Cute way to tell my niece?

mfarglio

So I've read through the posts about telling your children and introducing the new babies to your children but haven't found anything that really fits my situation.

My niece is 6 years old (she'll be 7 a week after due date) and is actually the reason I took a pregnancy test because she said she could hear a baby in my belly. Even after getting my BFP and telling her parents I was pregnant we decided to keep it a secret from her until the second trimester. My relationship with my niece is very strange. From when she was in my sisters belly to birth to now we have had a very special bond and I can honestly say she's one of my best friends. I have helped raise her and when we lived in different states we'd both cry when we had to leave each other, so now that I live near them she wants my constant attention.

My sister is pregnant with her second child after years of fertility issues and my niece is very very excited but also voices concerns about me not being able to play with her as much when her brother comes. She has no worries about her parents not having time for her because she understands that, but it seems like she's only worried about me.

She loves babies and I think she would he thrilled to hear I'm pregnant (I'm like 90% sure she somewhat knows she always kisses my belly when I leave now) but I know she'll also be extremely jealous and concerned.

I'd just like some solid advice about how I can tell her in a cute way that will show her I will still love her but that will also help her to get excited with me?

Sorry this is so long I just love my little Bug so much and I don't want her to think that when I have this baby she'll be put on the backburner.

TIA!!!

kaitinperth

The first thing that sprung to my mind was maybe a cute shirt with 'best cousin ever' or something similar that you could give her as a present to share the news? Also if you want to maybe you could take her along to an appt or two so she feels like a special part of your pregnancy... Or take her shopping with you to pick out things for bub/nursery if appts are a bit personal. Hope this was helpful - I haven't been in the situation but it's really sweet that you're so close to your niece!

mfarglio

@kaitinperth Love the tshirt idea! I actually don't mind taking her to an appointment so maybe I'll do that. I'd have to talk to her mom but I don't see why it would be a problem. I'm so nervous about telling her, I was excited to until she started asking me if I'd still take her to the grocery store when her brother came or if her brother cried and she cried at the same time who would I go to first...broke my heart having to hear her worry about that!!

herewegrow

Maybe ask her to help with something special or give her a job to be in charge of? Make her feel like you just can't do this without her! My husband's 12 yr old sister was the same way, but she is so awesome with our LO now because I always make a big deal out of how she's the only one DD will go to

NurseRightmire

This maybe a little unrelated but my niece has 3 brother and wanted a sister so bad that when we found out we were having a girl, she started calling her cousin her sister. I try to spend one on one time with her still. This summer I am planning to have her spend the night with her "sister". my daughter is 16 months and my niece is 6. Good luck. I think she will be happy but maybe a little scared because she doesn't know what to expect with a new baby around (make that 2 new babies).

ammnam14

My SIL told my niece and when I saw her she said "Do you have a baby in your tummy? God put it there." It was the cutest thing.

amandaluv5

I would make her involved as much as possible.. I was 5 when my older sister got pregnant.. I was close to her.. So she would take me to her appts to show me I was involved she made sure I was able to go to the hospital when she had my niece so I could meet her she made sure I knew she wasn't replacing her love for me... She got a shirt for me that said number one aunt and got pictures with me and my niece taken.. She never made me feel like an outsider

mfarglio

Thanks for the great ideas. I'll involve her as much as possible. I slightly hope it's a girl just for her sake because she's been asking for a sister since she was 3 and her mom is having a boy so it'd be nice to have a girl for her to play with and be a role model for. I'll find out next week. Still not sure how I'm going to tell her. I might get her a cousin shirt and matching onesie for the baby and take her to Olive Garden (it's her favorite) and tell her there, but I'm worried that's not special enough. Maybe I'm just over thinking it.

I would love for her to go to my next US with me. She didn't get to go to any of her brother's because she was always in school but now that she's on summer break she has an open schedule.

Would it be too weird to get her one of those journals that the kids fill out about their new baby brother/sister? I've had friends that used those to help with jealous feelings in their first child when the second was being born but not sure if that's crossing a line since it's her cousin not her sibling?

satindawl83

It's great that you two are so close. When my sister told my nephew I was pregnant with my first , he said "doesn't she have kids already?"

As for the journal, I'd recommend against it since your sis is pregnant too. It could be something her mom wants to give her.

ariyanas1mom

My plan to tell my daughter is blowing up a couple balloons, putting letter stickers on each balloon, one that says big the other will say sister, I'm putting them in a box and telling her to open it and read the balloons.

susiaustin

My niece is 3 and has a 6th sense about it, she knew I was pregnant since the first time I saw her (her brothers birthday party beginning of April) but she didn't know a 100% exactly what was going on. My parents explained to her that she was getting a new little cousin, because like you we super close, she's my goddaughter and we were afraid she'd be upset about having to share me. She was insisting since her brother was born that I wasn't her brothers aunt just hers, that I wasn't allowed to have children because she was my baby. It was hard for me to know our relationship was going to change a bit once she found out, even though she so little. She was OK when she started understanding she having a new little cousin means she has a new friend. She calls tummy her best friend and has it in her head she has to be an extra good girl around my tummy because it is her job to show her little cousin how to behave. She takes her job very seriously, she even started getting serious about potty training so she can "teach her cousin" when her cousin gets bigger. She loves being a big sister to her little brother but she is almost creepily convinces I'm having a girl, she's been right 10 times, a few more weeks and I'll know.. At age 6 they understand a lot more, my best advice is explain just because your having a baby doesn't mean you'll love her less, there will just be an extra person who loves her. My niece loves feeling included and loves talking to my belly and rubbing it. I was only 13w the last time I saw her (14w6d now) just because as adults we know baby can't hear her yet doesn't mean she can't start. My niece calls me almost every morning or night to talk to the baby. She loves hearing how big the baby is. With her brother I brought down presents from her brother because financially they couldn't handle extra expenses and my sister was worn out from having my nephew in NICU for 10 days. Maybe get her a present from her cousin to tell her. I started a charm bracelet for my niece her first Christmas and got her a "big cousin" charm when she found out, it's our own special thing. No matter what I get for any holiday she always gets a charm. Taking her to a doctors appointment would be a good idea and than maybe take her to Olive Garden afterwards. You have a few months before the baby comes, and you can use this time (when you feel up to it) to have her know how special she is. My niece also excited her mommy gets to be an Aunt like I am to the baby, because she knows how special I am to her, and she is happy for her mommy to have that.