It has been a long, amazing, sad, sleepless, ecstatic, wonderful couple of years since I blogged last. My beautiful, exquisite, miracle daughter Amabella (Mabel) was born on the 13th of November 2013. Things didn’t go quite according to plan starting at 34 weeks when I broke my leg and got a blood clot which threw us into intervention land. (I had spent my whole pregnancy up until that point trying to prove to the medical world that despite my age I was low risk). However through techniques we learned from a Calmbirth course, I can honestly say we had the most wonderful birth. While it became a very medicalised birth we were still able to have control over some aspects and I have to say that the amazing midwives and doctors at the Canberra Hospital for Women and Children were incredible at keeping us in the loop and honoured our intentions where they could. My beautiful friend and photographer Hilary Wardhaugh was on standby for three days to come in and photograph the birth and when the choice was made to do a caesarean she was not able to accompany us into theatre but she was there as soon as we came out and was able to capture our first couple of hours together as a new family. This photo is my most favourite photo in the world. Thank you my dear friend for being there for us.

 

She is now 22 months and so full of joy and wonder.

The sad part of the last 2 years was because a few short weeks after Mabel was born my Dad passed away. After congratulating Dad at the beginning of 2013 for being diagnosed with what was supposed to be a very slow and lazy cancer (the doctor said something else will probably kill him), sadly the cancer very uncharacteristically changed to a extremely aggressive form 5 months later. While I am so sad that Dad is not here anymore I got to spend time with him almost every day during that time. I wanted to make sure that he experienced my pregnancy and that my unborn child could have some experience of grandpa. Amazingly dad had a few short weeks of remission over the time Mabel was born and he was able to hold her and tell her the what, where and why of life and sing her silly songs. My dad was the best grandpa and I am so sad that Mabel will not experience him. I am so fortunate that they got to meet each other in person. Big love to you dad. You are so missed xox.