On this date, 2 years ago, a little ray of sunshine was born into our lives. She was running a little behind on her date of arrival, about a week to be exact, which did drive her mum supremely crazy!
I tried every trick in the book to bring her labour on, but she was quite warm and cosy in there....so she made me wait it out. I recall having long hot baths, rubbing Clary sage oil onto my belly, which just made the braxton hicks contractions stronger, but didn't do much for bringing on the labour. I have since learnt, there isn't much you can do....babies will come when THEY are ready...not when I am ready :)
It was a Thursday morning, the 11th of July, and I had taken DD1 to Playgroup. It was a freezing cold day, I was feeling huge and absolutely over it, as DD2 was a week past her due date. I recall the 'plug' coming out and a slight 'show', which made me excited that her appearance mustn't be too far off. I called mum to let her know, as she would have to drive up to watch DD1 if things progressed, but I wasn't holding my hopes out! I had already had a stretch and sweep a few days prior, which didn't seem to have much effect!
Late that evening, after we had put DD1 to bed, the contractions came on quite quickly. I was hoping and praying that my waters would break first again this time, so I would know for sure labour was imminent, but that didn't happen. However, I knew for certain, that this was the beginning! The contractions were very regular, and coming on quite strong. I phoned the hospital and they told me to come in for a check up (though, they thought I was just exaggerating!). My beautiful angel friend (Tracey) came up at around 9pm, to watch over DD1, whilst Matt and I ducked into the hospital. I phoned my mum to get her to come up to take over from Tracey too.
At hospital, the midwives hooked me up to the machines and started monitoring my progress. The contractions were regular and strong, however upon examination, I was only 3cm. I knew, from when I had DD1, that that didn't mean much as I seem to progress very fast! So I wanted to be admitted, but the midwives told me to go home and labour there for awhile before coming back in. I honestly didn't want to go, I tried my best to stay there, but they insisted.
When I arrived back home, at about 10:00pm, Mum was there. Matt jumped back to bed for some rest, whilst I stayed up bouncing on the fit ball in front of the gas heater. Mum sat with me and helped me time my contractions. They were very close at this stage and started becoming very unbearable. I knew it was time to go back in. So at around 11pm, Mum helped me get DD1s car seat out of our 4wd (as she would need it the next day), as we were trying to get it out though, I dropped one of the back car seats down onto mums wrist and smashed her Guess watch! Sorry, mum! It was so tricky trying to manoeuvre myself in the back of the car to get that silly seat unhooked and out in between contractions! Mum went to get Matt out of bed and told him he had to take me back to the hospital as this was it!
It was pitch black, and not a soul was out on the road. We had the heater blasting in the car as Matt hurried off to the hospital. I was hanging onto, what Matt calls, the "Holy S*it Bars" in the car for dear life, cringing as each contraction came over me in a wave. We raced into the labour ward and they took their sweet time coming to check me over and admit me in, finally! When the midwives got around to doing the internal examination, they found I was still only 3cm! How could that be? Why wasn't this labour progressing as quickly as it had with DD1?! The midwives said it was because I was, to put it politely....'blocked up'....my bowels were full.....basically, I needed to do a poo! ha ha! And that was what was holding back the labour! There is no way I could have gone to the toilet...I had been so constipated the whole pregnancy. I knew I couldn't possibly get anything out easily...and I wanted this baby out fast! So the midwives decided to give me....
....an enema...
*duh duh daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa*
I was so embarrassed, and scared! I had no idea what to expect, never having one before! It was uncomfortable and disgusting, but over in a few seconds....after I lost all my dignity. After the 'procedure' was done, they told me to simply lay still and wait for it to have an effect, and that it could take up to 30 minutes.....well, within 5 minutes I ran to the loo and felt AMAZZZZZZZZING!
Now my bowels were clear, things got intense, straight away! I jumped under the shower, and cranked the heat up to as hot as it could go. It was scalding my back and bottom, but I didn't care, it drowned out the intense pain from the contractions. The midwives started to fill up the bath, but I wasn't allowed to hop in until I was 4cm. They left me to labour as they assumed I was going to be awhile. I was squatting down in the shower, holding onto the edge of the bath when my waters suddenly broke. This was it.....I screamed for Matt to get the midwives as she was coming. She surged down so fast, I barely made it onto the labour bed before she came. The midwives kind of moseyed into the room until they realised I was pushing. I was on all fours on the bed, and with one big push, she arrived. I turned around onto my back, and was shaking....I was in shock! I couldn't believe how quick it all happened. From the time of the enema to the time she was born, it was just over 30 minutes. That is a super fast time to go from 3cm to 10cm!
She was here....our precious little girl, and she was beautiful. She was well overcooked, her cheeks were flushed and her fingers and toes had started to peel, from that extra week she hung on in my womb. The midwives handed her to me then pretty much left me to it! They told me to shower and dress and then they would take me up to my room. I had a lovely long, hot shower, washed my hair, put some makeup on...I felt a million dollars! There is nothing like the rush that natural birth gives....it is a natural high!
The midwives wheeled me up to my room at about 6am and then told Matt that he had to go home as it wasn't "visiting" hours yet.............excuse me, what!? We just had a baby, and your making him go home for a few hours? Yep....rules were rules! So, Matt went home to have a sleep in and some breakfast, while I stayed in the hospital, in a shared room, by myself. Never mind that the people next to me had visitors next to them...chatting away loudly, whilst I was trying to get some rest and bond with my baby! I was pretty furious, but never mind! I enjoyed getting to know my precious little girl.
I'll never forget when Matt and my mum came in to visit with DD1. It was one of the most precious memories I have. Mum had brought DD1 a little baby doll of her own a few weeks before the birth, to get her used to caring for a loving a doll. She came in with her hair tied back in piggy tails, and I had never seen her look so grown up. She looked like she had grown in the space of less than 24 hours since I had last seen her. She suddenly looked so big...she was no longer my baby, but my big girl! She kissed her brand new little sister with such care, but still held some reserve as to who this new person was in our lives!
All the family and some friends came to visit in the hospital and at home. We were blessed with gifts and meals, and felt surrounded by love. I struggled with PND again with DD2, but I knew what to look for this time. DD2 was quite an unsettled baby (like her sister was) and we struggled to breastfeed, even moreso than I did with DD1...we lasted 6 weeks, which killed me as I wanted SO badly to have that beautiful breastfeeding bond with my baby that so many other mums master. I felt like I failed in that department, yet again. She had tongue tie, that wasn't picked up until she was a few weeks old. I was surprised no-one checked for it sooner! I went to multiple lactation consultants/paeds and doctors to try and get on top of why she was so unsettled and not feeding well or gaining much weight. They snipped her tongue tie when she was about 2 weeks old, and she was diagnosed with silent reflux at 1 month old and put on medication (which she stayed on until she was 17 months!) We then struggled to get her eczema under control, which caused a chain reaction of other health problems, which you can read more about here on my last blog post.
When she was put on the bottle, she became a different child. She was settled...and SO much happier. I remember it well as it coincided with the time we went up to Broome for my best friend, Maggie's wedding. I had just weaned her off the breast and onto the bottle, and that first day in Broome, we noticed how happy she was. She laid in the pram as we went for a walk to a cafe, content, then fell asleep....which never happened! It was the beginning of our "sunshine" child.
Matt and I would often say how she was just so happy and content, and had such a sunny personality. It was a breath of fresh air as DD1 struggled for much longer, and was far more unsettled. DD2 still struggled to sleep well, but when you are getting rest in one form or another (and for us, it was just in her being content through the day), you can deal with almost anything!
She took a fair bit of backlash from her bigger sister over the months before she could start standing up for herself. DD1 really struggled to accept her, and for a long time, I felt guilty and sorry for the both of them. But, as DD2 grew, she started getting her own back and now, and where we are now, they are both getting along ALMOST perfectly....as they can communicate with one another and interact much better!
Happiest of Birthdays to our little flower :) We have been so blessed by you! You have been a ray of sunshine since the moment you came into our lives...and with everything you have been through, you have maintained that beautiful, happy personality! As you have grown, it has kind of developed into a slightly crazy wild-child personality! You have a wild fire in your eyes that just spells MISCHIEF!
But, that is what we love the most about her! You are a go-getter. You don't stick to the rules. You like a challenge, and you love danger! You love climbing things, and most certainly aren't afraid of heights. You will give anything a go, even if your mum says not to! You don't like not being able to do things on your own...you prefer to master if yourself, even if it means wearing your clothes back to front and inside out and with your shoes on the wrong feet!
You are always scruffy. Your sister was always so well dressed and dainty, but I haven't been able to master that with you. Your hair is always unkempt, and you always have mess on your face, in your hair, on your clothes...I can't keep up! You are like a tornado....but I love that you are like that! I love that you are so different from your sister, chalk and cheese!
You have the most infectious laugh. You love being chased around the house with us chasing after you like a monster, only to catch you and tickle you til you can take it no more and you tell us in between giggles to "stop!" Then you quickly say....."more". And you also pull the most ridiculous faces....the best is your "smile" - when we ask you to smile, you screw your little button nose up and clench your eyes closed....it is THE cutest!
You hate having your hair done, but love wearing hats. You also have a slight random obsession with shoes, but after putting them both on, you like to take just one off, and walk around lopsided like that. You also have a style all of your own, and you LOVE dressing yourself...you come out with some pretty awesome creations!
You have such a kind, gentle spirit, under that loud persona. If I sneeze, you instantly say "bless you, mama". If you hear someone say "Ouch", straight away you say "You, ok?" If someone is sad, or crying, you hate it - and come over to give a cuddle, and a little pat on the back with those tiny hands of yours, saying "s'ok...s'alright", as you give a little kiss on the top of their head. If your sister is asking for her water bottle, you run to find it and give it to her. Or if she is sad, you run to bring her her bunny rabbit. Your heart is good and pure, and so so kind.
I often find you doing something random...like just chilling on the floor eating your apple, or sitting on top of a table playing your iPad.
You are OBSESSED with water....and now you can open doors I often hear the sound of the tap running in the bathroom, only to find you up on the stool, with toothpaste smeared all over your face and the bench, and water spilt everywhere. Or, in the toilet, with the toilet clogged full of paper and you trying to shove it all down with the toilet brush! If I give you a cup of water, you like just dipping your fingers in it and licking it off, as you run around the house, sloshing it around on the floor as you go!
I still have to keep my kitchen sink cupboard locked, as if I forget, you find it, and love to explore that forbidden cupboard, and touch the forbidden things, such as the dishwasher tablets, which you seem to think are lollies.
You love being outside...If i so much as even open a door, you come running. It is because you really are just obsessed with the car. You ask me multiple times a day, to go outside just so you can go sit in the car, which I rarely let you do, as you just would spend HOURS in there, climbing around the seats, playing with all the switches and buttons, and buckling and unbuckling your seat belt.......hours...........and when I say its time to come inside, you CRACK it...big time....melt down central......I know beautiful, it is the end of your world :)
You are SO flexible....like, its ridiculous! Your legs bend every which way, I'm jealous as that was something I had to work SO hard for! It doesn't phase you or interest you much though, but you do like to sit there and chew your toes...and your fingers for the matter. Always biting your nails, just like I used to! We are mowing through the dummies with you too as you keep biting through them!
You are frightened of the sound of cars and motorbikes going past, and because of where we live, they go past quite frequently. If they are loud, you cover your ears and run for me. If its thundering, you slowly and lay down flat on the floor, on your back, covering your ears.......
But in the next breath, you love making NOISE! The nosier the better. You have been screaming at the top of your lungs since you came into this world...you like to make yourself heard!
You love your daddy. You are definitely a daddy's girl. And you love your sister, so so much! You really just want to be like her, and have everything she has...and it drives her crazy, but she will grow up to realise, that is pretty special, hang in there!
You are an explorer, you have never feared running away from me in a park, or going off to do your own thing in a playground, the complete opposite of your big sister.
You are a playdough eater....it drives me crazy!
You are always running...you never stop! And if you do, we know you are not feeling well. You will lay on the couch with your blanket and give the longest cuddles if that is the case! And you are so, absolutely beautiful, and at peace, when you sleep. That is when you recharge your little batteries so you can have all the energy you need to race around the world again when you wake!
You LOVE scooting around the house on that little rabbit ride on. You ride that thing like you are the coolest kid on the block and you own the joint! It is so funny to watch you do it with such swagger.
You love animals....you could kill them with your kindness, quite literally! You practically squash Billie when he comes and lays on the floor in front of you. If you see a dog on the street, you want to run to it, no matter its size!
You have a will of your own, and it is strong. You will tell me if you aren't happy: "I not want that....go away.....yuck.....", but if you do something wrong, you are quick to say, "I sorry, mum". I had to quit your swimming lessons, after the first lesson, because you screamed blue murder when you got told what to do! You wouldn't have a bar of it! No, I'm not giving mum the watering can to pour on her head, that thing is mine...woman!
Your vocabulary out stands us, you are coming out with new words and sayings everyday. You still get some sounds muddled up, but it is so cute! Water is "waller". You tell me "I hungee" if you are hungry. "I narnee" when you want a banana. You are keen to try any word we say. If you don't hear what we say you will say "what said, mum?" and are always asking "what is it"? to everything you aren't quite yet sure of.
You have started saying your grace for dinner and lunch, and it is the sweetest thing to hear. You jumble the words up, but always get the "AMMMMMMMMMENNNNNN!" shouted at the top of your lungs at the end!
You LOVE music and dancing, your face lights up when you hear a song you love! Your favourite is "happy" off Despicable me. We used to play that to you to make you happy when you were sad, and it is still your favourite today.
You are amazing, talented, beautiful, funny, kind, gentle, wild, strong......we all love you fiercely, and are so thankful that you chose us to be your family. We cannot wait to see where the future takes you, young lady....as I know you are going to chase it with such fervor and energy. You are destined for greatness.
Love you so, so much. Happy birthday our littlest minion and wildling.
xxx
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