A Royal Post

"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." Charles R. Swindoll

The imminent birth of a new prince or princess seems like the perfect time for me to resurrect my blog. Kate and William are about to experience one of life's most amazing journeys. Parenthood. The least I can do is give them my two cents worth of advice.

"Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be." David Bly

Here are Mr LBT and I about 30 minutes before I went in for my c-section delivery over 8 years ago. We look so young! We look so happy!!

 

We had no idea what was ahead.

 

We got along like a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical for the first week we bought Amelia home from the hospital, falling over each other to attend to the baby and I had to resist breaking into a song as I pushed the pram through the park each day. Then things started to unravel. Prolonged sleep deprivation, Mr LBT going back to work and the realisation that I wasn't going to be able to learn a new language as the baby slept peacefully all day. We were living separate lives - I was up all night and Mr LBT was at work all day. And we had hugely supportive parents, a baby that breastfed like a dream and huge workplace flexibility..., things could have been so much harder.

 

We had loved going out for dinner prior to having a baby and planned not to let a newborn stop us. I mean, how hard could it be? Great amounts of planning and precise timing had to go into every meal out and when we were there we sat on edge that any minute it could all implode. "What on earth is taking them so long to make a basic spaghetti marinara?!?! Can't they see we have a baby, a real live baby, with us?!?" was about the only conversation topic I could manage and I couldn't focus on what Mr LBT was saying as the man at the next table bumped the pram and I wondered whether the chilli in my pasta would go through to my breast milk....., where was the waiter? I better change my order.....

 

The reason we went out for dinner wasn't for the food, but because it forced us to re-focus our attention on one another. We needed this time to talk to each other - and it was ok to talk about the baby - in fact time to share a funny sleep deprivation story, discuss a new sleeping routine or that nappies were on sale at Coles so we should stock up was cool. As was time to express fears and doubts about my ability as a mother, how I was feeling about my body, ask what was happening in the office and give Mr LBT time to share his feelings as a new father - all of this was important for us to discuss in a calm, serene and safe environment. 

 

To enable this I created date night at home and the tag-line "make a night in a night out" was born. Suddenly, at least one night a week we were able to take back time for us. Sometimes Amelia was awake and in her bassinet in the dining room and sometimes she was tucked up in her cot. Either way, we lit candles, put flowers on the table, played our favourite music and enjoyed a meal and chat together. 

My thoughts are with Kate and Will and I wish them every opportunity to enjoy the wonderful journey ahead.

Finally, here I am 8 years later with Amelia on the right and our second daughter on the left. This photo was taken out at a restaurant for dinner - we weren't nervous at all and I had extra chilli in my pasta.