Thursday 27 February 2014

Boy or Girl? I really don't care

Everyone has been really happy for us but the one question they have all asked is - boy or girl?

That will be another massive moment because it will pit fate v psychic powers.....

I should explain, on my side of the family you see the girl gene is very laid back and sitting at the bar with a spritzer when any conception courtship is takes place.

I am the only boy, my dad is one of two boys and there is one girl among five boys including my dearly departed granddad.

However, my dear cousin visited a psychic who correctly predicted a member of her family would welcome a baby GIRL. Apart from our parents there is only her brother and me, her brother will be a dad for the second time in May and it's definately a boy...

So it could be us? No one knew we were pregnant at that point so maybe theres something to it? I'm not a believer but hey I will buy into anything at the moment.

Truth is I think we are both leaning towards a boy first, to protect any future sister/sisters but hand on heart we both just want a healthy little baby bear.

And if it is a girl then I owe my cousin lunch!

Telling everyone

So, you've kept it a secret for 12 weeks, your own little bundle of joy just between furture mum and future dad.

BUT THEN (Dramatic Hollywood movie promo style voice) comes THE SCAN! - you see baby, everything is fine, you get emotional....

AND THEN (Hollywood movie style voice very imporant here) it's time to tell YOUR PARENTS!

We did it all on Monday, first to my in laws because they a) live closer and b) have been through loads in life. Short version is Pam is diabetic and her brother Rob has recovered from meningitis having lost his arms and legs below the elbow and knee. To say I both love and admire my brother in law is putting it mildly.

They were over the moon and wonderfully happy but already worrying about Pam working too hard and her diabetes. Enter super hubby who was able to reassure, calm and comfort them she wasn't working too hard and the diabetes is perfect.

And then on to my dad. Who lives a while away from us and on his own since my mum moved into a nursing home because of her dementia.

We all been through mill with her, agonising to see a brilliant women slowly succumb to a right c*** of an illness.

So telling my dad was particularly emotional, one being the son telling his own dad he would be a grandfather but also some good news he had been craving for months.

It's given him and all our families such a boost. If baby bear is already this loved then he/she will never lack for it when they emerge into the big wide world.

All in all Monday was a bit of a blur! But keep it a secret again? Oh hell yeah, those first few weeks are just lovely.





Tuesday 25 February 2014

About us

I thought I'd better let you know a little more about Daddy Smurf and the mum to be (haven't yet secured approval to call her Mummy Smurf!)

Mummy Smurf....I mean mum to be is Pam, a former teacher who now works in retail, she is the light of my life, loving, caring and will be a fantastic mum. She is also tackling the pregnancy as a diabetic which has provided us both with some challenges but ones we have tackled together.

Daddy Smurf is Rob, local journalist and editor of a newspaper called the Evesham Observer, love the job and the chance to meet people from all walks of life.

Love football and most sports, good tele, wrestling and do like my food. So much so that in a few weeks Pam might have a bump to rival my buddha belly! Determined to try and get in shape so I can be a good active dad to the little one!

Anyway that's a little more about us, a picture you say? Oh well but be warned it does contain Shrek's cousin on the right!

Monday 24 February 2014

The 'First Scan'

So it happened, the first scan....

We soon forgot about needing a wee in the waiting room thanks to the PINT of water they ask mums to be to drink! (Always a good idea to ask a pregnant woman to take on AND HOLD on to even more water)

From the moment we went in, the atmosphere was relaxed, sonographer was a dab hand with the gel and went off in search of bubba.

She found him/her very quickly, jaws dropped from mummy and daddy to be. I cannot explain the moment in words other than WOW!

Everything was checked, all fine and I thought great, amazing experience I will never forget.....then I realised pregnancy has the ability to stop you in your tracks, reach into your heart and tug!

Why? A little black dot on the picture, our little baby's heartbeat. Quite simply breathtaking and a moment I will hold forever.

To see that working away while he/she is growing inside the womb is something every man should experience, in no way should a father be able to leave a woman after seeing that either

February 24 is a day I will not forget in a hurry, it was a day we said hello for the very first time to our baby

The secret first 12 weeks

We decided not to tell people until the 12 week scan went by, I took to being a secret dad to be on Twitter and wife managed to keep schtum.
 
It's not for everyone, I've known people who tell when partner is 6/7 weeks pregnant and if they both happy then good for them.
 
We didn't want to say anything because bubs is so wanted and to have told people and something to go wrong would have been heartbreaking.
 
But it's been frustrating, not keeping it a secret despite my obvious big gob, but not being able to share the news with our family and friends.
 
We both have had struggles in our families over the years and knew a baby would bring massive joy to them.
 
I suppose that's the deal you make when you decide to keep quiet until the scan, get the 'danger period' out of the way and then share the joy which you know, fingers crossed, won't be taken away.
 
And to be honest, it was lovely being the only two people in the world knowing for a while, even if it meant one or two white lies....
 
We have had ups and downs since finding out, sheer excitement has given way to a few worries but soon resolved

One blue cross, two lives changed!

Wife came bounding into the bedroom, 'I couldn't wait any longer' and produced it – the test with a blue cross...pregnant!
 
Even in my sleepy state I knew what it meant, all I could do was hug her, I was so proud, excited, nervous, scared and elated in about five seconds.
 
It's a moment I will cherish forever, after dropping me at work, she then did a further two tests 'just to make sure'.
 
But it was true, it was not a dream and oh my god what a feeling. Something changed between us that morning, we always loved each other but somehow we became even closer.
 
How's it possible when you are already so happily married, god knows?
 
The strange thing is, you don't really come down and get back to the real world for days, a week in my case.
 
I was floating away with the idea of fatherhood, how much I would enjoy the good times and also thought how my wife's body would also change in the coming months.
 
It was only a week later when real life came back, bubs will be here for Christmas, wife and I will now be recipients on Mother's Day and Father's Day and not just givers and many other thoughts.
 
A cheeky browse around Mothercare is now very real, prices of cots, changing mats and clothes need to be looked at!
 
All I know is the feeling I had on Friday, January 3 has not left, I cannot wait to become a father!