My little Vida turned 2

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Last year, I wrote a little something for my biggest Little Girl, Sienna, who turned four. This year, its only fitting I write something for my littlest Little Girl, Vida, who just turned two.

What? It had already been two years since my impatient baby knocked on the door of my uterus and said “Get me the hell out of here! I’m ready to Rock ‘n’ Roll!”?

She was decisive before she entered the world and she’s decisive now. Some things are meant to be.

The Pregnancy

As the partner of any sportsperson will tell you, being pregnant is a timing nightmare for us. Some players have never made it to the birth of their kids because they happened to be playing in another state or country; other players weren’t allowed to be at the birth because no, no, no its an important game this week and we need you.

And then, of course, many of us don’t live anywhere near home. I’m a Sydney girl but Sienna was born on the Gold Coast and Vida was born in Adelaide. If hubby’s away… who takes me to the hospital when I am huffing and puffing? Who looks after my biggest girl when I go into labour with the littlest when hubby is in Uzbekistan (this nearly happened).

Surely we have in case of emergency people, you ask? Of course we do! But they just happen to be fellow football wives with no family around to take care of their own kids let alone help us with ours!

I am lucky enough to be one of the partners that had her husband present at both births. Well, kind of. Sienna was an elective C-section because pelvis too small and Vida was the same because pelvis too small. The only problem we had with Vida was that she didn’t really agree with the operation date.

At 37 weeks exactly, on the evening my husband returned from playing in an Asian Champions League match in Uzbekistan – two and a half weeks before the scheduled C-Section – Vida decided it was time to hit the road (or amniotic fluid) and make her grand entrance. And you know when you hear most expectant parents say, ‘It’s time!’ (mostly in movies) with glee? No. With us that second time round, it didn’t go like that.

“How can I be having contractions?” I asked my jet lagged husband at 9pm, while watching the US version of Celebrity Apprentice.

“You probably aren’t,” he replied, barely awake enough to speak . “They are probably Braxton Hicks”.

“Yeah. Probably.” I said with hope, knowing full well that this chick was well on her way into the world.

So I had a shower and prayed the contractions would go away because who was going to look after Sienna? And for a while there, my prayers were answered. I went to sleep and they seemingly went away.

Until 1.30am when Vida decided she wanted OUT.

“What do we do?” Hubby asked, clearly confuzzled.

“Err, hospital?” I replied, thinking, well, isn’t this a bit inconvenient? All our helpers, namely family members, had booked to arrive a few days before the scheduled C-Section.

“What do we do with Sienna?” He asked again, still confuzzled.

“Err, take her with us?” I said, at that point half-hoping little Vida would change her mind so we could all go back to sleep and work it out in the morning.

To cut a long story short, no, Vida did not change her mind and she was born at 7am that morning via C-section. At least we stuck to the birth plan, even if it meant I couldn’t have any pain relief until the Spinal just before the operation.

The Birth

Vida’s impending entrance was clearly inconvenient for not only us but also for the hospital staff.

“I think you should try having a vaginal birth”, the midwife advised, a little too adamantly.

“No”, I responded, through the agony, “In my last pregnancy my doctor said it would be a dangerous delivery so I want to give birth the way it was planned.’

“But we have to organise the doctor and team for the operation”, she said. “They won’t be ready until 7am.”

Oooooh. I guess a 2am delivery didn’t suit their schedule.

“That’s fine. I’ll wait if the baby will let me.”

And I waited. And wailed. And waited and wailed – sans any decent pain relief. Hubby and Sienna were trying to sleep in a bed next to me while I howled through the pain. Hubby kept getting up to hold my hand but I told him to stay near Sienna in case she woke up hysterically not knowing where the hell she was and why Mamma was screaming. After all, no damn hand-holding was going to make this pain go away.

Delivery time came and I was wheeled away from my husband and 2.5 year old child and the next time they would see me, another baby would have joined our family.

Hello my beautiful Vida

You were born beautiful – and you still are.

You were born defiant, determined and impatient – and you still are.

You were born named after the Spanish word “Life” – and its because of what you and your sister mean to your Papa and I. Our two girls. Our Life.

Things I want you to know

I’m sorry for eating a stick of homemade salami when you were 3 days old because I had missed it so much throughout my whole pregnancy. You had a really rough night after it went through my milk and I’m pretty sure even though you were a newborn I saw you scowl at me. But you love Salami now because you love every type of food like your Mamma.

You are growing up so fast that I can’t keep up. I’m not going to ask where these two years have gone, because I know. They’ve gone right into you developing into a little lady and I’ve seen it all but it just flew past me. I mean. It was just so fast. Now you are talking in sentences and bossing your big sister around and holding your own in every playground you enter. You were just a baby the other day. But you weren’t. Its been 2 years and you are the most beautiful child – even if you push every single one of my buttons, some I didn’t even know existed.

I want to thank you for loving your big sister so much. You miss her when she’s at school and from midday onwards you ask repetitively to go pick her up. And when we finally do, you run into the school, scan the grounds until you find her, and grab her hand forcing her to come with you.

You are such an affectionate little girl. You often cuddle my leg while I’m cooking and say “I love you, Mamma” and it melts my heart every time. You even know that its a good idea to say “I love you, Mamma” when you have stolen one of your sisters toys and I give you the you’re in trouble face. Smart one, you are, my Vida.

My Vida

You will always be my littlest girl, no matter how old you get. Thank you for being so full of character, love and life. We couldn’t have given you a more fitting name. I only hope for health and happiness for you, now and in your future. And I promise to be right next to you, every step of the way. Except on your honeymoon of course. That would be weird.

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Mamma loves you.

  • http://leeannewalker1.wordpress.com Lee-Anne

    Don’t forget, Kat, to keep the tiny love notes they write you when they get a little older – scribbled on scraps of paper. They tell they like or love you in their infant scrawl yet their so precious. I came across one recently from my eldest daughter, put away in a drawer and forgotten about. It said: “I like you Mummy a lot”. (brought a tear to my eye)
    Your little Vida is a treasure with a beautiful name. :)

    • http://mammasvidablog.wordpress.com Mamma’s Vida

      I’m such a sucker for sentimentality, I’ve even kept scribbles of nothing! Kids are such beautiful, affectionate creatures, it’s these moments we have to remember always. My Vida is a treasure as I’m sure your kids are, now as bigger people x

      • http://leeannewalker1.wordpress.com Lee-Anne

        Definitely – makes it all worth it! X

  • Karen kennedy

    One word to describe this story “beautiful” Great memories made that you will forever hold in your heart. Happy birthday Vida xo

    • http://mammasvidablog.wordpress.com Mamma’s Vida

      Hi Karen,

      Thank you so much for visiting! If you are the Karen Kennedy I think you are, I hope you are doing well and you are feeling great. I’m so pleased so much was raised for the HBCF! It is an incredible cause. Take care x

  • http://kerrynboogaard.wordpress.com Kerryn Boogaard

    Kat! I finally got a chance to read this piece (as I sit at the airport AGAIN). What a beautifully written story about a beautiful young lady. I can’t believe she is 2, I remember when you were pregnant with her and when she was born. You so should have called us at 2am! She will love this when she is older. Happy belated birthday Vida x

    • http://mammasvidablog.wordpress.com Mamma’s Vida

      Hey Kez, thank you for your comment and kind words. My Vids really is a darling (but cheeky) and I totally remember having dinner with you guys at Salsa when she was just a newborn! How cute are you about the 2am phone call but we wouldn’t have wanted to bother you lovebirds. Have fun travelling! xx

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