Getting uncomfortable

Today is Friday!   Not only is there are huge 46664 concert in Hyde Park in London today in celebration of Nelson Mandel’s birthday on the 18th of July, but we’ve hit the 35 week mark.  The baby is weighing in at 2.5kg and Bridgitte is starting to feel very uncomfortable.

Last Monday, was our 5th week at ante-natal classes and next week is our last.  On Monday, we heard that 2 couples had given birth and that a third one was due the next morning.  Very exciing stuff indeed.  So to the van Tonders, Rawlinsons and Blewettes, congrats on the little ones and all the best and may they bring you all the joys in the world !!!

We also got some really good news on Tuesday, or should I rather say, it was confirmed on Tuesday that good friends of ours, Scott & Sharon are pregnant!  This is REALLY awesome that our close friends are getting knocked up at around the same time as us.  it is going to be great sharing our stories and experiences with them indeed.

So, this weekend we’re off to buy the last couple of things that we need for the baby.  My job, is to prepare the playlist on the iPod in preparation for the hours that we are most probably going to spend in the maternity ward.  Gotta have some music around indeed.

Bump update

It is a Sunday afternoon, all cold and rainy in Cape Town and I figured it was time for a bump update. Well into 33 weeks now as we prepare for the Big Birth in a couple of weeks time. The belly has grown quite a lot and believe me when I say that he kicks and moves and wriggles. He is a very active baby indeed. Is this a sign of things to come? Is he going to give us hell or not? Or is he just running out of space inside there. I go for the latter.

It has been such a journey so far, me being obsessed with the belly and loving every moment and I feel this life inside Bridgitte wriggling away.

The dogs have become so obsessed with Bridgitte lately - especially Champers. Candy is Bridgitte’s dog. She is Bridgitte’s shadow and seeing Champers becoming so obsessed makes me think that she has an idea what is going on. We cannot help but laugh when Champers growls irritably when the baby kicks Bridgitte when lying next to her.

Here are the two photos of the belly and rightly shot in the nursery. Hey, also note the new curtains too.

A Harper has landed

One of the biggest coincidences that we could never of imagined happening was that Bridgitte and Michele, who is her older sister, being pregnant at the same time differing only a week! Only a week! I personally think that it was God’s way of finally caving into all the pressure that we have been putting on Him with all our prayers to give both of our families the gift of a new life.

So, in a nutshell, the race was on! Who was going to be the first one to give birth. Bridgitte or Michele? With us being in our 33rd week of our pregnancy and thinking that we’d have the 1 week advantage, we were enjoying the thought that we might beat them to it, but also remembered that her due date was earlier then ours.

But we were beaten by 6-7 weeks by the Harpers. And everything wouldn’t of been complete without Tommy mentioning that they’d beaten us.

On Friday, the 13th, my gosh, did it really have to be on the 13th, baby Thomas William Harper or TJ for short (Tom Jr) was born via emergency cesarean at around 13:00. Weighing in at only 1.7kg, this little bugger is a fighter and determined to pull through the 7 week pre-maturity period and is doing very well. We are happy to report that both mom and baby are doing well.

It all started on Thursday when Michele was admitted to hospital by her gynae (and a second gynae opinion too) into ICU. Her kidneys were playing up, her blood pressure was through the roof and it was on Friday morning that it was decided that the best route was to get the baby out. 1pm was the time that all was going to be revealed.

She is in ICU and due to be moved to the hospital’s maternity ward soon, but baby will have to stay in for another 4 weeks. It was an extremely frustrating day for Bridgitte as she couldn’t be there. The Harpers live in Jozi, so getting into the car and driving around the corner was not an option at all. But she was happy to speak to her sister this morning and that she is doing well.

We are so happy that little TJ is here. Now his cousin is next and for that, we’ll have to wait another 6 weeks or so.

The sad reality of this is that Bridgitte won’t be able to see little TJ in person until December 2009. We are happy that technology like digital photography and video make it possible to share that emotion, but there is nothing like being able to interact in person. The two cousins, unfortunately, will only see each other in December every year when the families get together for Christmas. I struggled and still struggle with this reality with my nephew, Caden, who is in the UK. Thinking about Caden, he’ll be 1 year old next month. It is just such a pity that the cousins will not be able to grow up together and get to know each other. We just have to hope, that when they see each other, they’ll be the best of friends and use the time they have to get to know each other and have fun!

Congrats to the two of you. Your dream has finally been realised and has come true! We can’t wait to see more of him. A new life, has started.

The baby shower

It is a Thursday evening and slowly, but surely, getting over a cold that got me down big time! As far as I can remember, I’ve never taken a day off work due to flu - I know I was off in 2002 during my wisdoms, but besides that, never!

Last weekend was the baby shower and it was awesome! Well, that is what everybody else is telling me since we spent the two hours at the pub. That whole weekend colminated in Bridgitte’s family coming down for the event since Clair was the host. Little did we know, that her dad was also coming down too. He made a surprise appearnace on Friday night to Bridgitte’s delight.

With over a good couple of weeks of planning by Clair and liasing with me, everything was coming together. The guests, the baloons, the snacks, the games and even the dress-up was all ready and prepared by Clair. It started at 14:00 with everybody arriving for a great afternoon in celebration of our little one. With forfits for not guessing the baby pictures on each of the gifts, Bridgitte did a sterling job at guessing manyt of the faces, but of course, with her head in flour, changing a dirty nappy, sucking the dummy and many more, fun was had by all.

We got some really wonderful gifts and I want to thank all of all you provided some really great gifts, from baby clothes to baby blankets to a chair that you slide onto a table in a resturant to all the other baby goodies that will make our life much easier with our boy, thank you so much. We really appreciate it a lot.

But the one that needs most of the thanks is Clair. She did a wonderful job and made the day a great one. She is definately a champ here - oh, and not to forget, her mom and dad for coming down to Cape Town. We had a great weekend - although I was very much under the weather.

Today we went for another scan. The baby is weighing in at just under 2kg. Bridgitte is getting bigger and bigger in the front, but still looking as good as ever and glowing with happiness.

We started our ante-natal classes 2 weeks ago. Joey is really good and we are enjoying the classes very much. There are about 12 couples (I think) in the class. We are learning about all sorts of things like the birth and hospital stuff. Really interesting indeed, but terrifying for the women. After the last class where we learnt about natual birth, Bridgitte was quite dawnted by all this and us, as the dad to be, has quite a large role to play in making sure that the mom to be is happy and that all is well mentally.

What a week that was!

It is a Sunday afternoon, but although my tummy is starting to rumble for lunch, I am hearing another rumble just next door to the room where I am sitting, which is next door to the baby’s room. That rumble is coming from all the lions, elephants, hippos, monkeys and other wild animals that have inhabited the room. This week, we got our furniture as well as the decor that we had picked out as well as the beautiful pictures that Bridgitte had painted a few months back. The nursery is coming together very well and I just cannot help, but go in there, just to be there.

This week saw us going for our 4D scan. We headed to Panarama Hospital where we were scheduled for the scan. Wow, we really had an amazing time and spent about 1/2 hour admiring our little baby boy. Oh, and of course, I made sure that we deliver on the video side of things. See the video below.

4D Scan at 30 weeks

The video is about 7 min in length, so no worries, we cut out quite a lot and kept all the good parts in.

Yesterday we spent the whole day getting all the decor, like the bedding, bumpers, changing mat, lamp shade, mattress, etc. We also put up the pictures too and we are so happy that the room is coming along great.

Next weekend is Bridgitte’s baby shower. Clair and Sharon, who is Bridgitte’s sister and mom respectively, are flying down from Durban to host it. Clair has organized everything, from the sending of invites to everything else! I think it is going to be awesome and I cannot wait to see what she has put together. Us guys will just head to the pub for 2 hours or so, which is TOTALLY fine by me. One thing that we are very happy with is that the room is ready for people to see next weekend. Everything is ramping up and the excitement is drawing near.

On Monday evening, we are starting our ante-natal classes, the baby shower is next Saturday, we have our next gynae check up in 2 weeks time or so, and so on and so on.

I am so enthusiastic and excited. Gosh, that is why I am writing this blog and Twittering where I can.

Below are photos of the nursery. Enjoy.  Note that the pictures on the wall are bigger than on the photos.

29 weeks and counting …

Today marked our 29 weeks as being pregnant, which culminated in a visit to the gynae for another scan. The scan whereby the growth of our little baby boy is monitored and within 4 weeks, he has gained around 700g and is sitting at an awesome 1.5kg. I decided to leave the video tape at home this time, but I am proud to say that he is growing well - not to mention Bridigtte’s belly too. That can only mean, another round of photos to come.

But the kicking and moving around has increased a lot. I find myself getting more and more obsessed with her belly and wanting to be around it and wait for a kick or a bump or whatever the little one throws at her. If he isn’t moving around, he is kicking her under the ribs or moving his hand.

I’ve got to add that the reality hasn’t kicked in, well, until now. This coming Wednesday, Little People Furniture is delivering our cot, chest of draws and compactum top. Yeah, and I can only imagine, that the reality of what we are getting ourselves into is going to kick in indeed. So this weekend, I am tasked to move out of my “studio” into the guest room, which acoustically, is a great move indeed.

4 days go by

It is a Monday evening and the room is empty, the only items left in the cupboards are those of the baby and all my stuff has been moved out and tomorrow the carpet cleaners are coming to give the carpets a good once over before the furniture is moved in on Wednesday.    On Thursday, we are going for our 4D scan and I’ll be sure to post the vids here too, so watch this space!

Planning ahead

Today is the 6th of May 2008 and it was only last week, ummm, no, perhaps the week before - ag, not too sure, but in anycase - we decided that it is time to start looking for a day mother or baby care to send our little boy to when Bridgitte returns to work in November.

We are in May people, we are in May and the baby isn’t even born yet and we are already thinking about where he needs to be sent when Bridgitte goes to work in November?  Some might say that planning so far ahead is crazy.

But after a good couple of calls later, we realised that we’re definitely not!  I didn’t even think that this was going to be a challenge, but it is turning out to be.  Bridgitte called quite a number of baby care centres in Parklands and surrounds as well as 1 or 2 day mothers and they are all full.  Yep, full!   We did, however, go and see a day care today, but the thought of leaving our baby with 11 others - needless to say, didn’t excite us too much.  And not to mention the cost per month and a deposit?   Paying a non-refundable deposit to put your child onto the list?  I don’t know if this is normal or not, but it just does not sit well with me at all.

We are finding it increasingly frustrating because there is no list or registry of day mothers in the area, may it be online or offline.  Nothing at all!  It seems that if you, by some miracle, movie into a friendship circle where virtually all couples are parents, you have much more luck in getting word-of-mouth referrals, which I’ve heard is one of the ways in finding out who is who in the zoo in your area.

Gosh, what about us?   We’ve only been living in the area during the last couple of years, not to mention, not knowing many people who have kids.

SO, if you’re one of the very few that read this and by any luck of the draw can refer us to a day mother or good baby care centre, we’d be more than grateful indeed.

25 week scan and a congrats to the Shepstones!!

As we are ramping up for the big baby pop-out in about 3 months time, I like to make sure that we keeping the scans coming. We are going to see the gynae in about a month’s time. As the day draws closer, we are to see her more and more often. So far, the gap has been 6 weeks and now it is 4 weeks, soon, it is to be 2 weeks, then 1 week, then kaboom! He will be here.

Also, the baby is weighing in at about 800g and all is looking good.

But I’ve also got some REALLY good news to share too. My very good friend, Sven Shepstone and his wife Jeanine are also expecting! I was busy uploading this video last night when I got the call via Skype. They are now 3 months into the pregnancy, so that means that 3 months after us, they will be parents too. Gosh, There is something to this 3 month thing going indeed.

But we are very happy for them and I know they are will make great parents.  I’ve known Sven since 1990 (I think it is 1990) where we went to school together and became very good friends and through the years, the friendship has been very good.   Now they are living in Struer, Denmark and we are always keeping in touch while so many km away!   Thank goodness for Skype.  So Sven, please put some photos and stuff on the web. Congrats guys! Enjoy the ride.

Freebies from Discovery

We belong to a medical aid, or medical insurance as many other people around the world call it. In South Africa, if you want quality health-care, going to a private hospital / practitioner is the way to go. But, this costs money and a lot of it and that is why belonging to a medical aid scheme is, so to say, a must, if you can afford it of course.

We belong to Discovery Health. Notably, one of the biggest medical aids in South Africa and I personally think, the most expensive too. I don’t want to go into how rough their monthly premiums are each month, but believe me, when you need them to work for you, gosh, those premiums are a huge godsend indeed. We have been very lucky with Discovery. Or should I rather say, fortunate enough that we hadn’t had the requirement for major surgeries and enduring endless days in hospital. They’ve paid for gore bladder stone removals, laparoscopies and so forth - nothing major at all.

But now, we are having a baby and that is where a medical aid really gets put to the test - with the upbringing of children and their endless ailments. Let the games begin!

We also belong to Vitality, which is Discovery Health’s loyalty program, where you can get discount flights, movies, etc, etc. Gosh, we get about R300 off our Kulula flights each year we fly up to Durban for Christmas. And if you register your birth with Discovery and you’re on Vitality, you’re in for a treat. Discovery Baby is their program for pregnant mothers-to-be. On Thursday, we handed in our form at Milnerton Mediclinic’s maternity ward and immediately after that, I was on the phone for hospital authorisation. That is also when they informed us that we now qualify for Discovry Baby.

I had to print out an e-mail they had sent to me which Bridgitte handed in at a Reggies close to us. She received a wonderful welcome pack with all sorts of goodies.

In the pack was:

• Book: What Nobody Tells a Father - Alan Hosking. My, my, looks like I have some reading to do indeed.
• Book: Mother and Baby - Johnson’s w/ Dr Carol Cooper
• Book: Expectant Mother’s Guide / Reverse side: Expectant Father’s Guide. My gosh, even more for me to read too.
• Baby book: Touch ‘n feel Little bunny. That has already found it way into the book rack in the nursery.
• CD: Raising Children Effectively by Sheryl Cohen - understanding your baby in the first year.
• CD: Majors your minors. Ag, no! Sounds like pan-flute music you hear in doctors rooms.
• DVD: Babies ‘R Us Baby Care - safety at home. Ah, now I see - to entice you to get the entire series. Is this on bittorrent anyone? hehehehe
• Sample: Johnson’s baby wash
• Sample: Breast pads
• Sample: Maternity sanitary towels
• Sample: Maternity underwear
• Sample: Baby bum cream
• Baby bottle. Bridgitte was happy that she now has her first baby bottle
• Baby on board sign to stick up in your car. Naaah, didn’t like this one. Too much advertising.
• Checklist for goodies you need when you go to hospital and in your nursery
• Voucher: Discount voucher for McLaren prams. Bridgitte didn’t like their prams, so I guess we are not going to use this one.
• Voucher: Discount voucher for a car seat. Oh yeah, we’ll use this one indeed.
• Voucher: 10% discount on Pampers nappies. There are about 4 vouchers with 26 each! Wow!
• And to top it off, a handy bag to carry it all in.

Not bad I must say. Plus, we have been subscribed to a pregnancy magazine until the birth as well as a baby magazine after the birth. Alrighty then!

So there you go. And also, now that we have registered at the hospital, we are going on a tour of the maturnity ward this coming weekend.

I love my wife so much!

I am in Bloemfontein as I write this. It is about 18:30 now and Nico should be here soon so that we can all have a much deserved drink. I’m in Bloem for PodCampSA - Bloem. I must say, it has been a whole day’s of driving for Jan and myself, starting at 7 this morning. A whole 1,000km. Ouch indeed.

And the worst is, we’ll be doing it all over again - on Sunday! Insane you might think? I couldn’t agree more, but hey, it is PodCamp and going on a roadtrip is something you don’t get to do very often in any case.

Ha, and I’ve got to say, that the Bloemmies are on the ball!  The guesthouse we’re staying at has WIFI access, hence why I am able to write a post on the blog.  This one gives my thumbs up!!

It was really hard saying goodbye to Bridgitte this morning. I mean, really hard. I even had a tear or two as we kissed goodbye and hugged. We are never away from each other, never! This is the first time in a very long time that we are away form each other. Usually we’re together for everything. The only time we’re not together is when she visits her parents on her own in Durban.

But this time, it was different.

Could it be that she is carrying our little baby boy? Or that our bond grows so much each and everyday we are together. That is definitely a huge sign that we are both here to stay. I miss her so much when I’m away from her. Gosh, we were only in Beaufort West and I was missing her already.

So here I am in Bloemfontein of all places and it is going to be a great weekend! Going to have stacks of fun with the guys and go all out! Going to geek out, etc, but I’ll still miss her very much and I can’t wait to see her on Sunday evening as I pull up in the driveway of our home in Parklands.