Ciao Champagne

Monday 27th June 2005

Suddenly those seedy mornings on our recent holiday at Nelsons Bay make sense... The fainting feeling in our luxury spa hotel room overlooking Salamander Bay, the sea sickness on the dolphin/whale watching cruise - hmmm. I even felt a bit queasy quad bike riding in the dunes at Stockton Beach. To think the guide had warned MaxiMe about knocking his manhood on the the handle bars when we did a jumps at the top - his manhood had already been busy!

I thought back to the seafood platter with bloody mary oyster shots, at Salamander Shores. The copious amounts of champagne I consumed while MaxiMe barbequed during sunset at Dutchies Beach. None of that could be good for bubs, so I resolved (somewhat reluctantly), to try and be healthy. This was obviously the only choice I had as a sensible person; however sensible was really not a word that I was comfortable using as a description of myself.
That first weekend was very hard, and I am sure that MaxiMe consumed more alcohol, and partook of a couple of cigarettes, (out of the norm), due to the slight stress he felt.  It was his Dad's MASSIVE 50th birthday weekend, which we had both been looking forward to. Friends and family had made the journey from Queensland and Tassie, as well as various parts of NSW. Everyone got very merry, while I got sick and sulky. This made it apparent to MaxiMe's Uncles that a baby may be brewing, however I was too busy stewing over my state to even bother with a retort to their quizzical comments.

Upon arrival I had shown the grandparents to be the first ultrasounds of their little man at 7weeks and 3days or there abouts. They reacted surprisingly calmly, however we had put them through the wringer airing our dirty laundry and some very vocal yelling matches a few months earlier; this was probably easier for them to take. As usual, they took it in their stride and were supportive and spoiled us accordingly.

It seemed good timing that the pregnancy and the party all came to fruition at once, looking back that is, at the time it seemed a bit miserable. It was the last huge family celebration that included, beloved Papa Paddy (Grandfather to MaxiMe). He took a bad turn in his long battle with prostate cancer and ended up in hospital a day or so later, so it was to be our last major family celebration including him. MaxiMe was on annual leave while job hunting, and I was on Doctors orders of bed rest for at least 2 weeks. It meant that we got to spend a lot more time with Paddy while he was in hospital.

One morning I went in with MaxiMe's dad to tell him the good/dicey news, that I was having his first great grandchild, as we were trying to think of ways to cheer him up.  He wasn't surprised at all of course, as he reckoned he knew, (doesn't everyone?). It did mean that he perked up a lot, and for the first time I felt a special sort of warmth that comes with growing a new baby. The baby was loved already, and had a place in the world with expectant people full of love... It was a really good feeling, and I felt warm, light and happy to be this baby making machine, even though I was getting heavy; especially in the boob area.

©Luisa Foliaki – Proud Mumma of MicroMe & MissyMe