much Mazzy (and Jed) want to be snuggled up so close to “their babies”. Aw…
I love this post! My baby is now 2, but his three older siblings do all of the same on a daily basis. If I had a nickel for every time I say “Just give the baby some space!” and then feel guilty because I realize that they just want to be near him. Beautiful babies you have!
http://amysreallife.com
I remember sitting down to feed #2 and #1 starting a major meltdown. I assumed it was because I was having to give attention to the baby. No, it was because by feeding the baby I was stopping her from playing trains. Nevermind at 2 months she couldn’t sit, hold anything or have a clue. She’s two and a half now and one of the hallowed few allowed to choose which train she plays with. That is a mark of continuing brotherly devotion… Though she did save and remember every second child injustice and is paying it back slowly but surely mostly with screaming for no reason and potty “accidents” on his carpet… They never forget.
No fair! It’s SPRING and all the animals are having their babies. It’s biological that I’m going to want to brings something sweet home this time of year, every year, for the rest of my life.
I’m done having children…
I’m done having children…
I’m done having children….
I love watching Mazy play with Harlow! oes HArlow totaly love Mazzy? my 3month old boy looks at his big sister (7 years) like she is the sun. he thinks she can walk on water! all she has to do is look at him ane he will grin big.
So so so so sweet! Love the last photo!
This is just too cute. I cannot wait to have a second child now and I just had my first. Mazzy seems to ADORE Harlow and I’m sure they’ll grow up being super close.
I’m going to bring home some sweet wine instead. It’s the only thing stopping me from choosing a baby instead, lol.
This is making me so excited for Ella to get her hands on her new baby sister! Ella mostly ignored Jed until he started crawling. They are 2.5 years apart so maybe she was a bit too young? But I think she’s gonna be really into the new baby.
Oh my gosh the bridge over troubled baby.
That’s the best thing ever.
And I’ve seen a lot of good things.
Like, for instance, Harlow’s hair.
Seriously. You have the cutest family.
You know that. Right?
seriously. I am too old to have another. please stop – killing me (but secretly loving it).
I can’t dare to take any decisions for a second child.
So CUTE!!!
You may, indeed, be on to something!