My Pregnancy

SHE MUST KNOW THAT SHE IS SO LOVED

21 JUNE 2010

With a little more than three months to go before I become a mommy, I’ve been contemplating motherhood, and really been thinking about what is important to me. Qualities and traits that I want to teach my baby girl. Here is a summary... although I know this is just the tip of the iceberg!

While BabyV is a baby, I am going to love her, protect her, nourish her – and love her some more. I will strive to ensure that she is a happy, contented, joyful baby. I can’t wait to show her everything, to let her feel and experience different sounds, textures, tastes, sights and smells. I can’t wait to teach her how to walk, how to talk and how to laugh often. I will play with her always, and delight in her childish delight. I will start to teach her a sense of right and wrong. Her daddy will play a big role in her life, and be a part of all her happy memories. Her grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles will see her often – she must learn the value and importance of family. Through all of this – she must know that she is so loved.

When BabyV is a toddler, I will continue loving her, protecting her and nourishing her. I will continue showing her everything, and playing with her. She must spend time with adults, children, babies, and animals. I want to teach her about respect – respecting people, animals, and possessions. I want to instil in her a quiet sense of confidence, social skills with good people-interaction, pride in what she achieves, and a positive, friendly attitude. I want to teach her about God, and I want to teach her to pray. I want to teach her to love books, love running outside, and love hugging and kissing her family. I want her to ask all the possible questions her inquisitive mind can come up with - and I will strive to do my best to answer them as well as I can. Through all of this – she must know that she is so loved.

When she goes to primary school – I will continue all of the above. I will spend time with her often, she must trust me, I hope she will share her dreams and secrets with me, and I hope she will love being with me. She must make mistakes – but the lesson must always be learnt from it. She must make choices and decisions, and learn to deal with consequences. I want to inspire her. I hope she will be hardworking, fun loving, truthful, gentle, friendly and happy. She must have faith – in herself, in others, and in God. Through all of this, she must know that she is so loved.

When she goes to high school – I will still continue all of the above. I will talk to her about all of life’s ups and downs, perils, temptations, dangers and uncertainties. I want to ensure that she feels confident, peaceful, happy and positive. I want her to question uncertainties, and be inspired by finding the correct path. She must laugh often. She must forgive others. She must spend lots of time with her friends – but more time with her family. She must look after herself – her skin, her hair, her body, her health. If she ever feels uncomfortable in any situation, she must walk away. She must strengthen her resolve of right and wrong. She must always show respect. She must be determined to succeed. Through all of this, she must know that she is so loved.

When she goes to college – she must learn independence. She must know her family always comes first, and her family will always, always be there for her. She must never be nervous to talk to us about any issues or problems. I will continue to remind her of things I have taught her, and I will strive to ensure that she is happy. Through all of this, she must know that she is so loved.

And then – when my baby girl starts working, gets married, settles down, and starts her own family – my job will not yet be done. She must know that she is so loved.

xx

REMEMBER TO REMEMBER:  PREGNANCY HIGHLIGHTS

30 August 2010

What I’ve Loved About Being Pregnant:

• Seeing the little bean shaped miracle, and hearing the racing heartbeat for the first time, at 8 weeks
• Seeing a complete human shape at 12 weeks, waving tiny arms and kicking tiny legs
• Seeing a tiny outstretched hand with a little finger pointing at us
• Seeing the little baby drinking amniotic fluid
• Finding out it’s definitely a girl
• The fluttering of the gentle first movements
• Getting the all clear that baby is healthy and perfect and growing beautifully
• Feeling proper kicks – feels as though baby is saying, “Hello mommy, I’m here!”
• The growing bump
• When Wyn rubs oil or cream on the bump
• Friends telling me I look good
• Feeling like I’m carrying a precious secret
• Feeling baby’s hiccups
• Doing the DIY baby room decor
• Wyn enjoying painting baby’s room
• When Wyn holds my tummy at night when we sleep
• When baby kicks back if I press on my tummy
• Feeling a hard bump on my tummy – a foot, knee or elbow!
• Seeing my tummy move from baby’s hiccups
• Spending time in baby’s room with Wyn, moving furniture around, looking at clothes and planning wall decor
• Having a lie-in for another hour or two most mornings
• Having an excuse for walking slower, sitting down or just generally being lazy
• Sitting in the sun for a few minutes on nice days, with tummy exposed – she usually kicks a bit then!
• Baby loves being in the car – she kicks quite a bit when we’re driving!
• She kicks a lot when I drink Dry Lemon
• Baby girl often pokes me in the side when I lie on my right side – she continues to do it until I turn onto my left side!
• The smiles I get from strangers in town, and double-takes that people sometimes do
• The interest from my forum, blog and Facebook friends, as they track my journey with me
• Feeling so excited whenever there’s a new issue of a baby magazine – knowledge is power!
• Washing her tiny clothes, the divine smell of the Baby Sta-Soft, and how cute the washing line looks with all the miniature clothes hanging there!
• The feeling of utter excitement that bubbles up inside me and emerges as a giggle when I stand and look at my ever-expanding bump in the mirror.
• Me and Wyn’s long chats about baby girl, and how Wyn refers to her as “kleintjie”
• Loving having her with me always, knowing that she is snug and happy inside me.

xx

LAST THOUGHTS ON PREGNANCY

2 October 2010

Mia is 11 days old today - yet my pregnancy feels like it was ages ago. Gone is the heartburn, the discomfort when I walk fast or drive over speed bumps, and I can turn over in bed without going 'ooof'!

I was blessed with a very happy, healthy pregnancy - I really enjoyed it. The pregnancy journey is such a miracle, the growth of the tiny embryo to foetus to baby is just amazing and awe-inspiring.

In total, I picked up 15 kilo's. I've lost 7kg's so far, which I'm pleased about.

In hindsight, these are some thoughts I have, that I would like to record and share:

• I was fascinated by the weekly growth and development of my baby. And although it's great to read up on it all, and to know what's what in pregnancy - I would have spent less time reading so MUCH about pregnancy, and read more about newborns, baby care and coping in the first couple of weeks.

• I did exercise during pregnancy, and I'm glad I did.

• I ate too many choccies during my pregnancy.

• I drank lots of water, which I'm glad I did.

• Everyone warned me how "my time will no longer be my own"... And I did hear them - but u don't truly understand what they're trying to say to u until u're in the situation of NOT having your time to yourself... And so although I did rest lots, slept lots, read books and chilled - in hindsight - I would have done even MORE of that!

• Wyn and I did make a point of going out for meals at our fave restaurants and spending lots of quality time together on weekends being just the two of us, and it was awesome. I would have liked to have done even MORE of that too.

• I should have spent the money on a day at the spa... because heaven knows when next I'll go for a facial!

• You hear of the sleep-deprivation when you have a new baby... you expect it... but it still knocks you for a six!! Therefore, during pregnancy... I would have slept, slept, slept every chance I had, instead of spending so much time online reading about pregnancy stuff...

• I should have made my pregnancy scrapbook while I was pregnant. Because now that baby girl is here, of course, she's all I'm interested in - pregnancy is old news now!!

• My pregnancy went by so fast, and I definitely didn't wish time away - in fact, I often wished time would slow down.

• I complained about getting up twice a night for a loo visit... Loo visits take a minute and can be done half asleep... now I get up twice a night for nappy changes and feeds, and they take up to an hour or more each session... I knew it was going to be like this - but somehow also didn't realise the extent of it.

• My next pregnancy won't be as relaxed and calm as this one was, and I won't have as much time to sleep because I'll have a toddler in the house... but still - my message to pregnant ladies is... sleep, sleep, sleep! :-)