Tag: pregnancy

It’s Complicated

LagosMum6 Comments

LagosDad and I have been trying to figure out how to tell V that he’s going to have a younger sibling by the end of the summer.

But we are finding it a bit complicated.

I’ve tried testing the waters a little bit and have had a couple of “big brother” and “baby brother or sister” conversations.  I think we are in trouble.

This is how the last conversation went…

Oh – we were watching Charlie and Lola.

Me: Oh how nice! Isn’t Charlie such a good big brother? He always takes care of Lola. I think you would be a good big brother.

V: No.

Me: You know, many of your friends have little brothers and sisters.  And some of your friends have big brothers or sisters *gives examples*

V (after a slight pause): Where can we get one?

Me: Well, babies grow in their mama’s tummy.  So we would grow the baby in my tummy.

V: No.  No.  I’m the only baby allowed in your tummy!

Oh.  Crap.

My grandmother’s advice was to stop asking him if he’d like a baby brother or sister and to just tell him that he’s getting one!

Sounds like good advice to me.

All I know is we have to do it soon.  As in today.

We’ve got birthday parties for the next FOUR Saturdays – and we need to tell him before he hears it from someone else!

Any advice?

When?

LagosMumLeave a comment

I’m broody.  I’m so broody, it’s not funny.

And every day I’m looking at the most adorable little baby shoes.  Like the ones below.  And it’s not helping.

Bb-a21003-pkBb-a21014-wh

(Those aren’t even the cutest!)

We are trying.  We have been trying.  For a year.

This time I was sure.  Okay, to be honest, not that sure.  But hopeful.

So hopeful, I dreamt about holding our baby.

I thought about nursery furniture.  And the layout of the room.  I wondered if I would want Vinay and his new sibling to share a room, or if they would sleep in their own rooms.

I tried to remember how many Newborn and Size 1 Pampers I’d ordered in advance when I had Vinay.

I thought I’d ask my sister to buy me Pregnacare while she was in London next week, since it would probably be cheaper.

With each thought and each question, there was a voice in my head telling me to stop being ridiculous.  That this time wasn’t going to be *the* time.

And sure enough, that voice in my head was right.  This isn’t our time.

Not yet.

But what I want to know is, when WILL it be our time?

And how do I deal with all the people that keep asking why we’re not having another baby yet?

Almost every day someone I know is announcing their pregnancy.  While I’m happy for them, and even a little excited, I still feel that stab of jealousy.

I guess until it does happen for us, I just have to forget about it.  I have to stop thinking about it.

And when I do think about it, I have to think positively.

Putting On and Taking Off the Baby Weight

LagosMum6 Comments

I have always enjoyed good food and have never believed in ‘depriving’ myself of anything. I did exercise (on and off), so was able to keep myself in my regular size 12 clothes.

When I found out I was pregnant, I waited for the morning sickness to start. It didn’t (thank goodness). And I was hungry aaaaaall the time! Or maybe I wasn’t hungry and just ate because I wanted to or because I could. I’m not sure.

When I think about it now, I feel very guilty because my diet at that time wasn’t exactly healthy. I drank a lot of Coke. Sometimes at 6am. I hate the (longlife) milk here- so I was drinking little cartons of chocolate milk (twice a day). I ate chocolate all day long and didn’t do any exercise. I did eat some healthy things of course – but it’s difficult to remember those now. The main thing is: my boy is happy and healthy despite the crap I ate.

My mother constantly told me not to eat for two. I ignored her and, sometimes, even ate for three!

At 7 months I went to London to await the arrival of my gorgeous boy.
OMG- McDonald’s! We don’t have McDonald’s in Lagos. I went craaaaaazy! Cheeseburger, large fries and a Coke. The week before baby was born- I had 2 cheeseburgers (but only 1 portion of fries!)!
And the worst thing is – I used to stop off on my way back from my weekly check-up. I told myself I’d only go once a week (after the Dr) – but I usually ended up there 2 or 3 times a week. And sometimes I had to sneak away from my mum and my hub to get my fix.

Oh! And I forgot about the Coco Pops. I hadn’t eaten those since I was 18. And suddenly I couldn’t stop eating them. Two or three bowls a day (One after the other. Every morning while watching America’s Next Top Model).

And the Bourbon biscuits! I had to steal them from the kitchen and hide them under my pillow to eat in the middle of the night. All because I wanted to avoid the disapproval of the mothership.

Needless to say – I put on a lot of weight. And I put it on everywhere!! My boy is 9 months old (almost) and my wedding ring still doesn’t fit!

After baby was born, I found it difficult to stop eating so much (and I wasn’t breastfeeding (but that’s another story)). Luckily I went right off the Coco Pops. Didn’t go off McDonald’s, though.
And I still want to eat and eat and eat (sometimes).

It was 7 months after V was born that I started exercising again. Pilates twice a week and P90X 3 days a week. And funnily enough-because I’m exercising, I don’t feel like eating *that* much anymore. Unless we go out!

I feel much better about myself and my body. I went from a size 12 to a 16 (sometimes even 18) and now I fit into some size 14 clothes.

I’ve still got a long way to go – but I’ll get there in the end.