One moment during the weekend, we were gathered outside talking and someone had asked Brody if he was excited for a little brother. Unknown to her, we had not told Brody yet as we were still trying to wrap our heads around everything. When Brody originally found out that he was going to be a big brother, he repeatedly asked for a baby sister. I would always reply "all we want is a healthy baby..." So when asked for the first time since finding out the news if he wanted a brother or sister, he replied "I just want healthy brother or sister." It breaks my heart knowing we have already been dealt a different set of cards. The hope is that one day, he will be as healthy as every other kid his age, but we know that getting to that point may be a long journey for all of us, especially our little boy.
We have been trying to read up on how to prepare Brody for a sick sibling. He is only 4 years old (he will be 5 when Caleb arrives) and we are not sure how much he will truly understand, but we know at some point, we will have to prepare him for the potential of whats to come.
We found this article and are hoping it will help guide us in the right direction...
Brothers + Sisters Tools to Help Children When a Sibling is Sick ~ Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Child Life, Education & Creative Arts Therapy