In a cruel twist, the weather decides to shine brightly( after what? 7 days of straight cloud and rain) the very day the children are back at school.
I feel good. Not that the boys have left me – for that I am miserable. We spent a glorious few days on the Sunshine Coast this last week and as everything else, it had to come to an end.
We had a few minor medical emergencies before the holiday. The day before we set off, my uterus decided to scare me with contractions that just would not stop. They were not painful but they were frequent and since most of my labours start this way (listen to me, I sound Quiverful – I only have the three!) I started panicking. I was not ready to have my baby and baby certainly was not ready or mature enough to face the world. AND BESIDES, WE HAD A HOLIDAY TO GET TO AND DAMNED IF I WAS GOING TO SPEND IT IN THE HOSPITAL WITH A CORK UP MY LADY PARTS! Or whatever it is they do to stop pre-term labour. I went to the hospital, hooked up to monitors while they measured my contractions and I got to listen to baby’s heart beat and him/her kicking. Praise God all was ok. No labour, they were just bad braxton hicks. I was told to take it easy and off I went back home, still worried because I didn’t quite believe them.
The day of our holiday, 9 year old managed to gash the skin of his leg wide open. There was very little blood but it was obvious he’d need stitches. Thankfully, a quick visit to the doctor (aka my father) and no stitches required; he steri stripped it, put a water proof band aid over the top and for his bravery, 9 year old was given a bright pink sugar laden drink and we headed back home to finish off the last minute packing.
Once there, all I did was potter around the apartment with my pregnant belly, while husband took the boys swimming to the pool and then the beach. I’d read a book, watch some daytime TV before heading over to the beach to meet them and play with sand, build sandcastles and walk along the shore searching for shells and poking the odd crab hole. What is it about the beach that most of us find so relaxing? The waves can be noisy, the sea breeze at times can be fierce and the sun scorching and yet, I am at peace when I look towards the ocean, the cool waves lapping my feet.
10 weeks left of school until the next holidays. CANNOT WAIT. Although these next holidays inshaAllah will bring about a bit less relaxation and a hell of a lot more exhaustion. But peaceful and blissful all the same. Baby is due the week school closes for the Summer. Hope he/she can stay put until then.
