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I turned 37 on Wednesday and it was one of the best birthdays I've ever had.
I really felt like celebrating this particular birthday and making a fuss about the whole thing. After all it's not every year that you get to celebrate your last birthday before motherhood. A few I suppose wouldn't even know that it was their last birthday before motherhood.
As soon as I turned up for work on Wednesday, an announcement on the PA system by the Duty Manager who was my dear Swedish friend Marie pretty much blew my cover. She said something like "make sure you greet Vange today not because she is pregnant but because it is her birthday!" That was mildly embarrassing but nice all the same. I bought morning tea to bring to work the day before and surprised everyone with profiteroles, cupcakes and lamingtons. This went down really well, I was quite popular that day.
Leading up to the day, I started receiving cards on the mail which is always wonderful. Nothing beats getting hand written mail. It is extra special because you know that someone had made an effort to choose a card that best expressed what they felt, wrote on it, put a stamp, found a post office/box and mailed it. Of course, just being remembered and greeted on Facebook or email or SMS is nice too but a hand written card is just special and lovely.
I also received a gift voucher for Westfields which is this fancy Eftpos/credit card looking thing that you can use at any Westfields shop that accepts eftpos which is pretty much every shop. This, from friends back home in Manila. It was very thoughtful of them who are so far away and yet made such an effort. A friend gave me a lovely leather/fabric combo black and white check shopping bag which would be a good baby bag actually. Quite versatile as it holds so much and can also be used for work folders, notebooks etc.
My dear hubby bought me charms to put on a Tiffany bracelet he bought me last year - a letter "G" for his name (a bit narcissist perhaps?), an Eiffel tower (to remember our Paris trip) and a little bub for what's about to come. They all fit on to bracelet nicely, an even more beautiful accessory with all the memories it brings.
Dear hubby also took me out for dinner. As the theme was to make this birthday extra special, I chose the top 3 restaurants I'd like to go to and made him surprise me by making the final choice and booking; a fantastic choice by the way - Guillaume at Bennelong at the Opera House (one of the best dining experiences & highly recommended). It wasn't really a great big surprise I suppose but being me, always knowing what I want and therefore try & minimize any risk of disappointment, I always influence the final outcome the best I can.
So, all in all, it was a fantastic birthday, something to remember for indeed a long time :)
With love,
Vange
PS: not sure how to format with photos yet so it's a bit all over the place!
Ahhh.... bliss.... Woke up with no aches, then realized that I almost had one long continuous sleep AND that this happened the previous night too! I felt so happy and full of energy, I almost felt normal. I can't help but feel this is the calm before the storm though.
True enough, when I got to work and told work mates my 2 nights of fantastic sleep, I got told this is because the baby must have "settled" and that it must be coming soon! Oh, and have I packed my hospital bag yet? Of course I haven't ... well, this is not acceptable! I must do so straight away as it is only a month before the big day and it may come any time now.
That's when I panicked a bit and proceeded to go to the shops right after work with a mental list of what I needed to buy. So what I have been putting off for the past few months which was buying the consumables (ie. nappies, breast pads, baby wipes) I eventually did. I also bought some nice lounge wear for the hospital stay which I justified as early birthday presents for myself. What I did forget to buy though which I thought was necessary was a long bathrobe. So I guess have to hit the shops one more time.
So, fingers crossed, I get lots more nights of awesome rest and that the baby will come when I'm ready too and not just when he is....
With love,
new_mum_V
But who's counting?
I can't believe that in less than 3 weeks, I'm going on my maternity leave and trialing being a housewife/mum for the next 9 months. Work has been such a HUGE part of my life that I'm not certain how I'd cope with the change. Don't get me wrong, I am so looking forward to this change, I just don't know how I would manage not being around adults most of the day. Come to think of it, not having the adult conversations/interactions would probably be the biggest change. Not being in the office doesn't mean I'm not solving problems, analyzing, achieving or meeting goals - they're just personal ones instead of business.
I also can't imagine how I'd survive the next 13 working days. Thank God for Melbourne Cup day otherwise it will be 14 more days! I'm over dramatizing I know as plenty of other women have managed their 3rd trimester and work in much more severe conditions and done so with not a whinge I'm sure (eg. my mum worked as an emergency room nurse and would be transporting/carrying oxygen tanks manually whilst 8 months pregnant so I'm told) . I work in an office, sitting in front of the computer most of the day! But seriously, the weight of the thing is just unbelievable not to mention the other aches and the lack of sleep. Yup, it's not the most comfortable feeling this third trimester stage but I stay positive by repeating like a mantra "it's a minor inconvenience" and the cliche: think big picture.
Having said all that, for a mum to be, it is hard to let the physical challenges take over the joy of pregnancy. You know one of the most wonderful sensations in the world? A baby moving inside you - the kicking, wriggling, pushing, twisting, somersaulting. It reminds one of the little life growing, the miracle and blessing that it all is.
With love,
new_mum_V
It's 4 & half weeks before my due date & I woke up this morning inspired to start a blog about the next 7 months of my life - daily ups & downs, struggles, triumphs and hopefully lots of interesting things for any about-to-become or new parent.
Why the next 7 months? Because it will probably be one of the most significant 7 months of my life - it will cover my last month of my pregnancy, to labor to the first 6 months of my baby's life. There might be an overseas trip thrown in there too if all goes according to plan.
Like many new mums today, I've read a lot, researched a lot, but there's really nothing out there that gives a detailed account of what a new mum is to expect (or not) on a daily basis.
So, if you're keen, join me for the journey!
Vange
