Day 12 and all is well

I am so content right now.

Aila is now 12 days old. I am feeling a lot like my former self, physically at least. I still need to get back into shape and still need to rest after a walk, but I'm a lot more mobile, able to pick up and cuddle Tai, wash my feet and get up from lying down.


I bathed Tai for the first time in a couple of weeks and he was so cooperative and so much fun. No fuss, even with the hair washing! I realized how much I missed that special time in the day. We sang and laughed and read lots of books. I love him to bits.

Mother's guilt is alive and well in me, but I'm usually so busy thinking about the next feed for one child or the other that I'm not actually letting it get to the surface.

But now sitting down and writing and listening to good music with a tiny bubba on my lap, it creeps up and around me.

Still, I know I'm doing my best and under the circumstances, I think I've gotten away with mild PND. Grateful for that as I was worried if it would be worse this time.

Aila is a real little beauty, I have to admit. She has delicate features, fingers, toes. She has her daddy's ears. Some of her expressions really remind me of Tai. She looks like Tai when she's asleep but there are obvious differences too. I can't wait to see how she will look in a couple of year's time.

I think Matt has had a good time on paternity leave this time. Tiring, but good. He's really done a lot more childcare with Tai, and I think they've bonded a lot. Same with Grandpa.

I am alive and I feel these last 12 days have been a steady marathon. Sleep is not strung together, but I do get a couple of hours here and there.

sunshiny days!

The sun is out and it is HOT HOT HOT! What a complete change in mental attitude!

Everyone is happy and content and smiling. This is how life should be. We celebrate the little things more when the sun is shining it seems.

My soul is brimming and my body is bursting (literally!) with happiness.

less than 7 weeks to go

The home stretch seems longer than last time. I'm ready. I'm actually feeling just an once of excitement to see how this labour will unfold.

I want to utilize all the skills that I've been learning and (sometimes) practicing. I want to meet our little girl and bring her into this family.

Tai is getting lovelier by the day. It is a delight to get to know him and shape him everyday. He grabs my cheeks and brings my face close to his and plants the most gentle kiss imaginable on my lips. His skin and lips are so incredibly soft and the act of him kissing me leaves me so full of love. Does he realize the effect he has on his mother?

A little sister for Tai!!!

View from the top of the head

Nice side profile

Baby was very cooperative today and we found out that there will be a little GIRL joining our family! We are ECSTATIC! Very very much so.

growth

Posing in his new Peruvian vest. Thank you Popo and Gongong!

Tai is learning new words at an astonishingly rapid pace. As fast as my belly is growing, it seems!

There are several new words every week and now we're onto two-syllable ones even!

I often think he knows more than I think he does. Sometimes he does things that surprises me and I'm left wondering "where did he learn that?!"

Cuddling his new teddy. Merci Estelle!

His sense of empathy is coming through stronger and stronger. He kisses and cuddles various toys and books - and us of course! 

He is very fair in his kisses too; if he kisses Mama first, he will directly go to Dada and kiss him as well. And vice versa. It's lovely.

As for Baba 2, I am growing bigger and bigger and except for the nasal congestion (which has now just become a part of my normal world), everything seems pretty fine. 

There were a few instances of spotting and bleeding which I got checked out by the midwife, but tomorrow's scan should tell us more - if anything. 

Besides the constant nasal congestion and the incredibly annoying insomnia, I am feeling fine. 

A gentle kiss for baba 2

I was told at the last midwife appointment, my glucose level was rather high and was a likely candidate for gestational diabetes. This is fairly common and can be usually controlled by diet. 

I'm trying to be good and conscious about cutting down on sugar. However, there are times where I do cave in and devour a chocolate brownie or lemon drizzle cake. 

What I am craving recently (and if I remember back to the first pregnancy, then also), is pasta and tomato sauce. Anything with tomato sauce really, lasagne, spaghetti, etc. Oh, and fries. Big chunky fries with salt and ketchup. 

I wish I could just pop down the street and get a big hot poutine. Now that would be great!