The Speckled Goat

I am very proud today. I have a photo featured in the National Press! Ok, granted it is only a photo I took of Nick that accompanies the article about his prize winning photo on the Daily Mail website...(whereas Nick's photo is featured on page three of the Daily Mail and the Daily Express)...but still, I have a photo in the National Press!

Daily Mail
Daily Express

But seriously, well done to my lovely husband. Ruby and I are very proud of you.

We were very surprised when Nick was contacted by two journalists yesterday and very excited to buy copies of the newspapers and to see the photo there - half page sized - on page three of both newspapers. You deserve the recognition Nick, well done!

Posted by Kary at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today, we registered Ruby and picked up her birth certificates. It was a very emotional experience for me but I held it together and managed to get through it without any tears!

We decided to take a photograph of us all outside the Registry Office for Ruby's photo album. For as long as we have been together, Nick and I have always taken self-portrait photos when we have visited places. When I looked at the photo Nick took this afternoon, it really hit home how it is not the two of us any more.

Now we are three and I love it.

Posted by Kary at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 17th January is an important date in the year, firstly as it is my Dad's birthday, and now additionally because it is the birthday of my beautiful baby girl.Ruby Elizabeth was born at 11.24pm weighing just 5lb 9oz.

The first couple of days were not easy as the hospital and I tried hard to stabilise her blood sugar and encourage a very tired and jaundiced baby to feed. The doctors discussed transfering us to the Special Care Baby Unit several times but we persevered and hoped and eventually on day three we cracked it and managed three consecutive blood sugar readings over the required value. Her tiny feet and hands were bruised and sore from needle pricks and I found it very hard to watch as her tiny face screwed up in pain over and over again.

Finally on Wednesday, the doctors told us we could go home. I had seen at least three people occupy each of the other beds in my ward. I had watched people come and go with their babies whilst Ruby and I had to stay and I was understandably very emotional that it was now our turn and that she was now well enough to go home.

Now we have her here, I just want to look at her all the time. I don't want to miss anything. I want to see every change in her as it happens. I find it amazing that I (we) could make something to utterly beautiful and perfect. Something so delicate and special. I did not know I had the capacity to love something as much as I love her. Nick is brilliant with her, as I type this he is sitting with her on his lap with the same adoring gaze that I have for her as she fidgets and wriggles and makes her wonderful baby noises.

The midwife has been today and is happy that she continues to do well. She has lost 90g since birth and now weighs just 5lb 6oz but I am assured that this is normal (and within the 10% weight loss limit). None of her clothes fit as she is so tiny, the newborn outfits swamp her and we have had to invest in a selection of early baby outfits but this somehow just adds to how gorgeous she is as her little feet barely reach the knees of her babygros :)

Nick has taken several photos (I know, we are all shocked ;) ) which can be found here, he adds to them daily so do keep an eye on them.

At risk of sounding like an award ceremony acceptance speech, I would like to thank the staff at QEQM Hospital, in particular Jo Read and Sue Hockless for their patience, support and reassurance. Thanks to everyone who sent messages of congratulations and who flocked to the hospital to visit.

And to Nick and my Mum. I would not have been able to do it without either of them. Both were incredible and their support is something I will never forget and always be indebted to them for. I have no need to discuss here just what they did for me, other than to say they are two amazing people and they helped me find a strength I did not know I had, much of which came from within them rather than me. I love them both with all my heart.

Thank you Mum. Thank you Nick.

So there we have it. She is finally here. I am a mum. Nick is a dad. And the future begins now.

Posted by Kary at 10:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So the countdown begins. At most it will be ten days from now that our baby starts on her difficult transition into the outside world. Then again, it could be any minute now.

Ten days.

It seems like so little time since we were overjoyed with the positive test and yet, here we are with just ten days (at most) to go before our little girl makes her entrance. I have enjoyed my pregnancy so much. It has not been without complication - extreme morning, afternoon, evening and middle of the night sickness and Gestational Diabetes and all the fun that brings for example. But I have enjoyed every minute of it. I don't think I have ever felt so content as I have for the last nine months. I have been concerned over the last few weeks as to just how much I will miss being pregnant, it has worried me that it will overshadow what comes next. However, at the weekend there was a shift in my mind somehow and now I know that I am ready to meet her and to embrace everything that this next stage in our lives holds. Of course I will miss her being in there, the secrets that we share in the middle of the night, how she is with me wherever I go, but she will be here and I can't wait for that.

What has amazed me most through all of this is just how much I can love someone I have not yet met. From the second I knew she was there, I have loved her and worried about her in equal measure. I feel waves of love for her that start at my toes and sweep over me, the strength of it amazing me every time. I am obviously terrified at the prospect of giving birth as any first time mum would be, but I know that at the end of it, the reward will be so worth it. I just hope and pray that all goes well, that she is healthy and not unduly affected by my Diabetes.

So. Ten days and counting. I can't wait.

Posted by Kary at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last Wednesday saw my usual midweek sojourn to Kent and Canterbury Hospital. During the previous visit they had told me they would be treating my pregnancy as 'normal' as I was doing so well to control my blood sugar. I was very chuffed and pleased to be allowed to go to 40 weeks. What they decided not to tell me was that they had been planning to induce me all along and not let Baby G go a single day over 40 weeks. The first I heard was when the locum Obstetrician informed me he was off to book the hospital. I was somewhat shocked and not just a little bit nervous of it all. He read through my notes with me and showed me where it had said they had been planning it all along, of course once the medical jargon is explained you can see it written there as clear as day. They had just not told me. As far as they are concerned letting me go to 40 weeks is giving me two bonus weeks as they would usually induce labour at 38 weeks with diabetic mothers. So I am to consider myself fortunate in that respect. They are going to try to kick start things on the 14th and if that fails then we are off to the hospital at 9pm on the 19th.

The thing is, I feel a little disappointed. Initially because I had not been told what the plan was, then felt robbed of the time Nick and I would have at home in the first stage of labour but now, well now, I just don't want to wait another two weeks! There has been an overnight change in my head about it all. Yesterday I wanted her to stay put forever, but today, something has shifted (sadly not her) and now I want to meet her, I want her to be here. I am quite sad that they are not going to induce me at 38 weeks, as we would be getting things going tomorrow. Instead I have to wait for what will no doubt be the longest two weeks of my life!

Keep your fingers crossed that she decides to make an early appearance...

Posted by Kary at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)