The best advice I ever got: toddler preparation for sibling

Ada coped amazingly well the first few days Olive was home. We got her a baby doll with a few accessories and she mimicked me a lot. Rock, pat, cuddle, car seat, night night baby and repeat. Ada is only 20 months old but has understood a fair amount of what is happening. She definitely got overwhelmed in the first week, being tired from being sick and sleeping poorly along with adjusting to sharing Mama and Dada has meant a few more wails from our generally amicable girl. We are learning how to approach these, how to respond when Ada wails over being told no or how to respond when she needs a bit of space and has chosen to cry in the corner because she can't figure out what she wants or how to get what she wants (often Mama). That's probably another story. 

• We got Ada a gift from Olive for when we came home from the hospital. This was a picnic set that Mama and Ada enjoyed straight away. Ada is mimicking everything we say and so we got a "thankyou Olive", Arr, so cute!
• We have a few cheap wrapped gifts on hand that double as an activity. Things like stickers, puzzles, colouring book, crayons, bubbles. If Ada gets jealous of the gifts arriving for Olive we can distract her with a gift and give her something entertaining too!  
• When Cam is at home from work I try and go out with Ada just for brief trips. Out of the house time and one on one time with Ada is a real treat,  trips to the pharmacy or a wee walk to the nearby horses are great. 
• Ada is small but we let her know Olives cries are to try and tell us that she is hungry or sleepy, or has a dirty nappy. We try to explain feeding takes a long time because that is where Olive gets all her food and water. 
• Older toddlers may be curious about scrunched-up legs that come from all that time spent tucked in mums tummy, the floppy neck which isn’t strong enough yet to support babies head and the soft spot and the reason we need to be extra gentle with heads. We have a kiss on head and pat on body policy that works ok. 
• For older kids: Together you can make a list of quiet activities she can do with you while the new baby in the house sleeps.