Bebe is 5 today. I didn't feel able to plan and host a big party for her this year, and as she wanted an expensive touchscreen Android Tablet, similar to what Lochie got last year, we felt that lots more than that was too much for such a little girl - I'm sure some would argue just that is too much!
Anyway, she had some pressies and cake before school. Then took her cake and balloons into school to share with her friends, the most important bit being the worlds largest badge announcing her birthday from a mile off! After school we are going out for tea - she has chosen Pizza Hut.
Slipping back 5years.. Here is the account of Bebe's birth as I wrote it at the time.
Brenna Broc Christie
Tuesday 13th May 2008
Bebe was due on Friday 09th May, and as her brother had been 10 days late, I didn’t actually expect her to be on time. My parents came to visit for the day, we had lunch out and we had a walk on the beach. That weekend saw us pootle about, going to the Princess Anne maternity hospital on the Sunday, as my friend had been invited to tea with the mayor as she had won a breastfeeding art comp. sponsored by the NCT. We joked that I would go into labour on Monday, so scared would the baby have been by a trip to hospital.
Over night into Mon 12th May, I had some D&V, but sent Paul off to work assuring him I was fine. At 8.30am I had a show, and continued losing bits and pieces all day. My frienda rrived to take Lochs to his Monday morning swimming class and as they left at10am, I had my first cramp.
As they arrived home, I confided to my friend that I thought things were happening and would she mind sorting Lochies lunch, so I could take a bath and see if the cramps eased off. When they didn’t, I sent Jill, my midwife, a casual text to tell her ‘things were slowly happening’, then I rang Paul. He arranged to work from home for the afternoon and left work.
By 2pm I was getting medium strength cramps every 10 mins,so we rang my parents to collect Lochs as previously arranged, Paul pumped upthe pool and we then went to Tesco to kill some time.
Lochie left with my parents at 4.20pm and I had a good cry, I was heart broken for him. He’d gone off in such a lovely mood and nothing would be the same when he returned.
5pm I spoke to Jill and declared I was in labour, but it wouldn’t be happening quickly! We agreed I’d keep her posted. Paul and I watched ‘Deal or No Deal’, went for a walk round the block, back at home he bid andlost on ebay and then at 7.15pm we went to B&Q to kill some more time. We bought weed killer, looked at sheds and I was having strong contractions every 10 mins. Then we went to McDonalds and joked that we go to all the best places.
By 9pm I was in bed, although I only dosed as I couldn’tsleep through the pains. Paul half filled the pool, so it was ready and came to bed at 11pm. By 12.30am, Tues 13thMay, I was struggling and desperate to kill time as I didn’t want to ring Jill or get in the pool too early. At 1am I spoke to my Mum on the phone, she didn’t sleep she was so excited. Then I woke Paul up for support and we attempted a walk round the block, only I couldn’t actually walk through a contraction, which by now were coming every 5 mins.
At 2am I rang Jill and told her I couldn’t walk or talk through a contraction and she said she’d be right over. She arrived with a colleague and a student at 2.40am and at 3am I got in the pool. It was beautiful, such relief!
With Lochlan, I still had 6 hours to go after Jill arrived,so in my head I still thought I had long way to go and I kept repeating to myself ‘Don’t peak too early, be an open vessel’ ‘Don’t peak too early, be an open vessel’ ‘Don’t peak too early, be an open vessel’. Paul was wonderful, taking my hands at each contraction and talking me through them, assuring and encouraging me.
My waters broke at 04.35am and she arrived just 10 mins later at 04.45am straight into the pool. I caught her myself and brought her to the surface where Paul and I cried, nearly making more noise than she did! We stayed in the pool cuddling, til the placenta stopped pulsing, I then cut the cord myself and passed her to Paul. My pool has a seat in it, and I had a lovely cup of tea, wrapped in a warm towel, sitting on that seat, listening to Paul coo at his daughter, whilst the sun came up. That’s my favourite memory. Then I got out, went to the loo and promptly delivered the placenta into the toilet bowl, where Jill had to fish it out.
The rest is a blur of being checked over myself, her being weighed, talking to my Mum and Dad on the phone, showering and going to bed. Very very happy!
Howling tears of love, joy and amazement! We started our relationship trying to out noise each other, and that is how we have continued, I love you to the moon and back Bebe x x
(If you look at Niamhs birth photo at the end of this post
here, these could be the same set of shots, so similar were the end experiences!)
When Lochie met Bebe.. After Bebe was born, we went to bed for a couple of hours but I was soon anxious to drive to my parents house and see Lochie - and introduce him to his sister.
Cake on her Naming Day.
Just out of interest, as I am sure you have noticed by now, our children have animal names for their middle names. Lochlan Behr, Brenna Broc and Niamh Hara.
Bear, Badger and Hare.
The bear is very significant to me, deep rooted and ancient. Lochlan was our miracle, he was always going to be a bear - strong and gentle. Behr is the German spelling, and we liked how it looked.
The Badger, fierce and proud, is Pauls totem animal. Broc is old english for Badger. Bebe ('BB' her initals became her nick name) surprised us with her timely arrival, and is a badger through and through - fierce and beautiful.
Niamh took her time to come to us, and is our much longed for 3rd and final child. Hara is old english for Hare. The hare represents the full moon, completion, and the Goddess when she takes on animal form. Niamh is our completion, very much a gift from the Goddess. She is full of life and laughter.
Paul and I are so very lucky.
.JPG)
.JPG)
