Us, Happy at Home

Us, Happy at Home
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

Mummy thought that we'd both be staying in hospital a little longer because of the operation - but we got to come home after just two nights. Mummy was very pleased to get to be home with Daddy.

Your car seat will only fit in the front of the car, and the car is only 3-door. Mummy wasn't too keen on getting into the back of the car, so first of all Daddy took you home. You got to have you first Daddy-Daughter outing, and we had some friends, Alex and Tamara Tovey come and sit with you in our flat while Daddy came back to get me. The hospital is just round the corner, so we didn't leave you long.. but you did have your first time without Mummy or Daddy - You were a good girl, as usual.

Happy Birthday, Cara!

Dear Cara,

Yesterday, you were born. It was an amazing experience for your mother and I, and it took quite a while to finally get you there with us. We were awake all Saturday night with you, the contractions getting more and more regular and powerful, until we called the midwife, and arranged to drive to the hospital at around 6am. When the midwife checked up on you, it seemed like you were nearly with us, and we expected to see you in only a matter of an hour or so. At 9am it appeared that things weren't going to be quite so simple, and your Mummy was moved into a different room, and we started listening to your little heart beat through a monitor, and your mother was given some pain relief, so she could rest while you turned yourself round to be in the right position for birth. I snoozed in a chair by the bed, until it was time to get things moving again.

At 2.30pm, Mummy started pushing again, and you quickly moved down the birth canal, to about an inch from daylight. It seemed like you were going to arrive any second, and Mummy was making a huge effort to help you come into the world, but nothing was happening. You'd stopped, right near the end of the journey! Meanwhile, the little monitors showed that after every contraction, your heartbeat would slow down, and a few doctors started coming in, and checking on you. We seemed to be meeting more and more medical people over the next few minutes, as various doctors tried pulling you out with two different venteuse devices. They really leaned back on those things - but still, you wouldn't budge.

Later, we found out that you were facing the wrong way up, coming down the birth canal, and you'd also put your chin back, so the harder Mummy pushed, and the harder the doctors pulled, the more you got stuck right where you were. They whisked us into the operating theatre, asked us to pick our favourite CD to put on, and with me and Mummy behind a green sheet, a team of wonderful doctors grabbed you feet first, and pulled you back out, into this world. You needed a little help to get going, and the doctors gave you a little oxygen, but in a few moments, we heard your first proper cry, and were told that you were our beautiful little girl - Cara Louise. You were born at 4.31pm, and weighed 7lb, 10 1/2 oz.

After they did a few measurements, you were handed to me, and I got to hold you and talk to you in another room, while they finished off stitching your Mummy's tummy up. I was amazed at how attentive you were, moving your little eyes around, and not crying at all - just stretching your fingers, exploring the world.

We feel so lucky to have you, and today we got to know you a little better. We love you, and will do all we can to help you as you start this exciting journey on this earth. Happy Birthday, for yesterday - and well done for getting here as you are - perfect, healthy and happy! love,

Daddy. xx

Southmead Hospital, Again

Southmead Hospital, Again
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

Nan and Grandpi came to visit you today! You were born in the same hospital as mummy. You are so beautiful! Nan and Grandpi bought you a beautiful outfit.. Rowan Reynolds and Rebecca Amery also came and visited for a bit today - they bought you pretty clothes too. Everyone is excited that you are a girl. We all love you very much.

One day old

One day old and I already knew you were a good girl. After Mummy's operation, and Daddy having to leave the hospital at 8pm, Mummy was a little worried about how the night would be. You lay in a cot near my bed, but I couldn't turn to pick you up - and I was so tired. I had a buzzer I could ring to ask someone else to come pick you up.. but you were such a good girl all night I didn't need to. Everytime I heard you stir I put my hand in yours or stroked your head and told you that Mummy was close, or that Daddy loves you, and you would go back off to sleep. You are amazing!

Nearly Time for Your Arrival

Dearest Baby,

You're nearly with us, and we're so excited for you to arrive. It's late on the evening of Saturday the 27th January, and since this morning, your mother has been having 'twinges', and later, definate contractions. This evening we've been timing them, and hoping that now is the time we've been waiting for so eagerly. Nothing seems to be vaguely important compared to you - you're going to be our first priority from now on!

A few minutes ago, Mummy showed me how much you're moving around. When you read this, you'll not be able to remember this time - but I know that you're excited too. These changes are not always easy, but they are worth it. Now you move from being in your Mummy's tummy, to a new and exciting world 'outside'.

Right now we don't know whether you'll be a handsome little George, a beautiful Cara, or somebody completely different. But whatever we choose to name you, we promise to love you with all our hearts, and do all we can to prepare you for a happy journey through this life.

All my love,

your father. xx

Checkup Time for Baby

Today we had another checkup with Doctor Redmond, of Elm Lodge Surgery, Bristol. He's a nice Irish chappy, and we went, excited to see what he'd say. He didn't say anything too exciting in the end, apart from that baby's head is very much engaged. Still, Doctor says that with first time mothers, the baby will usually be late, so we'll probably be hanging around for another 3 weeks. In some ways, this is actually ideal, as it means that I can get all my exams and essays out of the way before baby comes along. I even have a week off classes in 3 weeks time - 'Reading Week' - so I can combine reading with playing with baby!

I'm really enjoying being at home with Helen during the days, now. We feel really lucky to be able to do this - to be the two of us - and soon to be three!

A Walk Out to Queen's Park

Green Fingers
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

It's nice to get out. I blogged the other day on my other page about how good it is to just take a walk in the outdoors - and we put principle into practise today by going with Linda's girls out into the little copse of woods near Helen's parent's house. It was lovely to go running around with them, and then to think about how soon it will be before we can have our little baby with us. We had a good conversation with Linda, too, about how good being a parent is.

Today Helen's grandparents celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. We took some photos of them, fired off some party poppers, and played some games with them. And of course, there's going to be the big party on Saturday... quite an achievement, though. Congratulations to them.

Dear Baby

From your Dad -

It shouldn't be too long now before you're with us. Your Mum is looking just huge, and is beaming all the time. We're both so excited, it's a shame you can't see us! But all in good time. You're hopefully using all that energy from your mother to grow properly, and get all ready for your big journey in the next couple of weeks. I can hardly imagine what that will be like for you: to go from all you can remember - a world of warmth and comfort - and to be thrust out into a bright, cold place, where all is unfamiliar.

Well hold on, baby. We'll be there with you, and we're determined to teach you all you'll need to know to be able to deal with this world. It's not an easy place to live, but it is a happy and rewarding world, if you let it be.

So, keep growing. We'll see you when you get here - to our little family!

The First Day of the Year

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2007! I was surprised at how excited I actually was last night, as it ticked over into the new year. Very often I've been at some big party, and it's been a kind of anti-climax. Probably the thing was, I didn't expect to be all that excited - and, well - it's just quite exciting, isn't it?
We fired party poppers around, and watched the amazing firework display in London on the TV. I called my parents, and found out that they'd all been in bed asleep since 9.30.

So - what will 2007 bring? We'll have our little baby in just a matter of weeks now, and Helen and I will get lots of practice at being parents. I'm aiming to get astronomically high marks in my essays this year, and perhaps Helen will write some computer code that will make our millions. Seriously though - New Years Resolutions for 2007:

1) Andrew to spend at least his 40 hours a week on University study.
2) Andrew and Helen to both read their scriptures every day this year.
3) Andrew to do at least 300 words of creative/personal writing daily (including journal).
4) Helen to learn how to teach baby to read, and start steps to help him/her this year with that.
5) Helen to plan nutritious, healthy meals.
6) Andrew to exercise regularly, by not using the car.

That's plenty to be getting started with... if we can get all these down, it's going to be a great start to the year. There's so many things I'd like to do, and life seems to be going by faster and faster. I heard a quote from Julius Caesar in church yesterday:

There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

(Act IV, Scene 3)

Let's take the current current! Here's to a great new year, everyone.