The highs and woes of motherhood, a personal lament

Its been 2 weeks, 6 days, 8 hours and counting since Maeva pushed her way through into my arms, and frankly, I don't remember what it feels like to sleep more than 3 hours anymore.
Half the time I don't remember the days, or the hours or the dates.
At all.
Because my concept of time is a 3 hour clock called Maeva. 3 hours of heavenly sleep. Which is just as well because that is what her second name means, "Moelagi-Heavenly Sleep". Now I realise I didn't put in all of her name into the birth registry: "3 hourly Moelagi".

If it sounds like i'm complaining.
Why not? It's my blog and i did it to b**** and whine about Life. There!

I'm only human, and as such, we homo-sapiens tend to delve on the negative before we count our blessings and be grateful. Usually.

So i'll be unique today and brag on about how beautiful my baby's smile is, how I love watching her wake up, yawn and flex her tired little body as if she has been doing hard labour in Guatanamo Bay.
I love everything about her, how she now recognises my voice and how she stops crying when Gui picks her up. How she looks around curiously while she sprays poo all over the change mat. Or when I spend so much time bathing her, applying the rash cream to her backside, putting on her socks and then she does another big poo.

Before I had Maeva, I told myself that I wasn't gonna be those mommas who rave on and on endlessly about their babies...Babies, Diapers, Rashes, Sleep Patterns, etc etc.

But I came to realise I am that momma that normal people (like my former self) can't stand. Self-obsessed with their own offspring..a.k.a Poobrainer.

This is what I have to say to my former self (the anti-poobrainers):
Your will never appreciate the joys of motherhood and poobrain-ness until a small hand grasps your thumb, when they smile for the first time, when she falls asleep on your bossom and you feel her breath to the rythym of your beating heart. Until then, you will never know any better.

It's 4:46 pm on a wet rainy Wednesday afternoon, Maeva has another hour to sleep and I have another hour to hurry up and clean the house before Gui comes home and realises I have not done my chores. hahaha

Aroha nui from Aotearoa!!!

Today's photos:
Maeva's first play mate, lil' Rico, David and Roana's future All Black prop!

"Whose this giant?" asks Maeva. Maeva is dwarfed in Steve's arms.

Since we have been home with Maeva

Here are a few images of Maeva at home in the last two weeks and 3 days to be exact!!

The last of the visitors have left, Gui has returned to work and i find myself at home with my little one.

Enjoy!!!








Click here to see more photos of Maeva Moelagi

Guillaume finally writes our OUR blog, he's been waiting for baby to arrive to post up.

0123 3-5-7

Ask any scientist about the above numbers and they will start long boring talk about mathematical functions, exponents etc…
However in my case this numbers will forever symbolize the beginning of a life long adventure called fatherhood…

My beautiful daughter Maeva was indeed born on the 3rd of May 2007, and to make things more remarkable, my little angel was born at 0123 in the morning!
So yeah, there is a strong chance that this child will be good with numbers.

That day started, pretty much like any other day of the past 2 weeks:
Getting ready to go to work, and kissing my beautiful wife’s overdue bulging tummy while praying “bonne mere” to guide our 1st baby to life.

As soon as I returned from a productive day at work, the contractions started and Jody was in much pain. She was very strong and courageous during the ordeal, and with the help of the “KFC Choir” we managed pretty well on our own.
After three and a half hour of battle, the contractions started to get really close together(about 3 min) and we decided to call our midwife (Colleen), pack our bags and made our way to the birth centre.

As soon as we got to the delivery room, our midwife checked the dilation and told us that it was time for Jody to get in the spa bath where the water birth was planned to take place.
At Jody’s request no drugs were administrated in order to make that birth as natural as possible.
Only small doses of gas (a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide, laughing gas) were used. I was on gas and water massages duties, while Relle was acting as the super back pain reliever, providing Fotu with expert massages and helping with her positions.
Gran-Ma Moelagi was supervising the operations with her usual calm and wisdom, while Omega was filming the event ensuring that these moments would be immortalised for eternity!


About an hour through the second phase of labours and while things were heating up, we had a typical “Samoan” moment…all of a sudden all our helpers got M.I.A and Colleen turned to me asking what was happening. I did not realised that the family had left the room, so subdued I asked Jody if she knew what was happening…between two contractions, she turned to Colleen and I and calmly told us that the “aiga” quickly went to eat their KFC bucket outside the birth centre…hahaha what a crack up!
One by one the team got back to the room and straight into their routine.
Minutes later baby’s head was about to come out and suddenly, lead by Omega and in parfait harmony, the family started singing a beautiful Samoan hymn.
Soon after, using her last gasp of energy and all her determination, Jody pushed our beautiful baby out into the world, grabbed and hugged her against her bare skin.
In that room at that second, it felt like time had stopped for a moment… and at once we all shared a tear for that magical experience of child birth.
It was 01:23 on the 3-5-7

What a mind blowing experience!
Soon after the celebration stared… Chouhou !!!
That beautiful child of ours, Maeva was welcomed to the world by her parents and family, and the camera flashes started to light up the night.

Wanna see more photos??
click here to see more photos of Maeva

Week 39 and 1 day

I finished work last week Friday and i'm now officially on maternity leave and the waiting game has started....I'me made the most of my time sleeping, sleeping, doing a very little bit of house work and sleeping.

Sam and the kids (Yvonne, Vetti and Barry) came down for 2 days and i was elated seeing the kids again. The girls have definitely grown up and are a lot more mature, obviously with having two younger siblings to look out for. Barry is an adorable non-stop talking happy chappie, with bouts of tantrums thrown here and there, hehe

We went to check out the Baloons over Waikato event in the weekend and it was an awesome experience, however i was struggling with the long walk and standing for too long. Luckily, i took my Chiefs blanket, so I was constantly on the ground giving my back a much needed rest.

When those 4 left, our house was all of a sudden, ghostly-quiet and empty....also a welcome feeling tho, i missed having the kids around, they definitely made life so much more full, hectic, drawn out....aarrrhhh i miss the lil' shits.

Last night, we went to Alli and Scott's house for dinner and a round of BUZZ, which we sucked at, but it was fun nevertheless.

However, last night i woke up with a really sore throat and ear, as if i was about to get the cold/flu, so i woke up and drank hot camomile tea, gargled and went back to bed.
I hope this doesn't get worse, I have been doing so well until this lil' mishap.

Fleur, Relle and the kids arrive today from Auckland, so i better run off and have a
peaceful nap before the crowds invade my peaceful sanctuary!!!

We saw the midwife yesterday, she was informative and helpful, we also found out that baby had turned, now facing my left side...which explains the pains on my left side the last few sleepless nights.

Midwife reckons bebe will be late, as the head has not yet engaged. Apparently, walking helps a lot, so today i was walking like a madwoman, right foot on the curb, left on the road to the cafe, and then back home, left foot on the curb, right on the road...so bebe please please you better come out i am sooooo over being pregnant and my stretchmarks are worsening!!!!Do it for yo vain momma!!!!!
Baby CountDown....watch this space!!!!


21 April
FLeur, relle and the kids are gone to rotorua today, and i am cherishing the peace and quiet. Annemarie came over to do my hair, a much needed haircut and highlights.

This is Gui and my tummy this morning, talking to the baby to please come out next week!!!

Week 37 and counting

It is week 37 and its obviously possible for my stomach to grow even bigger.

One more week at work and then i can lie down and sleep in until baby is due.

Baby is now very cramped in my tummy as he/she grows bigger, so very few kicks but heaps more wriggling and complete manouvers that take my breath away (literally).

I have also started getting stretch marks under my puke, not that i wasn't expecting them...damn it, heheh
3 more weeks....or less if she decided to go by French time, not island timing.


DECK UPDATE
I mentioned in my prevoius post about the "famous" deck, well, I am so glad to say that Scott and Alli have been so awesome and have made sure we got most of our deck fixed in the last few weekends.
I feel bad now coz i realise it so much work and theyre giving up their time to help us out.

Hard at work...malo lava!!!

Week 35

WEEK 35



It is officially week 35, and i have 3 more weeks of work, 5 more weeks till baby is due.

All is well i general.

I'm getting massive (understatement), still no signs of stretchmarks, but apparently
those turn up at the last 2 weeks before i pop, yay!!

Since yesterday i have started feeling sore in the feet, so i had to remind myself to elevate my feet after work and when i go to sleep. Gui left bricks under our bed so that there is some elevation, so thats supposedly helping.

We are almost through with our antenatal classes, there some really nice people and so rather bored/boring mamas out there...sheeze get a blimmin personality!!!


The people that are definitely coming (Enshada) are Mom, Omega, Cherelle, Fleur and Barry. Aunty Evo will also be here briefly....can't wait to see everyone again!!!

News on the home front: We have finally had progress on the long awaited deck, thanks to Scott and Allison, Gui's work colleague who have been so good to us and came on Saturday to do the poles and get the frames measured.

So it is fair to say we will have a deck some time this year after all!!!!

OKay, better log off and get some rest,

alofas

Jody and Guillaume