A newborn requires plenty of attention, that's no secret. But when there's an older sibling in the mix, there are definitely plenty of opportunities for jealousy and anxiety once a new baby joins the family, especially since they'll be requiring the bulk of the attention. In the case of former The Bachelor star Melissa Rycroft and her quickly growing family, the transition into parenting two little tykes seems to be no problem.
From the gender announcement (seriously, how cute is lil' Ava in that picture?) to the post-birth cradling photo, Rycroft has made sure that the now-big sister is included in all the baby activities. So when she posted photos of little Beckett Thomas, whom she gave birth to on April 20, she captioned it: "Ava would like to introduce her baby brother Beckett." How cute is that?!
// Post by Melissa Rycroft.The photo of Rycroft holding her son and his solo shot are beyond adorable (and seriously, how did they get him to sit like that?!), but the real scene stealers are the photos with Ava and her bro. You can already tell that they'll be BFFs in no time. Just check out that loving gaze Ava has as she holds her little brother. Sure, Rycroft did say that Ava was not all that excited to meet her baby brother because it means she'd have to share, but it looks like the duo are already totally in sync.
As a big sister, I get it. I was 5 when my little brother was born and was convinced until the day he was born (and honestly, for a few weeks after as well) that it was all just a joke. But my parents actively made sure that I was completely involved in this new family transition. From letting me announce the pregnancy to family and friends to helping me change his diaper (thanks, dad, I know you really did everything), acknowledging that this was a big move in my life made the change that much smoother.
No doubt, little Ava will have to share both her toys and her parents' attention, but having her be such a big part of a major family moment is a wonderful way to make sure that she fully embraces her big sisterhood. Because that little guy will definitely make his presence known. You can trust me on that.
Did you involve your older children when your younger ones were born? If so, how?
Image via melrystrick/Instagram