Are you ready?

Is anyone really ever ready for a new baby to joining their family?
This is our 6th time anticipating what life will be like with another gorgeous family member joining us.

Each time has been less daunting, as we know more about babies and life with them. Each time we have focused more on the joy, excitement and wonder the baby will bring.

With our first bay I was very focused and worried about the labour and birth. Looking back now, it's all I really thought about. That and looking at all the cute clothes accumulating around us and how a little baby will be in them soon.
Then, we were 3. A baby was here. Labour and birth behind me, but close to mind for a long time. Now there was a baby. What to do with this baby? Crying a lot. Feeding was a nightmare. The agony of getting through each day with this little person totally reliant on me, all while I struggled to care for myself, and try to work on what the hell I went through to have him.

It was close to being the biggest shock I have been through, physically, mentally and emotionally. Hub and I were pushed to so close the edge, I thought we would go over.

Could we both have done things differently, now when we look back? Absolutely! That is the hardest part about hindsight. Having all the answers after the fact.
Would we be the parents we are now if we could change things? No. Not at all.

It can be hard to think back about the times we went through. All 3 of us crying and wondering what was wrong with this baby, while the baby cried back probably thinking help me.
We stumbled through. Took on advice, some great, some horrible and a result of the previous generation and what they were told.

As each baby joined us, we learnt more to trust our heart and instincts, and follow our baby and their needs and cues. We have become a lot more relaxed about parenting and what is really important.
The most important being that each baby is different, but each baby deserves to have their needs met and that you can not spoil a baby. They depend on us for everything, and this includes love, comfort and trusting us to be there for them.

Now, as we are waiting for this baby to choose a day for their birthday our conversations could not be further than those we had 10 years, pregnant with our first baby. This baby will come into a family with more relaxed, chilled parents, who have come such a long way, and who wouldn't want it any other way.

In all honesty, I can say I am 99% ready for this baby to join us. So soon our days will be filled with feeding, nappies, washing, and most importantly a LOT of love and snuggles.

The rings are broken, not the love......

Out of all my pregnancies, this is the one that broke the rings. I even had one pregnancy in one of the hottest places in Australia.

The last couple of days here have seen me very hot, annoyed, and fingers swelling. My rings were still ok, until tonight. I started fiddling with them, seeing if they might come off.

Then I got the soap. Then I got annoyed so googled getting rings off. Learnt about windex and how everyone seemed to think it was the best thing ever.

It didn't work. Tried again after elevation and ice. Hub sprayed the finger with Windex while I tried to twist them off.

Nope.

Then, of course, my finger started to swell crazy, and I just wanted them off, now!!

So Hub wonderfully scurried through all the boxes in the garage for one of his tools. Pinching pliers or something like that. It hurt, but oh the relief!

So there, above, are my wedding rings. The engagement ring that has been on my finger for over 12 years, and wedding ring for almost 10. Oh well. The rings can be fixed, and I only have one ring finger, and would like to keep it as it is thank you very much.

I told hub, maybe it's time to get the 3rd ring, when these two are getting fixed, just so then I have the whole set. Sounds great to me!

Just one 'nice' photo? Does it really matter?

Our 3 year old loves having photos taken. He will bring me the camera, he loves them so much.

However, when I get it ready, he does faces like this.....

and this.....

and this......

But, I don't mind, as they are all a reflection of how he was at this age. I have been through this before, so maybe that is why I am more relaxed about it. I can now see that the best photos are when children are not posing, but being themselves. Being in the moment. Years later we can look back and see their personalities looking back at us, rather than a stiff looking fake smile.

And when I see moments like this, well, who could see that and not go "Awwwwwww"