Celebrations!

I still struggle with the fact that people's lives continue when I'm not with them.

I mean if I'm not on the stage then surely the curtain is down?

Anyway, it's funny to think that as I type one of my very dearest friends is getting married. She is undoubtedly looking stunning and radiant and marrying a lovely man.

But, as the wedding is a very intimate one and as we are NCT friends and inviting us all would add 50% to the number of guests, we can only imagine what a lovely time they are having and wish them well.

CONGRATULATIONS Mine and Hugh!!!!!

All that said, we did make sure she had a good pre-wedding evening.

Firstly she had me grappling with her ample bosom in the bathroom of her lovely hotel room. No it was a last minute fling, get your minds out of the gutter please.

I was simply anointing her with nail varnish remover.

No, again this isn't some strange fetish - I was helping reduce the dodgy streaks from her spray tan. Yes, ladies (and boys) it works. This is my handy hint of the day.

Then the rest of the gang came for burgers and champagne while watching the fireworks across London from the balcony of Mine's Richmond Hill hotel room.

A fabulous evening spent with some people I now count as my dearest friends.




Mine, you are beautiful in so many ways, and our daily chats mean the world to me. May you all be happy and the deepest depths only be those you dive to. xx


Pictures taken by Leela

Wordless Wednesday - That's what friends are for

Foreign films

I travelled into work with my NCT buddy today, nothing really unusual in that. We travel together most days, meeting at Nursery or en-route, dropping off our little girls and heading for the 8:09 to Waterloo.

There was also nothing unusual about the fact that in those 30 minutes on the train we cover all topics (yes we are the girls having a giggle and the occasional cry on a packed commuter train).

Today we covered dating, drinking, tantrums, work - she hates PowerPoint, I hate spreadsheets and we both have a day of our hates ahead of us, we did say 'swap'.

But we also talked about how sometimes no matter how dear a person is to you, how much of an in depth shared interest you have like say a daughter, that there are times when although you hearts are on the same page it's almost as if you are a badly dubbed movie - you are the voice and he is the picture but you just really are not in sync.

At times like this it is really tricky to work out how to co-parent.

Hey, ho girls coming over tonight, yoga tomorrow, party on Saturday; nothing really wrong with this picture as long as I don't allow myself to be dubbed.

TTFF

Last night saw the inaugural gathering of the above group.

As a group of girls who were a year ago thicker than the thickest of thieves but now very rarely manage to meet up, we have set a regular date for the diary.


Hence, Third Thursday Fish and Fizz. (Actually it's fish and chips and fizz but it doesn't look as sporty as TTFF, and last night we we actually had Moules et frites anyway - but you get the idea.)

Only half of us made it, the march-mum-of-girls contingent that is Me, Mine and Emma (in order of baby's birthdays). Funnily enough these two probably are the two I'm closest too these days.


I'm beginning to really appreciate entertaining at home, no babysitter to pay or favour to elicit from PD and as my house is a boy free zone there is no-one to consult. And the service is always great.


As girls do we discussed EVERYTHING; tall tales abounded but we all have a similar not-so-tall-tale about our daughters:


At this age, they love tampons. In the box out of the box and Isobel enjoys them so much she likes to involve them in a little 'Hamlet' cigar action. I mean, we are grateful for them, but perhaps we don't find them quite so entertaining.

Be careful what you wish for

A long time ago, well it feels lke a like a life time ago, PD (who was then still really RD), bump and I sat in a NCT and answered the question:

What do you hope your child inherits from your partner?

Lots of lovely things were said, and PD wished for my generosity. Me, well out loud I wished for his eyelashes. And she got them.

But really, there are many things I hope she gets from her Daddy.

I hope she has his creativity, his aesthetic eye, his style, his dance moves and most of all his loyalty.

Right now, she's starting with his talent for photography.

Beautiful Babies

At last all our NCT babies were awake at the same time, so after 12 weeks of gathering together here we all are:

Thank you Emma and Tim for a lovely afternoon - next time Emma we will drink FAR more champagne I promise. And Thank you Eloise for being such a gracious little hostess.

(I'm not standing behind Isobel, just in case you were getting confused)

Draught Please Barman

Today we met up with two of our NCT friends, a shortage of space in local cafes led us to the pub - it was the only place that had room for prams, honest.

So, that was a first, the first time we had met up as Mums with our babies and it was quite cool to compare notes. It was also funny to discover that while our babies are little individuals they do have an awful lot in common. Disappointing to know that those little expressive faces Isobel pulls are pulled by other babies too - although they obviously don't do it so prettily!

Another first for me was that I breastfed in public! It was something that I had worried a little about, I'd even bought a down-with-the-kids scarf as a foil, not that I had it with me today. Anyway, faced with a hungry baby I did what was neccessary. Funnily enough Nia was brave enough too. We had all previously joked about going out dressed as fresians to manage this feat on mass.

So, three little friends met for the first time. (Jasper was there too but he and his amazingly wild hair stayed asleep in his pram.)

Hopefully next Thursday we will all be there again.

Graduation Day

So we have graduated!

We are familiar with (if not quite prepared for) labourese; we have learnt the about the horrors(us) and the amazing things (the baby) that will happen in those first few weeks after birth. And complete with a new support network, we have been sent into the world of impending parenthood.

Yes, we had our last NCT class; and it made me quite sad. Alison (our teacher) has such a reassuring way of telling us the gruesome facts that is has been a great way to bring labour into focus. Yes, I even have a kind of plan, well list of preferences, in my head now. (Am a scared? More like a little bemused really.)

Not only that, as a group we have arranged our weekly meet up times. I'm quite looking forward to being a lady-who-lunches and not having to say goodbye to all those same size bumps just yet. Now just have to wait and see who pops (if only it were that simple) first.

NCT

Yesterday was our first NCT (National Childbirth Trust) class, but I had to brave the first day on my own, RD unfortunately couldn't get time off as he has only just started his new job. Anyway, disappointment aside, it was actually ok.

People were cool, 7 couples all of the Bugaboo classes,all living pretty much across the street from each other with babies due within about 2 weeks of each other. I was a little intimidated by how successful and together everyone seemed to be, which, as usual, lead me to talk too much! Hey ho, it was good to meet people who are also a little shocked by the fact that they are about to have a baby.

Anyway, the day was good and very educational, I hadn't heard of 'transition phase' before (the in between stage where Jekyll turns into Hyde or vice versa). A lot of practicing birth positions for both first stage and 2nd stage labour (all upright of course); I couldn't really practice, although I paired up with the other solo girl in the group, our bumps got in the way somewhat!

I didn't realise how much labour was pressing on my mind until RD told me he couldn't come and then, as much as I tried to only be disappointed but understanding, I turned a little snappy.

Well, the class has at least got RD and I talking properly about the birth, even if he wasn't there. It's shattered my pre-conceived ideas about his pre-conceived ideas about his role in the whole thing. I thought he was just thinking of mopping my brow, holding my hand and saying 'there, there' as I lie on a bed. When I showed him all the position pictures, pictures of partners being physically supportive, he said that was what he was thinking too. I also didn't realise how much 'The Blokes Guide to Pregnancy' had taught him - he did know about the transition phase. I Judged him a little harshly, but I'm glad we've talked it through now. He's even going to cut the cord.

He does seem to be most taken with the 'What's in the Nappy' leaflet though. It's pictures of baby poos really. But then maybe his dream about our daughter having a poo obsession leading to poo castles and poo pictures, was more about him than her!