Wednesday, September 27, 2006

A year ago


Actually this photo was taken on the 14th September, the day before my due date. Una was born two weeks later, on the 28th September. I stopped taking photos on the 14th - clearly disheartened. This year I realise how long two weeks is, we've been to Tassie, among other things. It's a long time to be so heavily pregnant. Una was 10lb1oz when she was born and 58cm long (I'm on the small side of small, five foot nothing). No wonder I was so tired. Labour was difficult, compared to Fred, but it was a natural drug-free birth and I watched her being born in a mirror that they'd set up to encourage me to push, so I could see the progress I was making. She was posterior, which meant she descended facing forwards. Her face was sealed in a thick layer of amniotic sac and the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around her neck. But the rush of love that came when she was born was amazing and I would go through it again for that feeling alone (and we plan to, sometime). They cut the sac from her face and heaved her up into my arms. I held her against me. Martin took off his t-shirt and they passed Una to him as I bled heavily and they wanted to get me up onto the bed in case I fainted (I went to the toilet later and fainted - the midwife caught me).

This time last year labour hadn't started but would by 10pm. I was worried about how Fred would cope with the change (she didn't really, not for the first few months). I couldn't imagine life expanding to accomodate another little person, though I didn't worry about love - I already loved her. I ate lentil dahl, made by Martin from his Bill Grainger cookbook (last year's father's day present). I watched some of Tales of the City on video. I went to bed early. This time last year, we were a family of three. At 3am, after we'd called Zoe and she'd driven to our house, Martin and I set off to the hospital on a deserted freeway, startling a rabbit.

Now Una completes us all. And tomorrow, when she wakes up, she will be one year old.

9 comments:

  1. Is she eating much icing?
    Four. So grown up. But I love four year olds. Oh Asha. Oh Una. I don't mind them growing up, but I wish I could visit younger versions of them.

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  2. Anonymous9:00 AM

    Happy birthday Una. It's a lovely sunny day for turning one.

    A big kiss on your clever forehead (X) from Kate and Alice and Evie and Michael.

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  3. Happy Birthday Una!!!

    Hope you are having a wonderful day with your gorgeous little family. I can't believe she is one already!

    Was so great to see you all last week.

    Lots of love from
    Tracey, Tyrone, Molly and Tara

    xxxx

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  4. Ah yes, I remember that 3am call like it was a year ago!
    Happy Birthday Una1
    Zxx

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  5. Anonymous2:03 PM

    Happy 1st Birthday you gorgeous girl!
    It was great catching up with you last week. I've put some photos on my Flickr page if you want to have a squiz :-)
    love Jacq xxx

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  6. Anonymous9:30 PM

    Happy birthday to Una! and I must say, amazing photo of her mum, makes me all sentimental and nostalgic (kind of). Hope you all had a great day!

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  7. your entry just made me teary...sob is right. Happy Birthday Una Pearl! It was great to spend the day yesterday
    xx
    Sunny

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  8. Happy Birthday Miss Una!!
    I sit here with another 5-8 weeks to go on #2, hoping it's the 5 end of the spectrum!!
    My #1 is nearly 6 now, can't believe it, you have just entered my favourate age, that 1-2yrs, they grow and change so fast in this next year, they actually become little people in their own right, whith their own wants and desires, and can finally vocalise these wants and desires. Happy Birthday beautiful girl, your life is full of surprises.

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  9. Oh my goodness I needed to see that right now. And you did it just fine!

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