MicroMe & MissyMe

Beer Belly Bubs

2008-02-14T01:49:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 26th July 2005

Finally I have reconciled myself to being pregnant, (well sort of). I have by now spent so much time in bed and lazing around that I look about 16 weeks pregnant, though I am only about 12.
Even the constant vomiting isn't keeping up with my calorie consumption. I am so tired, and quite pained and have almost forgotten what the outside world looks like. It is time to tell my friends that I am not in seclusion making mad passionate love, (unfortunately).
This is the email I send, I am a bit nervous about informing everyone, I am the last person I ever expected to get pregnant and I get the feeling my family and friend's would agree:

Hello Gang

Hope you are all well & all that jazz. Just thought that I would let you know that I have got myself knocked up - I know, who'd have thought! We thought that wishful thinking was an appropriate form of contraception, apparently this isn't the case???!

Anyways, I am 12weeks now, and I have already had 4weeks off on bed rest, and now I am on 2 more weeks, so it is a serious inhibitor as far as my social life goes, and not too good for my disposition at all. i.e.instead of an advanced ATV course on the dunes at Stockton Beach for my birthday, I had to settle for a civilised brunch in a cafe (blah). The baby has been ATV riding, whale & dolphin watching and all that already, however it is bleeding a bit, (yes I know, far too much information), so it is now on orders to do NOTHING.

Hope you are all well & all that jazz. Thought I'd let you all know so you can get a good laugh at me, & worry what kind of dreadful alien will be produced by Steve & myself (it is hardly going to be a quiet thing). I hope it isn't too big, I am trying to breed a Walleroo or Black Fern half back!

Lui : )

(& Macushla - the million dollar - troublesome baby).

©Luisa Foliaki – Proud Mumma of MicroMe & MissyMe

Ciao Champagne

2008-02-14T01:10:00.000-08:00

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

Breakfast Ice-Cream Cocktail

2007-09-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 15th June 2005

On the way to my ultrasound, I noted that MaxiMe took it all in his stride, he was pretty easy going about the whole thing. Looking back, I don’t really think he knew what was going on; then again, neither did I. Our main concern was that I wouldn’t have to have any procedure to remove left over tissue from the miscarriage, as I didn’t want to take any more time off work. Within seconds of placing the scanner thing (sorry this isn’t a technical document), on my lower abdomen, the sonographer said, "look, there’s your baby."

I sighed, the way one does when suffering a fool, then calmly advised her that I wasn’t here because I was pregnant. She asked me what I thought the little white blipping thing on the screen was. I leaned forward to have a look a the screen and suggested that perhaps she had linked up to some sonar and it was an enemy sub. She confirmed that it was definitely the heartbeat of a baby; I nearly fell off the examining table.

In hindsight, that probably would have been a good time to call MaxiMe in, and introduce him to his first child who was apparently around 7 weeks and 2 days gestation. However, he was sitting so comfortably in the waiting room studying that I didn’t want to disturb him. I breezed out and he asked, 'is everything ok?' I said "yes, we’re pregnant," as casually as I could. He replied, "oh, what do we do now?" I suggested we get giant ice-cream sundaes for breakfast at Chatswood Chase and discuss it later. So we did, they were very cold and mega yummy, ice-cream is very relaxing and good for the soul. We didn't really talk about the baby situation, we thought we'd save that for when we got home.

MaxiMe seemed to find the whole thing very tiring, and fell asleep on he couch not long after we arrived at home. After doing some online research on pregnancy in general, especially the development of an embryo the age of ours I was kind of warming to the idea of growing a person. I then moved on to some sites that provided information about termination options... After spending an hour viewing some particularly graphic photos and video on that topic, I was already looking at Boori baby furniture when MaxiMe woke up.

MaxiMe has often said that we didn't discuss the whole thing; however he did say that he would support any decision I made, before he fell asleep... So why waste words?

©Luisa Foliaki – Proud Mumma of MicroMe & MissyMe

Red Wine Gets A Red Light

2007-09-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 14th June 2005

Pregnancy is not for the faint hearted, it is neither pretty, nor sweet and you can kiss good bye your modesty. It also means the end of winter evenings warmed by red wine for a few months...

After bleeding extremely heavily for about a week, and suffering intense cramps and pains, I went to see my local GP. I explained to him that my period had been a couple of weeks late, and that I suspected that I had, had a miscarriage.

Oddly enough the Doctor said that this was highly unlikely, and just a heavy period, I doubted myself for a split second. I know my own body, and I insisted that it was more than that, and asked that he treat me according to my request.

He gave me a pregnancy test, and I was quite shocked to find out that the result was positive, I had never really considered having children. It felt very surreal, and for a moment it felt as if I left my own body and was experiencing an astral plane. I could see myself sitting in a chair in that stark white room, I felt very calm, as it seemed to be someone else that I was looking at.

From where I was sitting, I only had to look around the corner and I could also see MaxiMe across at the hair dressers. He was oblivious to the test and was looking very happy and relaxed getting his hair cut. I don't remember getting up to look at him, I only remember 'seeing' him. (Cue 3rd dimension music and hazey fadey background). Suddenly I was sitting in the chair staring at my urine test on the bench thinking about how gross it was. Little did I know it was to be the first of many - which I never felt comfortable about.

It was a little unexpected to say the least, I never thought of having a baby ever, let alone now, and I wasn't concerned about the miscarriage. The doctor explained that the hormone levels could still be present if I had miscarried, and scheduled me in for an ultrasound the next morning to see if I would need a curette. I was still bleeding lightly and I found it all rather bemusing. I was pleased to be taken seriously, and have a reason for feeling so ill and went home to rest.

©Luisa Foliaki – Proud Mumma of MicroMe & MissyMe