My Daughter Is Psychic and Knew I Was Pregnant Before I Did

My daughter knew I was pregnant before I did.

We were lying in bed together after a nap and she leaned over, kissed my belly and said, “Hi, baby, I love you!” and went on with her day. Because I had assumed I was an “average” woman that followed typical timelines, I had no reason to believe that I could be expecting her sibling. But from that day on, I took a pregnancy test daily.

Seven days later, that second pink line changed my family’s life.

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To Sibling or Not to Sibling

I openly admit that I wasn’t sure I ever wanted a second, and my husband was happy to support whatever decision I made. I loved our life as a family of three and the advantages that came along with it. The only thing that deeply nagged at me was not just the fact that my daughter would be an only child, but that she wouldn’t have a sibling to share life with.

I know it isn’t promised that they will grow up happily together and love each other, as there are plenty of strained sibling relationships, but I think that is a small percentage comparably. And I have my own anecdotal evidence to support it . . . I just adore my brother and couldn’t imagine my life without him.

Not only do I love my brother more than words can express, but I also actually like him (even if I had to wait until he hit maturity and was in college).

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Pros of Having a Sibling

I am so incredibly excited that I have the opportunity to nourish a sibling relationship with my second. Because there is no turning back, as soon as I knew my daughter was going to be a big sister, I started to think of all the special things that she will be able to experience that she would have never had the chance had she been an only child.

• Equally despising your sibling and just as fiercely protecting him or her, too. Even to this day when my husband complains about how annoying my little brother is (he still has a *bit* of growing to do), I feel this innate need to defend him, even if I disagree 100%.
• Siblings can cuddle each other instead of crawling into mom and dad’s bed. Or is this just wishful thinking? When I was scared as a kid, I would crawl into my brother’s bed, or vice versa. It was a win-win for everyone because I didn’t have to admit it was because I was scared, my brother liked to cuddle, and my parents still had a kid-free bed. Not to mention tons of cute pictures of us cuddling together.
• Always having a playmate, even if it was just to torture each other. I can remember being bored and picking on my brother, poking him, or staring at him just to annoy him. It was instant entertainment.

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Sibling Relationships as Adults

Now that we are adults, I have grown to adore our new level of friendship and things I never realized were part of the sibling deal.

• Always having someone to call who will truly understand what it is like to have our mother. Our mother is one of our favorite people on earth, but wow can she drive us nuts at times. One call to my brother, and I am instantly gratified knowing that I was right and she was wrong.
• Watching my brother grow in his romantic relationships and helping shape him into a quality partner. Over time, a few of his girlfriends have personally thanked me for helping him realize how immature he was being. He will be the first to admit I gave him (solid) advice when dealing with a new relationship issue.
• The best thing about having a brother as an adult is seeing him with my daughter. I never knew how much I would cherish his role as an uncle, and I am beyond thankful that he is such a tremendous part of her life.

I feel so lucky to have my brother and to know that my daughter is already starting to appreciate her sibling. I don’t expect it to be an easy transition (or even manageable at times), but I have no doubt that she will grow up to love whoever is growing inside me.  She loves to talk to the baby, wash my belly in the shower, feed me so that the baby gets food, and read my swollen abdomen stories at night.

I joke when I say my daughter is psychic, but with her knowing the baby was there days after conception, if this child comes out as a boy (her guess) and on June 18 (another of her guesses) I might just be convinced.

Did your sibling relationships effect your choice to have more children? What sibling adventures do I have to look forward to?