Happy 3rd birthday !

Happy third birthday to my rambunctious little rascal aka Baby Taz.
He was born on St Nicolas' day although he is anything but saintly.
He was doe-eyed and taken by complete surprise as he is not accustomed to the whole blowing out the candle process..
We only celebrated his birthday with a Pandoro and sparking grapejuice but no matter he was still awestruck as if he could not believe that the attention was focused and centred on him eventhough he had not done anything naughty up until that moment save the hour long kicking, screaming and wailing fest. He repeatedly said 'Bo biet lam' roughly translated to 'Daddy knows how to fix it!' in relation to a computer game at Ikea that wasn't working. He played that phrase for an hour without any hint of fatigue or exhaustion and only stopped when we went under the rain and he forgot completely because he was so absorbed by the leftover almost all melted snow on the ground.

Happy birthday little baby boy and here's to many more to come !

My bouquet

Shrek made a grand effort to rectify a small hitch by responding positively to my remark that he seemed not to bring me flowers for my maternity stays by bringing in a rather lovely and large bouquet which Petit Suisse and Lil Miss N helped in choosing.

I have documented this bouquet seeing is it is my final stay at the maternity and also I did not or do not recall receiving much flowers from Shrek for my previous stays hence this is to make up for lost time in a way.

Benben's birth

To be accurate and concise as much as possible I have decided to post Ben's delivery while it is still fresh in my mind.

Leading up to D-day I had been experiencing severe pelvis pain which was due to the pressure Ben usurped and exerted upon my uterus. She was apparently very eager and in position to be born.

Just as Shrek and I were finishing up our tax declaration I started to get regular contractions at 10 minute intervals. I waited as instructed by the maternity as there was no imminent birth just yet. I had figured that since it was my fourth delivery it would be relatively painless and rapid. How I was proven wrong from the outset. It was the longest and most straining experience and given all my credentials and experience nothing went according to prediction.

At 2am my water broke and this meant that I had to go to the maternity as it was the point of no return. I had to give birth naturally or be provoked. I still had some contractions but the intensity and regularity did not warrant that I would give birth right away. So began the long arduous wait. At this point in time I was very anxious and wanted to get it over with already. Had the mid-wives provoke me with a lil bit of pill popping I would have been on my way but alas no they wanted to let nature take its course. Shrek accompanied me for the 12 hour wait which seemed more like several eternities to me. The contractions definitely calmed down and I then had to be provoked by injection of ocytoxin. Contractions came but my uterus collar had not dilated much. After several hours and endless contractions later the midwife who was assisting me found the cause my unpunctured water pocket had impeded Ben's descend and she was yo-yoing back and forth on this cushion which meant that labour could not get started properly. She promptly punctured the water pocket and I dilated much better. Time came for the finale: Push, push and push some more. Alas my pushing efforts were in vain because Miss ben was playing hide and seek and decided to look up at the sky instead of down below. She was in a transverse position and two gynecologists plus two midwives attempted to guide and change and twist and turn her to a more obliging position. Anyway two hours later, an out of breath and exhausted beyond belief me was finally assisted by the ventouse (suction cup/device) and with some screaming Ben was born. When I saw her head pushing through the threshold and I pushed a few more times so that she was completely detached from me save the umbilical chord I instinctively knew that it was over and there was a sense of soulagement and relief that brought all the months and hours leading up to this very moment worthwhile.

My overriding conclusion for Ben's pregnancy is that it was pain-stricken
before, during and after but it was definitely well worth it.

I am just glad that I can put all my pregnant and childbirth experiences behind me because Shrek has done a decent thing and ensured (to the best of his ability) I will not have to worry about contraception from now on. If all the previous hardship with childbirth and raising kids had not dampened my spirit and put a conclusive demise on my attitude towards having more kids then this one singular experience alone would be the final straw on the camel's back. No more.

So Benben one day I hope you will be able to read my thoughts and feelings regarding how you came into this world.

Lovingly yours,
mum

Benben

Shrek has made some improvements re my maternity stays. It took him only four tries to get it almost right. Almost because it was not quite but nevertheless I appreciate the efforts he made in getting the house in order for my return from the maternity. I highly appreciate because it might not seem like much but it was still a surmountable mountain.

It is wondrous and amusing how I was the one delivering a baby and Shrek was visibly exhausted from watching. His excuse was he had not slept properly for days. Newsflash neither had I...and he had not experienced the pain before, during and after and the final hours of pushing which ended in joy because I would have been mighty upset to have to go through C-section after all that had taken place...the long and arduous wait and the prolonged suffering.

It's over and Benben is finally here and that's what matters most finally.

Also the children were fed and lobotomised... but once again it was reassuring that at least he was able to feed and lobotomise the children, no baths etc... or surplus, just the basics but that'll do.

Thank you Shrek for your gestures...