Editor's Letter: Winter 2023

When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I worked hard to prepare my older one to become a big sister. We talked about the new baby, read books, and I even included her in decorating the nursery. I did all I could to get her ready for the transition. One day shortly before my due date, my older came up to me and said, “Now, I know when the new baby is coming. But when does she leave?” Oops! In all I’d done to prepare her for her sister’s arrival, I hadn’t mentioned this was a permanent addition. The baby wasn’t just dropping by for a visit but would be staying with us and would be a member of the family. I’m very glad we were able to clear that up before we brought Baby home! Whether you’re adding a second, third or fourth, preparation is key! Check out here for tips on how to help prepare older siblings for the arrival of a new baby.

Along those same lines of preparation, I tried to prepare myself for what to expect while expecting. And again, though I thought I’d done some pretty thorough research, several things popped up that I hadn’t expected. When I read Kim Antisdel’s article, “I’m Expecting but Didn’t Expect This!”, memories flooded back of how hungry I would get during my first pregnancy. I would know when I was getting hungry, and crossing the line from hungry to hangry happened very quickly. Caution to anyone who was near me when I reached that point—it wasn’t pretty. If you are pregnant, I’m sure you’ll also be able to relate to Kim’s article! Pregnancy, like life, is full of the unexpected!

Enjoy winter, KC parents!