4 Month Master M - The Babbler

This is Master M the one whom my entire life revolves around. I gave birth to my gorgeous son 4 months 3 weeks ago and since then I have been enjoying motherhood to the fullest. My little one really is one of the sweetest babies ever (and no I'm just not saying that)....he's just so content and peaceful, not fussy at all. I really can't complain!! I hear horror stories from other new moms about how their child cries constantly, or won't sleep for more that 30 minutes at any time, but everyone is simply amazed at how relaxed, good natured and laid back he is, a quality he gets from both his parents :) Once you're on time with his bottle, he's the happiest little camper.

I know I have been scarce, practically non-existent on this blog since his birth and truthfully I would have had it no other way, but I thought today would be a great  time to break the silence....why? This morning I awoke at 6:30 am to sounds of pumpkin babbling and screaming with joy. I had to pry my eyes open so I wouldn't miss the action as I still had another 30 minutes of shut eye to left, but he was insistent on being heard. Not needing any encouragement, just an audience he continued to entertain himself, oblivious to me watching on. It truly is amazing how easily babies can entertain themselves. His Auntie Oms says "Its the angels talking to him" and I always respond "Well he's getting an earful" because this child can carry on all on his own for a good while. The wee hours of the morning are pumpkin's happiest, after that long nap (he's now up to 7-8 hours of consistent sleep at night) he's ready to take on the world even if its 4am.

What else can I tell you about my little bundle by means of introduction:
1. He loves to smile at strange women (already a player)
2. He hates to be kissed in his face
3. He loves the outdoors, but doesn't fancy the sun much
4. He prefers people to toys on any given day
5. He has a high tolerance for pain (no doubt a threshold developed during his time in the NICU)
6. He already likes rough housing with daddy

Now that I have started to post again I have quite a bit to report about the last 4 months so stay tuned for more about the love of my life, motherhood and raising my lil man.

I celebrate life everyday, and to give thanks to God for the greatest gift he could have given me.

Dear Brain

Dear Brain:

I MISS YOU!!!Why hast thou forsaken me?

We have spent 32 beautiful years together wherein I have nourished and cherished you to the best of my ability. I live a vegetarian style lifestyle - ensuring you are fed only the best nutrients. I exercise regularly to keep that blood flow going sometimes up to 5 times per week. I challenge you to the max: 2 degrees and counting, numerous courses and certificates, sudoko, scrabble, PS-3. I even try to control my environment - interacting with the intellegencia (whoever they are), listening to classical music (well that's not entirely true but I've thought about)...the point is this: I have done everthing humanly possible to help you to thrive and you have abandoned me. Now. At this most crucial time.

In fact I blame you mostly for the reason why this post is 8 weeks late.

Ok so I'm having a baby...WE know this, sorry I didn't give you notice, it kinda just happened...but is that any reason to just up and disappear without notice, without any consideration to our long forged friendship. You do realise that without you I am ... a babbling mess.

Initally I thought you were just toying with my feelings: so what if I throw my car keys in the garbage, or misplace parts of the blender I JUST washed in same said garbage?

Now I remember absolutely nothing and my attention span is that of a flea. Let me break this down for you if you think I am overreacting: I am on the other line when a call comes in, I answer call and totally forget about initial caller; I forget BOTH  phones at home on my way to work; I just blank out in mid-sentence, mid-stride WHILE  talking, or worse yet while arguing my point; I am now in auto pilot so that the question: "Did I plug out the iron?" frequently arises...

Look...I get it ...You have other things to think about, in the first trimester we thought constantly about this new adventure and worried about the baby's health and now we have to so much to plan and put in place before his arrival but do understand that while Baby Solomon is currently taking over my hands ( I drop everything); my feet (my sneakers can no longer be laced) ; my waistline (which no longer exists); my boobs (well I honestly can't complain about that)... I thought that at least I could retain control over you. Silly me!!

I have done some research on what I am now affectionately calling you: my "poop brain" and of course there is no 'real' scientific explanation for this phenomena (go figure). I have read that pregnant women's brain decrease in size and that the decerease in mental ability for us could differ as much as it would between a 20 year old and a 60 year old. YIKES!! Then of course some idiot actually wrote that it was all myth (clearly written by a man). I found some seemingly brilliant suggestions to combat our little dilema which do NOT appear to be working for us:

1. Laugh it off. Ok so maybe this will work with my friends  who by now are accostomed to my sieve brain, but can I really laugh it off with a client when dealing with their legal rights and interest and millions of  dollars? hmmmm

2. Make a list. This works to a point. A very short one. What if I can't remember what to put on the list? Or even to write a list? That little notepad with "the lists"...where last did I put it?

3. Use techonology. So I have decided  to use the notepad application on my blackberry to keep 'my lists' but by the time I have another item to add, look for my phone and pull up the app...I am staring at the keys trying to remember what it is I wanted to jot down #epicfail

4. Delegate. To whom? I am President of this...Secretary of that...Director of this...Associate...If I delegate and it gets screwed up, what then. And if I do delegate I still have to oversee, so I might as well do it myself. I just don't want to throw my hands up in the air when my current mantra is "Pregnancy is not a disability I am woman hear me roar!!!". Still working on this point....clearly.

5. Simplify my life. I actually like this and so far its been working in my favour. Everything doesn't have to be done today and everything isn't urgent. And if it doesn't get done...so be it.

So whether its my hormones having some fun or you are shrinkng in size, you see this pregnancy induced brain fog, brain drain, mummy brain...whatever you want to call it...this bandwagon you have jumped on because everybody else with child is doing it...I COMMAND YOU TO STOP, get a grip and resume normal functioning...pretty please :)

Forever yours

Owner??

Half-way There: Belly pics

"Celebrate good times...Come on!!! Let's Celebrate!!" That was my theme song for wëek 20, cus we only got 20 more to go hehehehe. It was short work week thankfully so I got to relax with the family and just shoot the breeze.

We girls have a way of knowing when we may need to hit the gym or stop pigging out on that Hagendaz, well there is nothing like growing due to pregnancy, no amount of exercise or healthy food can stop the pounds from piling on and for some it happens overnight. Gratefully my blooming belly has grown steadily and constantly from day one, I think I'm huge but ....no I am huge, but the best compliment I had this week was from mum: You are so small you look like you gonna drop an egg.  If ONLY...cus this baby gonna be way bigger than that.

We are really bad at remembering to take weekly photos but here are some pics recording my growth, an inspiration for some and for others a perfect form of birth control...lol!!!

Week Prior to Conception

Week 12

                                                                    

Week 16

Week 18

Week 20

I've been tempted to get out my measuring tape just to see what my circumference is like, but it may be too depressing of an exercise, considering the little one is actually only the length of a banana...a banana!?! I definitely feel like I'm carrying around more than that. That having been said its an amazing experience to watch my tummy grow, and to stretch to capacity. Women are extra-ordinary creatures I tell you and I have never felt more womanly (hence the urge to prance about in my bikini)!!! My boss calls me the vessel and though I would want to slap him, it makes me smile because that is exactly what I am. I feel so blessed everyday to be given the opportunity to nurture another human being, just think everything I eat he eats, everything I feel he feels, thats why its so important to be a happy mummy and so far so good. Blessings abound!!!

Let's see what the next 20 weeks brings!!!

xoxoxo

Miscellaneous Stuff:
Baby's first concert: Had a blast jumping and waving my backside off....yes mummy can still party
Favourite food: Eschovitch fish and festival...yummy in my tummy (MS knows his way around the kitchen)
Pet Peeve: My colleague typing on his keyboard is suddenly becoming very annoying...clackety clack clack all day long
Gift: Boppy pillow to help me sleep, soft and cushiony but not quite sure if its doing the trick for me

Week 19: Pink or Blue Booties

Ok, so I am trying to write a post each week, but I'm either too lazy or too drained to make it to the comp...but here I am reporting to you on week 19, the MOST exciting week of my pregnancy thus far.
This week we had our ultrasound to determine whether Baby Solomon  was developing nicely and had all his appendages (I luv that word) and I am pleased to report that yes he does. Now I know that we keep referring to him as 'he' and even the technician commented on it, he said: "You guys seem pretty convinced its a boy"...but the truth is I'm humouring my partner (hereinafter referred to as "MS") who wants a boy, he has a name and everything picked out, but I'll get to that later.

Soooo question of the week or rather of the last 16 weeks has been: Is it a boy or a girl? It's hilarious because even when I was hardly showing and still had a six pack (a post coming soon on the loss thereof) that was the first thing people asked. Well this week was even worse, I had friends and family coming at me left, right and center. My own mother tried to persuade me that as I was the ONLY one who didn't want to know the sex and that maybe she should talk to MS, have him find out and I can be the only one in the dark...hmmmm no mum...sorry it was a mutual decison. As soon as we walked into the room MS announced "We don't want to know the sex", which made me smile cus I knew for sure then we were on the same page.

Can I tell you that having an ultrasound is one of the most exciting features of my pregnancy, to be able to see my baby growing inside me is just fanastic. Here I am fantasizing about buying a machine just so I can say HI to him everyday and I'm reading online that  maybe only 2-3 ultrasounds are necessary in the 40 wks....crazy!!! On this particular day baby was extremely uncooperative, just wouldn't keep still so we could get that perfect shot. First he was somersaulting then he cooled down and was pleasantly sucking his thumb and boxing with his free hand (did a quick check all his fingers are there :)), then he just refused to look in our direction, so all we could get was a profile pic which you see below. Its a bit blurry but that's our bambino in black and white!!!! Big head nuh? I don't even want to think about how much it will grow in the next 20 weeks...vaginal birth...makes you reconsider right?

So I was saying before a name, and I stress ONE  name has been picked by Sir MS. We hit a serious roadblock this week on the "Name Our Baby"exercise. MS already has a boy name picked out which we've been affectionately using for the last 3 months, but last week I screamed what would be his full name to to top of my lungs and it just didn't flow. As MS doesn't seem to be budging and none of my suggestions float his boat we seem to be stuck with what we've got...for now. As for the girl name, that's mine to choose but he agrees with none of them, and so when IT IS  girl and everyone but me is surprised, she'll just be called 'baby girl' for some time at this rate.

With all that excitement during the week when I didn't think it could get any better but it did...my mum surprised me with a visit, all planned between her and MS. I love surprises but this took the cake, all I could do was cry my eyes out when I saw her. I haven't seen her since last December and I guess she couldn't wait for December to roll around to see me again when I will have child in tow. According to her she had to meet MS and see me and my belly bump in its glory. Her first words to me were: "Are you still wearing tights pants?" as she surveyeyed me in my skinny jeans...lol!!! Like I can't be sexy pregnant. Gotta luv her. Her week's visit will deserve its own post but suffice to say it was splendid.

My friends have been asking for some belly pics so to celebrate week 20 I'll post some.

Kisses.


You may want to know:
New feeling: Hiccups in my tummy :), a sign that baby is exercising his lungs
Favourite item of clothing: those skinny jeans (in a size I will not share)
Cry fest: 2 - Mum's arrival and MS said something to piss me off (still love him though)
Craving: Watermelon and kiwi

Week 19: Taking the Plunge

I have been wanting to blog about my pregnancy and only my pregnancy since I found out I had a little bun in the oven, but here I am entering my 19th week and now getting to it. Between the constant nausea, incessant hunger, tiredness, mood swings, keeping up at work and just generally being plain ol’ Prego its been trying, I don’t know how some people get the time and head space to put pen to paper. But I have decided that today’s the day, with triscuit and cream cheese on tummy I am ready.

There is so much to say I don’t even know where to start, its been 4 months of constant 'stuff' for goodnesss sake! I guess I can start with why I’m doing this blog. Well, as any of my friends will tell you I am a very VERY private person, infact I read some people’s blogs sometimes and all I can think is: “Do they know the entire world is reading this?” don’t get me wrong some of that ish is as entertaining as it gets but “the joke’s on you” always, so I don’t think the self humiliation is worth it, most times. So why am I writing this now and you reading my every thought? Because I want to share…DESPERATELY, I want to shout from the mountain top that I have a miracle growing inside of me and I’m as happy as a pig in mud. On top of that I live far away from all my relatives and close friends and this is one way I can keep in touch with them, make them feel as if they are right here with me enjoying this journey.

I am passionate about a lot of things, human rights, the arts more specifically dance and theatre, health and exercise but those are things I need not write about because my daily actions convey those first loves. This precious gift from God, I HAVE to document and share.

So I hope you enjoy the next 21 weeks with me (gosh putting it like that makes it seem like an eternity), maybe you’ll laugh, maybe you’ll cry, or even kiss yah teeth but I hope above all you can just sit back and enjoy.

So here we go…..