How to Make Miracles

Yesterday I was going through our external hard drive with a friend looking for old pictures for her and I came across my girls' newborn photos and was overwhelmed with emotions.  It brought back many memories and feelings.  It made me realize how awesome it is being a mum, being a parent. 

Its the most rewarding and yet the most daunting job in the world!  If you gave me the choice of being rich and famous or having my wee family.  I would choose family EVERY time.  I love my job as a mum as every day is never the same and each stage of my girl's life is a celebration.

When I fell pregnant with Megan I had no clue what I was in for.  No clue!  I was one of those young girls who never did any baby sitting, I turned into one of those women who never got broody when a baby was near.  I wouldn't coochy coochy coo and pinch cheeks.  I would think those women who did that were all a wee bit loopy and wondered what all the fuss was about.  I wondered if I would ever have a motherly instinct that would "kick in" when I gave birth to my wee button.

Turns out that I went into pre-term labour at 35 and a half weeks and Megan was born after only 5 hours of labour and an epidural.  She was a healthy  2.6kg.  I was in love instantly. The second she was put in my arms and I said to my Boerewors "We made Her!  Isn't it a miracle?". 

Within an hour of being born Megan was whipped away from me as she was having trouble breathing and taken to NICU. 

Wee Froggie

She had a hole in her lung! 

Within only hours of her being born she developed double pneumonia and a day after that she got jaundice and had to sunbathe under the lights for a few days.  My brand new baby had to be tube fed as her sucking reflex wasn't quite there yet. 

Sun-bathing for her jaundice

The stress of leaving the hospital the following day after giving birth to my perfect little girl with an empty carry cot, broke my heart!  The next two weeks were a daze, worrying, no sleep, traveling back and forward to the hospital for feeds, to cuddle her, to just hold her hand and stroke her hair.  All I wanted to do was take her home.  After two weeks, we got to take her home and it was the happiest day of my life!  I could watch her, touch her, kiss her, 24-7 and she was the most beautiful little person (in my eyes of course).

Her First Bottle - 6 days old

Megan was a very easy baby after this and I considered us lucky.  She slept through the entire night at 7 weeks and she never had any illnesses worse than a cold or flu.

Then....

Kaylin, just born

....Kaylin came along! 

KK was born at 37 weeks on the dot and was the tiniest little person I'd ever seen!  Another fast labour of 4 and a half hours and with no drugs (even though I wanted them) it happened all too fast so everything was all natural! 

I couldn't believe I done it all on my own with no drugs and when I held her in my arms she looked like a wee doll.  She was only 2kg - even the X-prem clothes were too big for her.

However, despite her being even smaller than Megan's birth weight she had no medical complications, I walked from the labour ward to my ward bed with Kaylin and went home after 30 hours in the hospital. 

Kaylin in her daddy's hand

Sisters meet for the first time

Kaylin one week old alongside one of Megan's dolls. 

She was teeny weeny!!!

However things were soon to change....

Kaylin was a happy, but sickly newborn and suffered from reflux and for a teeny wee person she could hurl puke at you with deadly accuracy.  It would fountain from her miniature mouth with great force and then she'd smile afterwards.

Her first hospital visit was when she was only 12 weeks old and yet she smiled!

After that it was in and out of the hospital for the next two years with various things including pneumonia, chest infections, raging temperatures, Rosella, chronic bronchitis, etc the list goes on.

After many doctors and specialist visits, we eventually went to a HomeoTech who discovered Kaylin was very stressed out and had a dairy intolerance.  But she STILL beamed that unforgettable smile.

Cows milk was banned in our house and we swapped to Soy products.  After that, she went from strength to strength.  Her appetite improved and she ate everything in sight.  I always joke about Kaylin that if you sprinkle sugar on shite, she'd eat it.  She really isn't a fussy eater and after Megan who still eats like a bird - it was a God send.

Kaylin with Chicken Pox

After all we've been through with these two little girls, I couldn't love them enough.  They make me smile, they make my heart warm, they bring me such joy.  I want to kiss and hug them to death and I can't stop telling them how much I love them and how special they are. 

When I think about how we made them from scratch, how they grew in my belly from a tiny seed into a wee person,  how I gave birth to them and watch them cut the cord that attached us together... 

We've watched them grow and develop everyday and it still blows me away!  I still can't believe how perfect and beautiful they are.  Every child is a complete miracle and each one so completely different.

My two precious gifts from above and my Boerewors who is my precious gift down here. 

These three people are my everything. 

I am in awe of them everyday and I couldn't be happier. 

Nothing could possibly be more fulfilling than being someone's Mum.

Who knew two little girls would change my world forever?

My Wonderful Girls....

Why I love Being A Mum

1) NUDITY

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'

2) OPINIONS

On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'

3) KETCHUP

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

4) MORE NUDITY

A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover.. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'

5) POLICE # 1

While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'

6) POLICE # 2

It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked.
'It sure is,' I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, 'What'd he do?'

7) ELDERLY

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers & wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'

8) DRESS-UP

A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.'
'And why not, darling?'
'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'

9) DEATH

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)

10) SCHOOL

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother.. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'

11) BIBLE (I love this one)

A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out.
'What have you got there, dear?'
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'