The UK is a wonderful country to live in, and it's an especially wonderful place to have your first baby. The NHS took incredible care of us all. Plus, there's this wonderful charity called the "National Childbirth Trust", or NCT, that runs pre-natal groups that absolutely everyone joins when they're first pregnant. It's a basic 6 week course, one night a week, about managing labour and caring for a newborn. But the most essential thing about it is meeting other couples who live nearby and are in that same stage as you - all entering parenthood together. We became excellent friends with our group, celebrating all the births together and now enjoying the miracle of seeing our babies grow. One couple threw us a goodbye barbeque yesterday in their lovely back garden, and it was pure heaven. Such good friends! You really couldn't find a kinder group of people. And so many babies! What joy they bring to us all!
It makes me weep to think of saying goodbye to everyone here. Toni and I are chronically moving (first 4 years of marriage = 4 countries on 3 continents...)... and it's getting old. We really need to just settle the heck down. For real. :/
I'm dumping loads of photos, because that is what blogs are for:
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| Waiting for the bus outside our flat, Ben all snuggled and sleepy. Look at this street we live on! Christ Church College tower right there. Gah. |
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| Babies in the sunshine and shade of old British cottages. How I'll miss these old stones everywhere. |
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| Ben got to try out his friend Cora's little recliner. LOVED it sweet lamb. Poor dude has nothing so cool at our place! |
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| GREEN. England is so so GREEN. |
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| Sleeping babe in arms. Love. |
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| Yay :) |
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| They got us a special leaving cake and we cut it just like we were at our wedding. ha! |
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| Babies starting to be lined up! |
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| Aah! All between 9-12 weeks old. Even numbers boys and girls. There are even two missing! Such fun. |
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| Proud mums! I love these women. They're all as happy and in love with their babies and motherhood as me. Since our third trimesters we've met at least once a week, and it's so wonderful to have this support and group of friends to enjoy such a glorious time all together! Happiness, especially baby happiness, is best shared. (Also, bless the UK for having 1 year maternity leave for everyone so we can take all this time to settle in with our babes :) |
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| And not to forget the sweet dads too :) |
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| Attempt at a family photo past Ben's 8pm bedtime ;) |
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| Tired babe on the bus ride home... fell asleep in just 10 steps in his sling :) |
