Siblings #1.

"And what does John make of him?" The most frequently asked question in relation to our most recent addition to the family. And I suppose I understand, given that most people expect some kind of sibling jealousy when a new baby arrives. But not John.

I always knew I'd want to have children close in age. My train of thought was that I wanted them close enough to have a good bond and young enough that the eldest would adapt before understanding jealousy. And it turned out that a 22 month age gap was perfect for this.

John has shown nothing but love for David. I'm pretty sure it's more a case of him seeing that we love David, so in turn he does too. But none-the-less, he dotes on his baby brother. First thing in the morning he'll come through looking for "Day-day", sharing a cuddle & kiss to greet him. Throughout the day he'll give (read:throw) his toys to David & try to force a dummy upon him.

And so far there's been no real jealousy. Of course, there is the odd occasion when John will take out his frustrations of David feeding again on me but never has he shown any negativity towards David. In fact he's always keen to make sure David has everything he needs - a comfort blanket, a bib, a muslin cloth, wellies, a spoon...

Now David is becoming more & more interactive, John becomes more & more interested in him. Laughing at David cooing, grinning when David smiles at him & wanting to sing Row Your Boat - actions & all! And David always saves his best smiles & fixated gaze for his big brother. Not only do I get excited to watch them grow individually, I get excited to see them grow as siblings.