The Times They Are A-changin'

Well as is custom now, I'm writing another post because it's the holidays and I actually have time!

It's now been over two months since Baby No. 2 came along and it's been a rollercoaster ride. In many ways it's been easier the second time round but in some respects it has been more difficult - particularly because we have higher expectations and because we're trying to juggle two children! Despite the difficult days we absolutely love our family of 4!

Our other observation is that we've had to become even more selfless - but it is definitely all worth it. We find more and more of our identity in being the parents of our children and we are more than rewarded for it. Our topic of conversation every evening always eventually comes round to how wonderful our girls are.

The times are a-changin', but we love the adventure!

Amelie

Amelie Joy
Wednesday January 25th 2012
14:41
9lb 4oz

Here's my log of the birth as it happened:

Well it is 8:15 on 25th January 2012 and things are in full swing. Contractions are now coming at intervals of between 5 and 3 minutes. Bec is sitting on the birth ball breathing through her teeth whilst listening to Birth Affirmations (“I release my birth over to my body and my baby”). She’s been contracting since 13:00 yesterday with some ons and offs. Last night we watched Chicago and an episode of Outnumbered (one where the parents were discussing the children leaving home - a long way off for us!), we snatched bits of sleep here and there (I more than Bec) and at some point we watched Paul Simon’s BBC One session. At 6:00 we (Bec) got things going again and the contractions have been getting closer together since. After a nice hour together (lots of explaining about what was happening and plenty of cuddles) Isla was picked up by Nanna at 7:45 And so we wait. (“I release my birth over to my body and my baby. I bring myself into deeper relaxation as my birthing advances. I breathe out slowly with each surge of my body. I see my baby descending through tissues that are pink and healthy.”)

9:40 – 7cm

10.40 - gas

And that's all I got. Think I forgot how much needs to be done by the father at a homebirth!

So, to fill in the gaps: Sometime after Bec started on the good old Entonox we made a quick decision to have her waters broken as she didn't seem to be progressing (a mental block Bec thinks). As soon as the waters were broken things happened thick and fast - the 'Push It Out' playlist went on and Bec was intent on getting the baby out. After 30 minutes of pushing Amelie Joy entered the world and I fell in love all over again. (This really does not do justice to the sterling work Bec put in on that day - I'll point you to her birth story when she's written it)

After all the obligatory cleaning up and Midwife jobs were done, we were able to settle our new baby into life on the outside. Isla returned home to meet her new baby sister and adored her straight away - soft strokes, big kisses, hugs and the official "nose" check.

A family of four!

An out-of-context quote:

"Just to know that this must be sacred,
With the trust of a naked infant,
The instant life is held,
See how the night is held,
A gallery of galaxies,
With you its most attractive piece"

- Mr. J. Medeiros 'Amelie'

Word of the Day #3

"N'nge"

Oh and, we also now have another baby!

Happy New Year!

Last year was my first full of year of being a Daddy. I lived January 1st to December 31st 2011 as a father.

Last New Year's Day, Isla sat up on her own for the first time. Today she made me pretend sandwiches at church, ran around, talked and copied new words such as "better", fed herself weetabix from a bowl with a spoon, made us laugh when she shouted "Hello Daddy!" shortly after midnight before settling herself back to sleep, made cat noises, did some colouring and stickering in her activity book whilst sitting at her new table and chairs, said "No!" when she was asked to go downstairs and took her own tights off at bathtime. In such a short period of time so much has changed, no longer could I call her Baby Debut - she's just our little girl now.

As well as hugely enjoying our little girl today, we've been amazed at the thought that this year, in this month (hopefully), our second child will be born. With Baby #2 I will no longer be a beginner (not yet an expert though), we will no longer be three; we will be a full-on, established family of four and won't we "have our hands full" (as everyone and their cat's grandma thinks it is neccesary to say to us in amongst the "How long have you got left?" and "How big will the gap be?" questions). D-Day is 22nd January, we hope it comes sooner and if it's going to be a girl we hope we come up with a definite name for it before it arrives.

Whatever the circumstances, I know what I am in for this time, and for that reason I am hugely excited at the prospect of being someone else's daddy as well as Isla's daddy. Not because being a daddy to Isla isn't enough - it is - but because of Isla, I now know how much love there is in fathering a child and how much joy there is in seeing them grow. Having that with Baby #2 can only mean that my heart is going to explode with love and joy hundreds of more times each day.

This blog is now for both of you, I know it's not an email a day, but hopefully it will provide you both with snapshots of your life as you grow up. I love you both.

Word of the Day #2

"Door"

Word of the Day #1

"Bob"

Getting Grown

Man, I've been neglecting this blog! I'd like to think that must mean that I'm not neglecting my child, wife, job and other responsibilities.

I mainly came to say that I probably can't call Baby Debut 'baby' anymore. We have an actual baby on the way so Isla is being forced out of her position. She's not quite toddling yet but I think 'toddler' is the correct term for her now - she's just my little girl now, really!

I'm writing this from the blogger app which I've just downloaded so maybe this will revive my blogging. Who knows?

Quick bits of news are that Isla's fourth tooth finally emerged today and the twenty week scan for the new baby yet swimmingly, apart from the fact that it wasn't very awake and wouldn't budge (a boy, perhaps?).