The young couple who live opposite us are celebrating the safe arrival of their first baby.
The new Dad told me the good news yesterday.A Boy!
His face gave away his feelings of New Fatherhood.
Complete and utter pride and joy,mixed with the inevitable apprehension of experiencing something so new and so life-changing.
We had a brief chat and I congratulated him several times before saying goodbye.
For a while after although very happy to hear such good news, I felt a little sad.
Is sad the right word or was I just feeling a bit reflective?
I'm unsure.
I remembered how it felt to be the Mother of a brand new baby and all the feelings involved with that journey from conception to the birth came back to me.
The somersaults your tummy does on discovering that a new life has started inside you.
The panic of whether you will be a good parent or not.
The worry about your growing babys health,the excitement when the first tiny flutters of movement are felt.
The elation on seeing the fuzzy images at the first ultrasound scan and the anticipation of meeting this little person you have helped create.
So many emotions.
I wont experience those feelings again.
K and I have made sure there will be no more babies for us, which is of course sensible considering that we are Forty and forty plus with probably more than our fair share of children already.
Please don't get me wrong..............................I know how privileged I am to have five beautiful, healthy children.
I never lose sight of how precious they all are, having experienced eleven miscarriages........... I know only too well. I am what used to be called apparently, in the medical profession, an habitual aborter. How awful is that!!?
I do hope they never use that term any more.
So yes, I do look at my children every day and count my blessings.................And I will get used to the fact that my having babies days are over. Eventually.
So to the new parents opposite - I wish then luck and happiness as they begin the most amazing journey. This is where the fun really begins!
UPDATE
4.30pm Second daughter(7) runs in from the garden, full of excitement, face beaming and announces "Dandelion has had THREE babies,quickly come and see!!!"
(We've had pet guinea pigs for years, some have died and some have had babies...lots of babies!)
I pop outside to check all is well and there they are...........three tiny pigs! They are very small and very soft with a proud looking Mum and smug looking Dad close by.
I don't suppose it's that often your pets and your neighbours have as much in common.
Funny this should happen after the thoughts and reflection about procreation I had yesterday.
Guinea pigs reproduce with alarming regularity. They are randier than rabbits, it's a fact so I may not be having any more children myself but I will have plenty of baby Guinea pigs to look after!!
