i am bridget’s sister kate, four years older and sometimes not as wise. i have a ten-month-old baby boy named quinn (parker’s future bff). i can sometimes be found over here when i am not nursing or sleeping or tending to my husband’s needs (hahaha…that last one is HILARIOUS!).
as you all know bridget decided to begin at the end…with teenagers instead of babies. yes she has been a mom for quite some time now, even though her first four kids didn’t technically live in her uterus and she didn’t technically grow them each a placenta (you totally would if you could though, bridget. of this i am sure). bridget is the youngest of us four girls but yet she has the most kids and therefore she often has the most answers.
“bridget, i need a good recipe for ground beef.”
“bridget, what do you use to wash your fruits and vegetables?”
“bridget, do i really have to sift flour? i don’t have a sifter.”
and i am always hearing her stories about raising teenagers, how much growing boys eat, and how stinky their feet can be. i will hear snippets of conversations.
“nathaniel just ate an entire pack of hot dogs. by himself.”
“i told you a hundred times not to wear your shoes upstairs. i don’t care if you are about to go outside!”
“get your dirty dishes from the family room! or you won’t be able to eat there anymore!”
throughout bridget’s pregnancy, labor and delivery, and parker’s first few days of life i have been the one giving advice.
“is it normal to feel [insert any random thing you felt during pregnancy that freaked you out]?”
“how did you decide not to circumcise?”
“when are you going to start vaccinating?”
my personal favorite: “my nipples don’t do that” as bridget watched me nursing quinn one day, to which i replied “they will” and laughed demonically (small fabrication here).
skyping with bridget while she was in labor was absolutely priceless, seeing her rock back and forth and then get on all fours as a contraction came over her. i was so proud of my baby sister in that moment, so in-control and so powerful.
and now parker is here and i can’t wait to meet him. silly bilirubin had him back in the hospital under the lights and had bridget a weepy mess. but she was by his side loving on him so well, ready to pounce on any nurse that merely suggested that “now is not a good time” to come in the nursery.
my top three rules for you bridget:
1. treat parker as you want to be treated.
2. wear mascara every day, even if you haven’t even brushed your teeth.
3. put parker in the moby wrap all the time. it will give him endless comfort and will give you confidence in yourself as a new mother.
i'm confused, bridget…why didn't you skype ME when you were in labor? rude.
This is so sweet, to see a conversation between sisters! The "tattoo" is so cute.
Ahh, I love a good sister post.
Matching baby tattoos are essential for cousins. I speak from experience. 17 cousins. 17 tattoos. Clearly Quin isn't counting on very many cousins with one that size. Or he's not against face tats.
Sisters are the very best (and sometimes absolute worst) advise givers. There are four of us girls too.
hahaha melly b, i should've known you were a sister!
and it's not that quinn isn't counting on other cousins, it is just that parker is his very fave.
Hello Kate! If I had sisters, I would want them to be like you. Smart and beautiful and damn straight funny.
Love Quinn's tat and big hugs to baby P.
Kate I LOVE this post! So simple and yet so funny + loving 🙂
P.S. Hello, cutie pie Quinn!
wow, this is so awesome and funny! Love it!
This was so sweet!! Thanks, Bridge's sister! 🙂
Isn't the relationship between sisters lovely?
Quinn is adorable!
http://breatheandhush.blogspot.com/
Love that you skyped during labor. Does it get any better? Thanks for continuing to be a great read Kate!!
Wow! Your sister is just as great as you are! So cool you skyped during labor…only sisters would.
Hi Bridget, hope you and baby Parker are doing well! Not that you asked, but my best advice (that I try to remember to tell myself repeatedly) whenever something is hard is that it will pass and we will figure out and my baby will grow up, so I must strive to enjoy this baby! sounds simple, but it's been harder for me to follow than you might think. ps. we also didn't circumcise, which was a tough decision, but i think the right one for us. xoxo
You two are sweet mom's. And aren't cousins the greatest! I hope they really are BFF's. Family friends are the best!
I love kate and bridget! this post had me smiling, nodding, and laughing.
but i am confused, get on all fours? you just terrified my uterus with that sentence.
I'm with Tucker…all fours and my nipples don't do that. What exactly should us no children readers be prepared for?!
Yay for Moby wraps! I couldn't even grocery shop with my two boys if I didn't have one for my littlest to ride in. 🙂
I can't wait to hear Bridget's account of the birth, btw! I LOVE birth stories, and if I ever return to academia (when I'm done having and raising babies) I'm totally going into obstetrics. But mostly I love birth stories because they are magical, and all mommies can bond with each other over them, however different they may be. 🙂
kate seems rad. you're a lucky gal to have cool sisters bridge.
not going to lie.. i'm a bit jealous coming from a girl with only brothers. 🙂
I love this. What a delightful guest post!
I'm an only child and wish wish wish I could have a sister!
Kate, I don't know you but I love you already. You two seem like a blessing to each other. I can say this from a "professional" standpoint because I have three older sisters as well and recognize from a mile away when there are two sisters that are more than that…they're kindred spirits!
Yes, Bridget, your nipples WILL do that. And, there's a possibility they will never go back to the way they were before the fruit of your loins sucked as if it's a competition and he's training for the Olympics. (Oh, and We didn't cicumsie either 🙂
Awwww! Sisters!!….They just rock! {I wrote a poem about it!! LOL} Oh, to be a fly on the wall for some of your conversations!!!! ^_^
Great post!!!
cutie patootie. that's so cute and super lucky that your little babes are so close in age. built in bff's.
Love this post. So cool that you skyped during labor Bridge.
Good advice about mascara even if you don't brush. Real good.
This is such a cute post. Makes me wish I had a sister.
love this! but i do have a question… what DO your nipples do when you start breastfeeding??? do i even want to know??? lol
Kate, ever since I read this post while breastfeeding my baby yesterday, your piece of advice is stuck in my head: Treat Everett like I would want to be treated.
Making it my motherhood motto.
i love "wear mascara even if you haven't brushed your teeth" that is too funny. great post!
@ all of bridget's followers – way to make a girl feel welcomed! thanks for the love. i do feel very lucky to have three sisters and to be so close to them.
@ lauren and melissa m – your nipples grow and grow and become more fabulously elastic. you could almost twirl them around your finger like you would a lock of hair. it's AWESOME!
Love these brief, wonderful pieces of advice. Thank you.
@kate: hahahahahaha, oh wow, I totally pictured exactly what you said… and am laughing hysterically! (Inside my head of course… can't wake up the sleeping hubs)! TWIRL THEM AROUND YOUR FINGERS?!?!?!?! can't wait… :-/