Where to begin. Thomas is nearly crawling, Alan says he's gonna be a fast little boy. He is also getting to beautiful for words. Solids are now his best thing and he's loving all the new foods he's getting. Not to sure what else to say so I thought I'd just add a few photo's for you to see how much he's grown for yourself...

Wow, it blows my mind how much my little boy has learnt in the short 6 months he's been here. I love him with all my heart. As you can see he has now started sitting. It's amazing how only a mother can be so proud of such a small thing. I'm so proud of him. I don't think you can ever imagine how much you would love your child till you are actually a mother and you have that little person to show you how to appreciate the simple things in life. Stop and just take it all in. This experiance is something I want ever single person to experiance. It's amazing. So to those mothers out there, enjoy these simple things and just take life slow and live. To those women trying to be mothers and dying to be mothers, don't you ever give up. Take it from me. Giving up is not an option. It's a journey you have to experiance. Thomas my little boy. You will never understand how much I truely love you. One day when you become a father you will understand the love you feel for a child. I'm so proud of you my boy.

Solids are going really well. Thomas has taken to food like a little pro – a real mommies boy! So far he’s tried, rice cereal, butternut, gem squash, baby marrow (not his fav), apple and tomorrow it’s pear time. I’ve got so much food in the freezer that I’ve made. I must remember that one apple to stew is more then enough. I don’t need to do 12 at a time – lol.

The new house is going great. The garden is looking fab and we got some stunning outdoor furniture on Monday. We’ve also bought ourselves a new fridge, it’s divine, I just wanna hump it all day long. Although I don’t think I’d be setting a very good example for Thomas if I did.

Dirty thirty is almost here. Can’t wait to be a “grown up”. Will update on how the party goes on Saturday. We are having a 1980 hamburger party. Can’t wait.

Well. Seems I’m keeping up with the good trend of not keeping my blog up to date. Last you heard I had a baby. Well my baby is now a little boy. Well almost. He’s getting so so big. He’s ready to roll from his back to his tummy but he hasn’t quiet figured out how to get his arm out from under him and this pisses him off. He’s also kinda sitting. If I put him in the sitting position he stays like that for a while then falls over. I could carry on and on about my angel but I’ll save some for next time.

We also just bought a new house. We moved in over the weekend. I’m loving it so much. It’s got such a good vibe. The dogs love it even more. The garden is huge and Gizmo gets lost for hours exploring and stuff. Spike being not quiet so adventurous kinda sticks around the house still.

Oh and I’m turning dirty thirty in a week days time… can’t wait!!!

It's a boy!!

Thomas James Meintjes

My beautiful son was born on Monday 7 September 2009 at 13:52 weighing a healthy 3.65kg's. It was such and exciting day but also such a scary one. Knowing that I was gonna be cut open suddenly started freaking me out once I was in hospital. Our lovely anethatist Linda van Zyl came to see me to do the normal checks and stuff, I had the doppler fetal heartbeat and movement monitor on my belly while she was there. She suddenly looked at it and said. Looks like we're doing the C Section on the right day. Looks to me like you're having contractions. I'd said to her that I could feel the weird new pains but I just thought it had something to do with the machine. So when the nurse came in she confirmed that it looked like I was having contractions about 3 - 5 min apart. LOL. It might have been the start of "fake labour", but I like to think that Thomas was ready to come that day, c section or non!! My stay in hospital was eventful. All I can say is far to many drugs people!!! Thomas has taken to the breast like a really little pro. And by doing so he's taken mommy from a B cup to a DD. Yes people DD!!! Had to buy new bra's yesterday, when the lady at woolies measured me I nearly kissed her when she said DD!!! Thomas my boy, I hope you love the breast cause if these are my results then you're staying on it for a really really long time.

I just want to also say Thank you so much to everyone involved - Dr S... You are the most important person. And to all the staff at the Constantiaberg Medi Clinic. Thanks to you too.

My last blog as Nicky

So I can't believe it's finally come to an end!! Boy pregnancy really is long! But tomorrow I will see that it was all worth it. Tomorrow I'm gonna finally become a mommy. 4 years of sadness will come to an end.

So on my last day of being - Nicky and not mommy I did as little as bloody possible.

1. Woke up at 9am (probably for the last time).
2. Sat quietly waking up drinking my morning coffee (probably for the last time).
3. Went to breakfast at Sostanza (Lakeside) and enjoyed a nice quiet breakfast with Alan.
4. Sterilized a bottle, the dummy and a breast pump just in case Alan needs to bring it to the hospital. This way I'll know that he hasn't melted the breast pump in the sterilizer before I even get to try it out.
5. Finished off my thank you notes for posting.
6. Then finally and probably for the last time - I went for a Sunday afternoon nap!!
7. I repacked my hospital bag - again. But this time for the last time.

While having breakfast at Sostanza I saw Graham there - you remember tight jean crazy boy from Idols. Well I've come to the conclusion I know why he can't sing - his jeans are so damn tight his poor balls won't allow him to!! As I sat watching him I had images of throwing him into a nice warm shower - not to have my way with him - no, to scrub the guy down. He looked like a real skollie who'd forgotten what the shampoo was for!! Idol my ass!

Then just now before I come to post my blog Alan was having his monthly chuck out of crap day, I get asked - do you want this. A simple yes or no will decide the fate of the poor objects future. 1 Black wallet that I'd used sometime A.D. appeared in his hand and just before my lips could start saying No I decided that I'd be nice and keep it for the char. Before giving it to her I obviously had to go through it. I found slips in there from 2007... but the bonus was there was also a R50 note wrapped into some of the slips - I really must stop doing that! Anyway, that just paid for half the pizza that just arrived through my kitchen door.

Wow, how far we've come. I remember going for this scan. I'd started spotting and most of my pregnancy symptoms seems to be gone. What a nightmare. Off we rushed to Dr S for yet another scan only to see this beautiful little creature doing just fine!! How cute is that!! Can't wait for this little bugger to come already. I'm dying to kiss the little toes and kiss the little lips.

I repacked my hospital bag today. Wonder how many times I'm gonna do it till we actually go off to hospital. Just want to make sure I have enough stuff packed and ready! I've packed about 5 pairs of clothes for baby. Hell knows many times I expect to change the poor thing.

I also seem to be opening the drawer with all the clothes in. Can't stop looking at the stuff. I'm really trying to not think about it to much. You know when you think about something to much it just makes time drag by. Well I'm trying to avoid that. NOT WORKING!!!

I finish work this week. My last week of "work" till 2010. Cool! I'm sure through that I'm gonna wish I was rather at work then at home with a crying baby. NOT!

16 Sleeps to go!

So I’ve been told to update my blog. Haven’t done it in ages as I’m just to damn lazy! Now that’s honesty for you.

All’s going well on the pregnancy front. 6 weeks to go till the c section. Can’t wait. Well I can, but I can’t. I still have no nursery furniture, haven’t got a pram, haven’t packed my bags for hospital. Haven’t washed baby’s stuff yet. Nothing nada fokkol!! Talk about leaving things to the last minute. I’m just to damn tired on the weekends. Just wanna sleep. So I do. Maybe this weekend I should start pulling myself towards myself and doing something about it.

Anyway, that’s my update. Hope it was sufficient. Oh by the by. The stunning pic is compliments of Kandis. Thanks bokkie, you’re really good at taking photo’s.

What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve been so emotional over the past few days it’s crazy. I cry when Alan hugs me. I cry when someone shouts at me. I even cried when Adam on Idols sang the other night. I can’t handle this anymore. I can’t even function properly at work. I look at my boss with hate. Probably cause we all hate him every now and then. More now than then. But still. This is not like me and I don’t like it. What makes it worse is that it feels like I’m always moaning. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Someone should have seriously told me that it’s like this when you’re pregnant. Will seriously rethink having that second child! Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not being ungrateful, it’s just seriously bad. To add to it for the past few days I’ve had this threatening tummy bug and it now looks like it’s here in full force. Sorry for you Nicky, there is nothing you can take.

Wow, it’s been ages hey. First it was Christmas then there was a little new years surprise. I’ve been too scared to say anything here as I didn’t want to jinx anything. But I can share now. I’m well and truly safe. I’m 21 weeks pregnant. Next week I’ll be 6 months. Can’t believe how time has flown. It’s been a rough 6 months though. Spotting and bed rest more spotting. But all seems to have settled nicely. We’re not gonna find out what it is. We want it to be a surprise.

So we went to the Fetal Assessment Clinic on Monday. I love those scans. We got her to take a picture of the genitals and put it in a sealed envelope so that we could at least have a picture of the parts for the baby’s scrapbook. Obviously I just want to open the damn thing but Alan and I have both signed the back of it so that we will know if one of us has. Just a few more weeks then we’ll know right! Anyway back to the scan. Our beautiful child is now measuring in at 24.5cm and weights 430g. All is healthy too. No holes in the heart. No water on the brain. Everything is hundreds.

Can’t believe that we’re finally here. After all we’ve been through. We’re now ordering cots, checking out prams, bed is booked at the hospital. I’ve even booked our antenatal classes. We’re gonna be parents.

I'm feeling a bit cross with myself for posting the below. But please to everyone reading this it was not meant for anyone in specific and I'm not here to hurt peoples feelings. I guess, just accept it as it is... My feelings.

Just a thought

Okay, so only my fellow infertile buddies will understand and also know exactly what I’m on about. Everyone else will probably just take this personally. Tough… this is my blog!

Don’t you just love it when people become all sensitive because you don’t want to be around their children all the time! Almost like you don’t care about them enough to want to see them every single day. It’s your child, raise it, why should I take on that responsibility? I don’t want to talk about babies 24/7. I don’t want to hear about all the cute things they are getting up to all the time. Don’t get me wrong I do indulge and I do love the updates. Here’s what I think I’m getting at. There are 5 adults sitting in a lounge and one baby on the lounge floor playing. 90% of the conversation will be about that child. “Look, she’s trying to pick up a block” “Aw, look she just blinked” “Don’t you just love it when they blink” “I remember when my child….” – BORING people. And I’m not saying that we should all talk about world economics or global warming or the financial dilemma this world is facing.

Now talking about babies and talking about trying to have a baby is two very different things. And I can understand that some people, okay most people get bored with my conversation too. But I don’t get all sensitive when you don’t want to see me all the time because of it. I’ve lost 3 babies and do you honestly think that I really want to talk about stuff like that ??????? well yes but not for hours on end!!!

Tit bits

Oh my word. Blogging really has taken the back burner for a while now. Just haven’t had time really. Plus I’ve also been off work due to a fantastic stomach bug. Not complaining though. Lost 2kg’s in 2 days from it, and I still haven’t picked it up!! Goodie!!!

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas time. I’ve almost finished my Christmas shopping. Just one more pressie left to buy. Only buying for the kids this year. So that makes it a really cheap Christmas (haha – says me – hubby is buying a TV cabernet, plasma and surround sound – grand total … don’t want to scare you all so i'm let to add my bit too) as there are only 3 kiddies to buy for in CT, my two god kids and my cousins little girl. But girls are so easy to buy for so that should be easy enough to come up with a great idea.
On the Christmas note. I found that wonderful tree that I was looking for and as you’ve guessed it’s up. Well it’s been up since about 15 November but hey, it was new and I had to put it up then. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!!

On Saturday past we went to our god kids Christmas concert. It was so so sweet. I cried my eyes out when they were on stage. I was so so proud. They were very cute. Even though the little one (18 months) didn’t do anything except stand there and look at everyone, I was so proud. Felt like shouting from the roof tops saying “that’s my godson”.

And you know those Baby of Board signs you get for your car?? You know the yellow ones. Well I bought a Maltese Poodle on Board one. Figured seen as though I wasn’t gonna be getting a Baby on Board sticker in the near future I may as well have one with Poodle on Board – besides she is my baby princess dog!!!

I will be a good mother

There are women that become mothers without effort,
without thought, without patience or loss and though
they are good mothers and love their children,
I know that I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics, or money
or that I have read more books but because I have
struggled and toiled for this child.
I have longed and waited. I have cried and prayed.
I have endured and planned over and over again.
Like most things in life, the people who truly have
appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.
I will notice everything about my child.
I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore and discover.
I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.
I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the
sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him
and that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another
pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream.
My dream will be crying for me.
I count myself lucky in this sense that God has given me this insight,
this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see.
Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to,
I will not be careless with my love.
I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.
I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor,
friend and sister because I have known pain.
I know disillusionment as I have been betrayed by my own body.
I have been tried by fire and hell many never face, yet given time,
I stood tall. I have prevailed. I have succeeded. I have won.
So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their
pain in order to save myself discomfort.
I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs. I listen.
And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.
I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine,
of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth and when life is beyond hard.
I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.
I have learned to appreciate life.
Yes, I will be a wonderful mother. ~Author Unknown

What's up

So what started off as a daily blog seems to now have turned into a weekly blog. You probably think its laziness. Well partly it is. But mostly it’s just that I’m not sure what to write about. I, unlike others, don’t have a very exciting job that allows me to go off to Venice and all those kinds of beautiful places *wink wink* *hint hint* - you know who you are right. Nope, I’m confined to a daily trip into Noordhoek. How bloody exciting is that!!

We had a very special little guest last night. She’s only 5 years old but what a smart child she is. “I” has been a big part of our lives since she was about 11 months old. I think that was when she had her first sleep over at our house. She’s my boss’s granddaughter, I take her to school in the mornings and I fetch her again in the afternoons. So as you can think we have loads of conversations in the car about all sorts of things. She once asked me how babies are born… well I opted to explain the cesarean section and figured her mom could explain the vaginal birth when she was a bit older. She was fascinated and asked me whether the doctor didn’t mind having blood on his hands (please note that I had made no mention of blood), I explained to her that if someone paid me the amount of money he gets paid to take the baby out of the mommies tummy then I’d also not care about the blood on my hands. She was happy with that answer. She also knows that I have lost my babies and it was nicely explained to her that they have gone to heaven. She often talks about them too. She even named them. The first one is called “Peggie legs” and the second one is “Flower”. She doesn’t know about the third one. The other day we were talking about Santa and she asked me if she should phone Santa and ask him if you could phone God and tell him that I’ve been a really good girl this year and maybe He’ll give me my babies back – I mean really, what do you say to that!

Not much else happening on the baby front. AF finally arrived, well sort of, two days of spotting so far so still waiting for it to come in full force. It will though! So no babies this month.

Some days are easier then others! It’s so weird to explain. Yesterday I wanted to phone my gynae and tell him that I’m starting with Clomid right away, I can’t wait anymore. Then A said that I’m overreacting. Which I probably was. Now today I’m totally fine with the whole idea of not being pregnant. In fact I’m dying to know when AF is gonna arrive. Today is CD28. NOTHING!! Nada fokol! So I guess my wishful thinking of a 28 day cycle this month, that has been blown out the window. Anyway!

On a lighter note. It’s almost that time of the year that we put the Christmas tree up. My tree usually goes up after Halloween. I just love it. I count the days before I can put it up. This year I’ve been very good. My tree is still in the wendy house. The only reason being is that I’m looking for a bigger one. When the hell do the shops start selling them??? And where the hell can I find a really beautiful big one??? Anyone???

Back from Johannesburg

Well I’m back from Johannesburg, wow what a week. I’m actually still recovering. It usually takes me about a week to adjust from it. Late nights, great food and fantastic people. I must make a special mention to Wang Thai on Sandton Square. Sorry Julian if we messed up the restaurant to much. But hey your chocolate mousse is better on the skin and hair then in the belly… Don’t ask!!! And thanks to the Shitty Lodge on Grayston for stuffing up our room order. We ordered a twin room but we got gifted a lovely room with one double bed. Therefore T and I had to cuddle for a whole 4 nights. Sucks man it sucks!! You know when you have to share a bed with your colleague and you actually can’t sleep cause you’re scared you’ll roll over and really cuddle her. Well that was my problem. I think I got about 4 hours sleep the whole week. But in those 4 hours poor T couldn’t sleep cause I was snoring… Hey, I was sick with the flu, what am I supposed to do??

Then on Saturday I met some really amazing women. These are the ladies who have helped me get through so much in my life. They are the special ladies from H24 and OPM. You guys are the best and I really wouldn’t have been able to get through this all without your support. It was great putting names to faces at last. As for the Jagerbombs!! Well that’s another story. Like Joni put it. The next time Mugg and Bean have a group booking of women, they’re first gonna ask if we’re infertile before they actually book us. Banana 101... and that's all I'm saying. But it’s all good!

On the present day. I’ve started gym again. We’ll see how long it lasts this time. We’re going in the mornings now so it’s much better. Oh and I’m having some AF cramps today and yesterday so here’s to hoping I’m gonna have a 28 day cycle this month. Hold thumbs ladies.

So this week I’m off to Johannesburg for Winex. It’s a wine convention that is held at the Sandton Convention Center where most of the wine farms in the country gather and show their wines. Everyone is welcome to come through to taste all of these magnificent wines!! Especially ours. As most of you know I work on a wine farm. Don’t get jealous, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds. People seem to think that if you work on a wine farm you drink wine all day and just relax in the sun. NO NO NO!! You’ll be sad to know that we actually do work. And it’s hard work. I’m the PA to the owner and Winemaker, I also help out in the finance department. But I can say that I work with an amazing group of people. So I’m off to Johannesburg and I have a bit of a chest infection. Gross it’s disgusting. To everyone that’s had bronchitis before you’ll know the first tell tale signs when you have that heavy cough and you taste that disgusting metallic shit!! That’s what I have. But I’m not gonna even give it the energy to say that I fear I might have bronchitis.

So Winex JHB is mostly fun, but also tiring, normally I need about a week to recover. We work hard and play hard. After Winex we usually go out for dinner to some of the top restaurants. My personal fav has got to be Wang Thai in Sandton Square. I just love their sweet and sour pork. Julian if you’re reading this best you give me discount for the free advertising… hehehehe.

Anyhow, I’ll probably not be posting on my blog for a few days, I might find time and I might now. Lets see.

To my friends in the computer, I’ll see you on Saturday!!!!

I’m not sure how many of you believe in the after life and reincarnation and connecting with the other side. Well I’m one of those people who does. Don’t get me wrong, I deeply believe in God and I know that he exists. But I also know that there is more to living then just life and death. I believe that when one dies the soul still exists. It doesn’t just die off with the vessel it was using while here on earth. And I believe that God won’t judge me for believing this. I grew up in a very strict Christian home (more when I lived with my grandparents) and this kid of hocus pocus stuff as they would refer it to would be sure condemn you to an after life in hell. Bull shit I say!!! We are human and God created us to have a mind and to explore all the possibilities out there. Which is why I know that when my dad died it was only the vessel that died and not his soul. I’ve had many conversations with my father through a medium, who just happens to be my mother-in-law. Normally he brings me messages of encouragement and healing and just a general hello, you’re gonna be okay. My mother also comes through occasionally but my father is the one who does most of the communicating. Today I got another message. This time it wasn’t through me father, this time it came from someone really special. It came from my very own Guide. We all have Guides out there watching over us. Some refer to them as guardian angels. We refer to them as Guides. My message was that the reason I’m feeling so frustrated is because I’m not following the path that I need to be for this reincarnation. In this life I’m meant to be exploring my creative side and of late I’ve kinda left it on the back burner. So I ask you, what should I do to encourage my creative side?? Well I’ll tell you… I’m writing a book! Yip, if someone told me 6 years ago that I’d be writing a book I’d laugh at them. I sucked at writing at school and I only ever read a book if it was a set book for school. Most of the set books had movies on them too so I often used to opt for the movie rather then the book. It’s only been since I’ve moved to Cape Town that I’ve started reading, and trust me I’m a really slow reader. My friends T and K often tease me about this as we like to share books every now and then and I take forever to get through one. My friend K eats books for breakfast. I’ve never met such a fast reader in all my life. So my dears that’s what I’m gonna focus on. I probably will never publish the book as my writing skills are much to be desired. But if I do I’ll have to get a ghost writer in to help me. Can you imagine me being a famous book writer – watch out Jodi Picoult here come Nix!!!

It's all for the birds you know!

So my hubby has become a little bit of a birdie. His “boss” is also a birdie and he has loads of knowledge when it comes to different birds and the different noises. He can actually identify a bird just by it’s chirp. Quiet amazing to watch. I’m also sort of taken a little interest in it and I’ve learnt a few things. For example did you know that the first bird to sing in the morning and the last to sing at night is called an Olive Thrush?? Pretty impressive hey. And did you know that you don’t just get Franklins, no no, there are different kinds of Franklins one is called the Natal Franklin, it looks the same as the normal Cape Franklin except it is easily identified by it’s distinctive orange legs! See told you I was also birdie (well I’m trying). He he, well it’s fun. So this weekend we’ve decided to buy a bird bath and feeder for our garden. Can you see it, imagine A and I sitting in the study window with our binoculars, bird book and of course our paper and pencil to write down the bird we’ve just spotted. Okay, it’s not gonna be that bad, but it’s still gonna be fun.