Happy Chaos by Soleil Moon Frye Page A

already. What was I thinking?
    But it was worth it. Our crazy campaign worked, and Poet felt very special and included. We made Jagger’s arrival into such a joyous celebration that Poet welcomed her sister with open arms. And we all learned that our hearts just keep on expanding with our family, and there’s no limit to how much we can love.

    Here I am with my two little girls; I couldn’t be happier as our family grew.
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S.P.S.
Making way for number two (or three, or four) . . .
    There are all kinds of ways to include older kids in getting ready for a new sibling. One of our favorite things to do with Poet was baby naming. We would come up with fun ideas together. Poet also helped me with picking out clothes for Jagger and giving her the things that she had outgrown. The most important times are those precious weeks before the new baby comes. It is such a great time to bond and share your love with your kids. Also, you can let them come up with fun ideas that they want to do with the new baby, like planning an outing the first month. Art projects are another wonderful way to engage your older children. They can help decorate the baby’s room and make it special. If your older child is losing some space to the new sibling, try making them a part of the new design. They can help you pick out fun paint colors or new toy bins. Another important thing for us was reusing with our second baby. Half of Jagger’s things in her room—her dresser, armoire, and clothes—came from Poet. There’s nothing more eco than that, and it is also far more affordable than buying all new stuff.
Plan activities for after the baby comes . . .
    Before the new baby comes, ask for your older child’s help in coming up with some fun activities that you can do together—with just you and them. This way your older child has some one-on-one time to look forward to and they can see that their interests are still really important to you. Maybe it’s a play-date with their best friend, or a trip to their favorite park or beach—or a combination of all of the above. No matter what, make it something special and out of the ordinary, and all about the older sibling.
A little sentence to finish . . .
    When I brought my new baby home from the hospital, the first thing my older child said was . . .
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“That’s not our baby. Our baby in there (patting my stomach).”
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—Genie
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“When is the baby going back in your tummy? I want my lap back.”
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—Carrie
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“I want to hold him!”
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—Amy L.
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“Could he go to the bathroom?”
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—Alea

9
    Trusting My Gut, and Not the One I Came Home with After the Baby
    Question of the day: When has following your gut gotten you into or out of trouble?
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“I followed my gut by deciding not to further my education beyond 2 years of college (and no degree). I am happy to be where I am now, but I think I could have seriously benefitted from a good education. The best part is that you are never too old for education!”
    â€”Amanda
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“Too many times to recount. I trust my gut, my instincts. I’ve learned that as a mom, it’s the one thing you should always listen to!”
    â€”Jeannette C.
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“Following my gut actually has always gotten me out of trouble for my entire life. It is when I second guess that feeling that I actually get into trouble!”
    â€”Luna
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“Co-sleeping. I cannot get her out of my bed now without her KNOWING it. However, I have faith that she will fall from the apple tree eventually. I actually believe that co-sleeping will prove to have GREAT benefits in the future.”
    â€”Natalie
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    P eople ask me all the time what it was like to work from such a young age. The truth is acting never felt like work to me—especially not on Punky Brewster .
    That set was our home away from home, our school, and our playground all