Tag Archives: parents

0

Love my Child

|

20140217-221837.jpg

Monday, 17 February 2014: Forty Six Weeks Old.

I watched the first part of a new TV series about unwed, underage mothers in the late 1960’s tonight, and within second of it finishing I went straight in to see my sleeping Baby Ayla.

Every night since Ayla’s been born I’ve crept into her room while she’s slept, kissed her on the forehead and told her I love her.

But tonight, as well as whispering the usual “sweet dreams, sleep tight” I also thanked my Baby Ayla for coming into my life.

Within seconds of her birth and within moments of meeting her, my life changed forever; in just a few, fresh breaths of air Ayla somehow managed to open my eyes to a new world, a new range of emotions, a new set of passions and to a whole new me.

Within just those first few minutes, I became somebody who would sacrifice my life for another, if only that life was hers.

Watching the TV show tonight made me feel so unbelievably lucky and grateful for the world we live in, and so thankful that I get to spend countless moments with my Ayla.

Being a mother is so much more than I ever expected. As someone with no natural maternal drive the overwhelming all encompassing love I have for my daughter takes my breath away, every day.

Every new day brings new adventures and learnings and it’s a journey I am forever, eternally grateful for.

0

Politics and sleep

|

20130908-093539.jpg

Saturday, 7 September 2013: One Hundred and Sixty Days Old

Two significant things happened in Ayla’s life today:

1. Ayla attended her first polling booth

2. Ayla went to sleep at someone else’s house

Ok, so attending your first polling booth might not seem very significant for a five month old, but to me it’s an important part of being Australian.

We’re lucky to have our say in how we’re governed and it’s important to Hubby and I that Ayla’s learns she has a voice and can be heard.

While one single vote among 21 million might not constitute as having a say, it represents our right to speak out, make a difference and stand up for what we believe in.

Today’s election stirred a conversation between Hubby and I about how we’ll raise Ayla politically. The decision; to empower her to make educated decisions on what’s best for her.

Now enough of politics.

The second significant thing that happened was that Ayla went to bed at someone else’s house!

We went over to a friends place for tea and decided, for the first time, to try and keep Ayla’s bedtime routine.

So, at 7.00 I gave Ayla her night time feed and by 8.00 she was sound asleep in her bassinet.

It was great! It meant I got to enjoy a nice adult dinner WITH TWO HANDS, and I even got to have a couple of beers.

When the time came to leave we bundled Ayla up and popped her (still sleeping) into her car seat.

I said to Hubby that I finally felt like a real parent, bringing our sleeping kid home after a night out.

0

Bump in the night

|

20130902-202824.jpg

Monday, 2 September 2013: Twenty Two Weeks Old.

Talk about things going bump in the night!

Last night Hubby and I found that fear has a whole new dimension when a baby is involved.

It was around 1am and I had stirred to a noise coming from the baby monitor. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to disturb me.

I was sleeping lightly because we’d opted to leave Ayla’s door open to keep her room cool overnight.

I knew Cat Cat would take full advantage of the open doors and curl up on top of the wardrobe (fortunately for us 33 degrees and 80% humidity means Ayla’s safe from possible cat suffocation), and I was worried about things getting knocked off the dresser.

Anyway, I went back to sleep after seeing Ayla was safely in her cot, completely undisturbed by whatever noise it was.

But, I must’ve only been asleep for a minute or two when an almighty crash sounded from down the hall and echoed in the baby monitor.

Hubby sat straight up in bed and grabbed my arm, but all I could muster were the words “Ayla’s room. Go.”

He was out the door as quick as a flash, but not before my mind filled with thoughts of our baby daughter being crushed by a wardrobe, or injured in a freak cot collapse.

I have never felt fear like that, and on talking to Hubby today he felt the same.

It wasn’t a fear like when a spider runs across your windscreen or when a mate hides in the shadows to scare you, it was a fear like my very heart was being wrenched out, dragging my soul behind it.

Fortunately nothing had collapsed or crashed. Cat Cat had simply made a less than graceful dismount from her place atop the wardrobe and a box of new sheets ended up as collateral damage on the floor.

But nonetheless it was a shocking wake up… Literally!

Before Ayla people would tell me you’ll never sleep soundly again… They were right!