Skip to main content


I didn’t plan a six year age gap between my girls. Once Little Lady‘s first birthday had passed, it was time to try again for a second baby. I knew it was going to take a while because it had been a long road the first time. As I had packed away each set of baby clothes all clean and labelled with ages, I had prayed that I would be able to use them again.

When I actually discovered that I was pregnant again for the second time, it was coming up to Little Lady’s sixth birthday. I was in a state of delighted shock and struggled to believe it could be true. I paid for a scan around seven weeks because I just needed to see that there was actually an embryo inside, growing and safely beating away. Thank goodness for my morning sickness confirming that it was all true!

We had left the baby stage behind long ago. Now we were able to leave the house with just a set of keys in our pocket. We had envisaged having children close together, them playing with the same toys and being bathed and put to bed at the same time. How would life look with a six year old to keep entertained and a new born to look after?

From the off, I knew Little Lady was going to be excited about having new baby in the family. She had left me full of emotion in the past when she had actually asked for a little brother or sister. We couldn’t wait to tell her the news and when we actually did, she was delighted.

My dating scan was the day before she returned to school and we took a big decision to take her with us (we had already had the early scan alone). I was fully aware that scans can bring a variety of outcomes. She waited outside with my mum and clearly understood that we would invite her in only if we could. When all was well, she did get to come into the room and it was a very special moment. We wanted her to feel involved and this was the first way that we could truly involve her. She was meeting her sibling for the first time.

As I type, I’m in my seventh month of pregnancy. The age gap is already meaning that Little Lady has a good understanding of what was going on. The pregnancy isn’t abstract, but something that is happening in our family. As my stomach expands, Little Lady loves hugging me and seeing if her arms can fit all the way around my bulging belly. I love it when she feels the baby move and when she can be persuaded to read or sing to the baby.

Little Lady knows an instant playmate won’t arrive and is looking forward to helping. How much she can help with, is yet to be revealed. If you have suggestions, they would be gratefully received! Fetching and carrying can be pretty boring!

So far the age gap, although not planned, seems positive. I plan to update this post once we have lived as a family  of four for a few months. Roller coaster of baby 2 - here we come!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Preparing to Potty Train

I do not have the perfect method for potty training. I am not an expert. I found potty training my daughter to be really, really hard work. This blog aims to share my experiences about how we prepared for potty training. I have found a great deal of support and encouragement from other parents, people who have been through similar experiences. Sometimes conversations make me think- ‘I’d never do that!’ or ‘Great idea’ or just reminded me that I needed to get on and do something. I hope that reading this is like having an encouraging friend. We started quite early for most children in the UK at 20 months. Back in the 70s and 80s this was pretty common from what I can gather so I decided to just get on with it. There were some reasons which influenced my decision- Little Lady wore cloth nappies some of the time and truthfully, I was fed up of the dreaded soaking bucket in the garage. She also hated having her nappy changed by this age and would cry and scream- I’d had enou...

Birmingham's German Market with Kids

Birmingham's famous German market is open! From 4th November to 23rd December the aroma of Gluhwein and gingerbread will be tempting passers by. Is it possible to enjoy it with children? Yes, with a little bit of a plan. We have been taking our girls to the German market since they were babies. Amazingly, babies are actually easier to take to the market than older children because time it right, and they sleep through your bratwurst and hot chocolate. Top tips for taking a baby: If you can, visit on a weekday as it's quieter. Consider a baby carrier rather than a pushchair. Head for the moving toy and model stalls to keep little ones occupied. If needed, use baby changing facilities in the Bullring or Grand Central (opposite Kitty Cafe). Take plenty of layers in case it gets chilly. For older children, there are plenty of stalls for them to browse. On our family visits, we spread out the food and drinks to keep them happy- drinking hot chocolate at one end of the market and eat...

MiniBrum

What is it? MiniBrum is a play space for under eights based on the theme of a mini Birmingham. There are different areas for children to explore including a canal barge, a construction zone and a shop. The whole of MiniBrum is designed to support children’s role play and exploration of real life spaces. The unique interactive gallery has been created with the input of over 800 children and families from across Birmingham. Where is it? Mini Brum is part of ThinkTank which is Birmingham’s science museum. MiniBrum is on the third floor next to the recently revamped planetarium. Entry to ThinkTank is £14 per adult and £10.25 per child. Under 3’s are free and during Birmingham term time there is a special adult and toddler (aged 3-5) ticket for £15. Another great offer is the £3 per person entry fee after 3pm on term time weekdays. When does it open? It opens to the public on 25 th May in time for half term. I would expect it to be very busy. My advice woul...