Hey baby!
The day before yesterday I happily found out that two wonderful friends of mine are pregnant. They both are very special ladies, very dear to me, with surprising similarities even though they never met and likely never will. They are both gorgeous, caring, kind, smart, funny and to top it all off, they both have a very strong set of beliefs that sets them apart from the ordinary folks. They are women of un-shakable Faith.
You see baby, when you grow up a tad, you'll find that life is a complicated mess and sometimes it feels overwhelming and horrible and dark. It's not, I promise you. That's where we come in. Hang in there, I have a point.
In a while after you're born, you are going to be baptized. We are going to take you to a special place called a Church where a funny looking man in a dress will pour some water over your head, you'll cry, we'll take pictures and that's it. The people who will be there through this process will be my big brother, your Uncle Du and my best friend Mari. Themselves and their amazing partners Auntie Bru and Márcio will be very important people in your life forever. They will be your Jedi masters, your spiritual guides, your safety net.
The reason we do this, chosing these people and having a ceremony, is to give you a very important gift.
We want to give you Faith. I cannot stress this enough: we are giving you Faith. Not a religion. The two are as different as apples and chairs and lots of people get into trouble when they are mixed up.
I am a Catholic, Daddy's too (in some way, shape or form), so we are giving you our Faith the only way we know how, by baptizing you. Doesn't mean it forces you to be Catholic too. As far as religion goes, you are free to pick your own or none, and that's completely ok. Nobody has the right to pick it or force any on you. If they do, there'll be some serious ass-whooping involved. We don't care who you pray to. We don't care if you believe in the details and stories of one or many ancient books or if you worship a Giant White Potato (ok, that might generate some discussion...).
We want to know that when things are hard, you will believe that it will get better, and that you have all these wonderful people to help you through. That's all, that's Faith: believing in love. We want you to feel loved and supported, no matter what you decide to do or whatever pickle you find yourself in. It does get better.
As a loving and caring family, we want you to always have Faith. Faith is a little light that lives inside of you, even when life sucks the light of everything around you. It should never go out. It's this little light that will shine just enough to always give you Hope.
Because no organized religion in the world can give you the reassurance of having Faith and Hope. So these people we chose, plus everybody else in this blessed family, are now in charge of giving you Faith.
Not a random or easy task, and one we thought long about. It's a burden and a joy to give you Faith and we, as parents, can only hope your light never goes out.
What I'm doing: sending happy and healthy vibes to my friends, may their pregnancies be easy and joyful!
P.S. I got a haircut yesterday, so we're all set.
Saturday 30 November 2013
Tuesday 26 November 2013
Week 35 - Melon Baby
Hey baby!
I remember last week (you know, last week, when I first found out about this pregnancy) going through the week-to-week fruit comparisons and when it got to Honeydew Melon - the 35th week - I just assumed they were joking, because there's no way a melon would fit whole inside a belly. No way right?! Way.
Here's proof:
(and I took and edited these pictures myself, only so I could insert here that "selfie" was nominated Word of Year 2013. It's a sad sad world you're coming into, baby, sorry about that.)
So yeah, way! Whole melon right there!
This was a big week: Daddy and I participated in Antenatal/Parenting classes during the weekend and it was great! We met other first-time mums and dads from the Ashburton area and Cara the instructor was so nice and helpful and answered all my never-ending questions. On a side note, I baked oatmeal raisin cookies and over heard people commenting on how good they were. Yeah!
We talked about labour and pain and all the things that can happen, we visited the maternity centre to get a good feel for the place, we saw the birthing pool, we learned about hormones, breastfeeding and taking care of a newborn and so many other things. It was nice to know that every pregnant lady has the same fears and doubts I do. Daddy liked it too and it made me love him just a little bit more, because in general he hates lessons and classes, but this one was very important and he really stepped up.
I'm feeling great even with the heartburn still going strong. The Bump is huge but beautiful and you keep squirming and squiggling like there's no tomorrow. I waddle ( = to walk like a penguin.) now and make grunting noises when getting up from the couch. I believe I'll give up the couch soon and just park my large pregnant bum on the computer chair that offers good back support and no grunting. It's taking me a bit longer to settle down, but sleeping is still my favourite sport and I do it beautifully. Still haven't got that haircut sorted, so hang in there. And birth favours are driving me mad, because I can't find anymore Owlivers to buy.
Only a couple of weeks till Grandma and Granpa and Sandra and Julio arrive, it's so exciting!
I do have this nagging feeling we should be doing more, buying more stuff like endless books, crayons, swimming togs, cricket bats and superhero costumes. I feel like I want to be prepared right now for your whole life, birth to college.
We learned in class that one of the early signs of labour is Nesting, a feeling you have to complete projects and have your "nest" clean and ready for baby. At 35 weeks, I can't tell if my sudden urge to clean the fridge and kitchen drawers is "nesting" or just a normal Tuesday in my life. I cleaned it anyway.
What I also did this week: decorated the Christmas tree. Looks awesome!
I remember last week (you know, last week, when I first found out about this pregnancy) going through the week-to-week fruit comparisons and when it got to Honeydew Melon - the 35th week - I just assumed they were joking, because there's no way a melon would fit whole inside a belly. No way right?! Way.
Here's proof:
(and I took and edited these pictures myself, only so I could insert here that "selfie" was nominated Word of Year 2013. It's a sad sad world you're coming into, baby, sorry about that.)
So yeah, way! Whole melon right there!
This was a big week: Daddy and I participated in Antenatal/Parenting classes during the weekend and it was great! We met other first-time mums and dads from the Ashburton area and Cara the instructor was so nice and helpful and answered all my never-ending questions. On a side note, I baked oatmeal raisin cookies and over heard people commenting on how good they were. Yeah!
We talked about labour and pain and all the things that can happen, we visited the maternity centre to get a good feel for the place, we saw the birthing pool, we learned about hormones, breastfeeding and taking care of a newborn and so many other things. It was nice to know that every pregnant lady has the same fears and doubts I do. Daddy liked it too and it made me love him just a little bit more, because in general he hates lessons and classes, but this one was very important and he really stepped up.
I'm feeling great even with the heartburn still going strong. The Bump is huge but beautiful and you keep squirming and squiggling like there's no tomorrow. I waddle ( = to walk like a penguin.) now and make grunting noises when getting up from the couch. I believe I'll give up the couch soon and just park my large pregnant bum on the computer chair that offers good back support and no grunting. It's taking me a bit longer to settle down, but sleeping is still my favourite sport and I do it beautifully. Still haven't got that haircut sorted, so hang in there. And birth favours are driving me mad, because I can't find anymore Owlivers to buy.
Only a couple of weeks till Grandma and Granpa and Sandra and Julio arrive, it's so exciting!
I do have this nagging feeling we should be doing more, buying more stuff like endless books, crayons, swimming togs, cricket bats and superhero costumes. I feel like I want to be prepared right now for your whole life, birth to college.
We learned in class that one of the early signs of labour is Nesting, a feeling you have to complete projects and have your "nest" clean and ready for baby. At 35 weeks, I can't tell if my sudden urge to clean the fridge and kitchen drawers is "nesting" or just a normal Tuesday in my life. I cleaned it anyway.
What I also did this week: decorated the Christmas tree. Looks awesome!
Tuesday 19 November 2013
Week 34 - Cantaloupe Baby
Hey baby!
For the record, when we were at the produce shop on Sunday, I held up a cantaloupe and you feel a lot bigger. And oh the moves you make, my little John Travolta. Sometimes my belly stretches to the side or to the front and I have a distinct feeling you're trying to grab whatever it is I'meating holding. We call you Alien-Baby, because the resemblance is totally there.
During the few moments when you're not moving, stretching, rolling, squiggling, squirming, doing backflips or diving into the deep end of my poor body, my belly is actually cute, very round but not too big. Enough to leave me breathless, because you're taking up all that precious lung space. Bending forward is out of the question and usually met with a grunt, but in a last heroic glimpse of vanity, I managed to paint my toenails today. Next week, haircut!
I confess having a "turtle" moment today, when I was lying flat on the couch and suddenly could not get up the normal way of rolling upwards, so I just lay there, waving my arms and legs, like a panicked upside down turtle. Not pretty, but funny. The whole reason why we didn't go camping with friends last weekend. I can't be trusted on low surfaces anymore, I may never be able to get up again.
Not a lot happening on the outside world, to be honest. We finally got that shelf in the nursery. The shopping check-list is done, tiny little clothes are washed, hospital bags are perfectly packed, Christmas is fast approaching and my mind is trying to figure out if I should prepare for it, ignore it or assume you'll be here by then. Or if I'll be in labor while the rest of NZ eats turkey. This thing were we don't know the exact date of your arrival drives me crazy.
Crazy, because planning is my thing and if I can't plan and organize, the world as we know it may collapse in a state of chaos. But crazy is better than anxious, I guess.
I'm not anxious yet. I'm enjoying this pregnancy very much and will carry many good memories from it. No need to hurry, baby, unless your original plan is to be a New Year's Eve baby. If you're thinking about the drama effect, just drop it right now young man! Hurry all you want. We are, at least on the outside, ready for you. But please, I really need that haircut, so hang in there for a little while longer. Oh, and we have antenatal/parenting/birthing classes this weekend, so maybe wait untill we actually know how to change a nappy? Thanks.
34 weeks, only 6 to go. How can this be, if only yesterday I was holding that stick with a faint second line?
This is last week's bump picture, not that great, but we keep forgetting to take them! Can't wait for Tatiana to take some really good ones!
What I'm reading: blogs I keep losing track of, news articles that make me angry, "The book thief" made me cry, Twitter makes me laugh. Just read this and want to share:
Things I wish I'd known before
For the record, when we were at the produce shop on Sunday, I held up a cantaloupe and you feel a lot bigger. And oh the moves you make, my little John Travolta. Sometimes my belly stretches to the side or to the front and I have a distinct feeling you're trying to grab whatever it is I'm
During the few moments when you're not moving, stretching, rolling, squiggling, squirming, doing backflips or diving into the deep end of my poor body, my belly is actually cute, very round but not too big. Enough to leave me breathless, because you're taking up all that precious lung space. Bending forward is out of the question and usually met with a grunt, but in a last heroic glimpse of vanity, I managed to paint my toenails today. Next week, haircut!
I confess having a "turtle" moment today, when I was lying flat on the couch and suddenly could not get up the normal way of rolling upwards, so I just lay there, waving my arms and legs, like a panicked upside down turtle. Not pretty, but funny. The whole reason why we didn't go camping with friends last weekend. I can't be trusted on low surfaces anymore, I may never be able to get up again.
Not a lot happening on the outside world, to be honest. We finally got that shelf in the nursery. The shopping check-list is done, tiny little clothes are washed, hospital bags are perfectly packed, Christmas is fast approaching and my mind is trying to figure out if I should prepare for it, ignore it or assume you'll be here by then. Or if I'll be in labor while the rest of NZ eats turkey. This thing were we don't know the exact date of your arrival drives me crazy.
Crazy, because planning is my thing and if I can't plan and organize, the world as we know it may collapse in a state of chaos. But crazy is better than anxious, I guess.
I'm not anxious yet. I'm enjoying this pregnancy very much and will carry many good memories from it. No need to hurry, baby, unless your original plan is to be a New Year's Eve baby. If you're thinking about the drama effect, just drop it right now young man! Hurry all you want. We are, at least on the outside, ready for you. But please, I really need that haircut, so hang in there for a little while longer. Oh, and we have antenatal/parenting/birthing classes this weekend, so maybe wait untill we actually know how to change a nappy? Thanks.
34 weeks, only 6 to go. How can this be, if only yesterday I was holding that stick with a faint second line?
This is last week's bump picture, not that great, but we keep forgetting to take them! Can't wait for Tatiana to take some really good ones!
What I'm reading: blogs I keep losing track of, news articles that make me angry, "The book thief" made me cry, Twitter makes me laugh. Just read this and want to share:
Things I wish I'd known before
Wednesday 6 November 2013
Week 32 - Bok Choy Baby and a BIG thank you
Hey baby!
I can understand the lenght of a bok choy, but volumetric-ly speaking, it feels like I've eaten a cantaloupe whole. The Bump doubles in size every morning. You're huge. You've got the moves like Jagger, my son. Some pretty painful ones lately.
Ok, getting down to business. Last Friday, Nov 1st, our amazing friends got together to celebrate your arrival. It's called a baby shower and involves some good food, cute baby themed decorations, games for the parents-to-be, cake and heaps of presents. You are going to be a very well-dressed baby thanks to them; we got gorgeous clothes, blankets, lotions and even a rubber duck! The best surprise ever.
A baby shower is a tradition for new mums and dads, and as much as I wanted to throw it myself (trust me, the planning in my mind was beautiful, with theme, checklists, suppliers, shopping lists and plan of action. It was going to be epic.), we had two problems. One was Preston, the lovely mechanic who fixed our cars and took all our money. Second problem and a lot harder to fix, was the fact that we live in New Zealand.
You see, my mom, aunties, in-laws, nieces, bffs, cousins, friends, all the ladies and gents who are very happy about your existence, are NOT in New Zealand. They are far far away. All my life, they were always in this dream-picture of my baby shower, we'd be having tea, playing games and dishing advice on how to deal with cracked nipples and that sort of thing you say to a new mom. I felt a big hole whenever I thought of having a baby shower without them. I felt like I'd be betraying them, depriving them of celebrating you.
Then these fantastic women came along and fixed it. Everything was done to perfection, the food was great as usual, the love was overflowing, so much fun was had. They planned, shopped, cooked, decorated, made something beautiful out of a long lost dream. They showed me how loved you are. They told me, with a ribbon-laced-diaper-cake, that this is YOUR family and our family, the friends we chose to share our lifes with here in New Zealand. I still miss all those people, but know you won't have to. I feel showered with blessings.
For that I'll be forever grateful, beyond words. Humbled by a display of affection I did not expect.
Thank you thank you thank you, a thousand times. One for each ribbon, ballon, cupcake, coxinha and marshmellow. Thank you.
What I'm doing right now:
I'm trying on a moby wrap, which is mainly a large stretchy lenght of
fabric that ties you to myself. Except you're still inside, so I'm using
a borrowed baby doll (the size of a 7month old baby). All that on top
of The Bump. Pepsi is about as confused as he could possibly be. Well,
aren't we all?
I can understand the lenght of a bok choy, but volumetric-ly speaking, it feels like I've eaten a cantaloupe whole. The Bump doubles in size every morning. You're huge. You've got the moves like Jagger, my son. Some pretty painful ones lately.
Ok, getting down to business. Last Friday, Nov 1st, our amazing friends got together to celebrate your arrival. It's called a baby shower and involves some good food, cute baby themed decorations, games for the parents-to-be, cake and heaps of presents. You are going to be a very well-dressed baby thanks to them; we got gorgeous clothes, blankets, lotions and even a rubber duck! The best surprise ever.
A baby shower is a tradition for new mums and dads, and as much as I wanted to throw it myself (trust me, the planning in my mind was beautiful, with theme, checklists, suppliers, shopping lists and plan of action. It was going to be epic.), we had two problems. One was Preston, the lovely mechanic who fixed our cars and took all our money. Second problem and a lot harder to fix, was the fact that we live in New Zealand.
You see, my mom, aunties, in-laws, nieces, bffs, cousins, friends, all the ladies and gents who are very happy about your existence, are NOT in New Zealand. They are far far away. All my life, they were always in this dream-picture of my baby shower, we'd be having tea, playing games and dishing advice on how to deal with cracked nipples and that sort of thing you say to a new mom. I felt a big hole whenever I thought of having a baby shower without them. I felt like I'd be betraying them, depriving them of celebrating you.
Then these fantastic women came along and fixed it. Everything was done to perfection, the food was great as usual, the love was overflowing, so much fun was had. They planned, shopped, cooked, decorated, made something beautiful out of a long lost dream. They showed me how loved you are. They told me, with a ribbon-laced-diaper-cake, that this is YOUR family and our family, the friends we chose to share our lifes with here in New Zealand. I still miss all those people, but know you won't have to. I feel showered with blessings.
For that I'll be forever grateful, beyond words. Humbled by a display of affection I did not expect.
Thank you thank you thank you, a thousand times. One for each ribbon, ballon, cupcake, coxinha and marshmellow. Thank you.
Sunday 3 November 2013
Surprise Baby Shower
Hey baby!
We had the most amazing surprise on Friday night: our fantastic friends were kind enough to throw a baby shower in your honour! I have a very long and heartfelt Thank You letter to write them and will tell you all about how it went, but right now I'm just gonna put up some pictures, ok?
We had the most amazing surprise on Friday night: our fantastic friends were kind enough to throw a baby shower in your honour! I have a very long and heartfelt Thank You letter to write them and will tell you all about how it went, but right now I'm just gonna put up some pictures, ok?
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