From Now Till I Do

Love is…

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:52:00 +0000

To my husband who has taught me a LOT about what love really is…

thank you for being part of my life and that I am part of yours

thank you for taking your role as a husband (and father) very seriously

thank you for accepting me for me, but for encouraging me to always be better

thank you for your constant support and unconditional love

Love Always,

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Source

Waiting on God

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Today is a wonderful guest post from Aloted on waiting on God. Aloted is a good friend of mine both online and off and I love her pointers below. One of my favourite songs reflects upon the verse she quotes at the end, so I have included it too.

Hope you enjoy the post.

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Some time ago, I was in the midst of a group of ladies and the conversation steered towards waiting and how hard it is to wait for anything.

Someone now asked the question- “which is easier- to wait on God for a husband or a baby?” A single lady in the group quickly shouted “Oh it is definitely harder to wait for a husband than a baby; at least a married woman has one out of the two- a husband, while singles have neither”. One married woman shook her head and said “hmm I think it is harder waiting for a baby, at least there are plenty single men around and you can easily pick one to marry, but when you don’t have a baby everyone especially your in-laws start staring at you wondering why you don’t have a child”. Another single person chipped in- “well you can adopt a baby not a husband or do IVF”. The argument kept going back at forth with everyone trying to defend their corner as they deemed fit. I sat there listening, not contributing, considering I have a husband and a daughter and didn’t think my opinion mattered anyway.

Later on, I went over the full conversation in my head and I realised the ladies who were waiting for either a life partner or a baby defended their argument based on their need. It was very hard for the single girl to see why a married woman should be lamenting “at least she has someone to warm her bed at night”. The married women felt single girls can be choosy that’s why they are still single.

It then occurred to me that no matter what you are waiting for, it could be very hard especially when there is no end in sight. I don’t think another need is superior that the other but I do know it can be a challenge waiting for that need to materialize. It could be as “simple” as waiting in line in a queue, waiting for the bus, waiting for that job, waiting for that breakthrough, waiting for Mr Right or a baby as in the cases above. Whatever the circumstance, it is worth knowing what to do while you are waiting.

Some tips on waiting on God:

1. Focus on God’s promises for you. He says to you- he is working everything out for your good (Romans 8:28), he has a great plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11), though it tarries, it will surely come! (Habakkuk 2:3), cast all your cares on him (1 Peter 5:7)

2. Joyce Meyers said “Enjoy where you are on the way to where you are going.” She also said “Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” Waiting isn’t easy but you can choose to have a positive attitude while waiting. Since you already believe God at his word (e.g. 1 above) you might as well wait joyfully and expectantly because in the end it will come to you.

3. Be a source of blessing to others around you. I can assure you, you are not the only one waiting for something. Look around you. You can be the answer to someone else’s prayer. By helping others around you, your problems don’t seem so big anymore and you actually feel better.

4. Live in the present- worrying about the future robs you of the present. Worrying would not change your situation so enjoy your life and appreciate God’s goodness in your life. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Focus on what you have and not on what you don’t have.

5. Develop yourself while waiting. Read books, meet people, develop your talent so that you are ready when that job comes, when that husband comes, when that baby comes, what that breakthrough comes.

6. Sometimes God says no to that need. As hard as that may be, trust in Him- in the master plan he has for your life, and keep living.

I pray God meets you at the point of your need, and that your waiting will not be in vain. I end with this scripture in the Bible.

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Thank you Aloted!

You can read more of her musings over at Purposed Driven Blog and From the Heart of Soul Sistas

Image {via}

Miss Siobi

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:34:00 +0000

Many have asked what does Siobi mean?

Siobi : pronounced See-oh-bee

It is short for Chidintukwasiobi which is ‘God is Faithful’ in Igbo.

When choosing her name we decided to work backwards. We knew what we wanted her name to mean and between an Igbo bible and Google, her name was formed.

God’s faithfulness is a theme tune that runs through our family. We see it day in day out and continue to be in awe of what God does for us.

Now obviously Chidintukwasiobi is a lot for a child to spell so she’ll be known as Siobi.

Motherhood is treating me well. Physically I am feeling a lot better than I did in the first week and it’s amazing how quickly you learn to know your child. I can change a nappy super fast and have learnt to do many everyday tasks one handed! Emotionally every time I look at her I can’t quite believe she is the same baby I carried for nine months. She has her own little personality and really only ever cries when she is tired or hungry. The love I have for her is so deep and I want to do everything in my power to protect and nurture her.

Labour seems like a distant memory and life has become a whirlwind of hugs, kisses, feeds and nappy changes.

Motherhood – I heart it.

Birth story coming soon…

Then Comes Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:42:00 +0000

So it’s been a week since Siobi entered our lives and what a week it has been. Thank you for all your comments and emails of love and congrats. We were really touched.

As each day passes we are becoming more confident and comfortable in our abilities to take care of her. She has been feeding well and growing well (she put weight on at her recent midwife visit) and is such a peaceful little girl.

Having a third person around has been invaluable. I really don’t know how we would have coped this past week without my MIL being around. She has been a real blessing. My first meal home from hospital was pepper soup…yummy!

This past weekend we had family visiting and it was so amazing to see how much joy one little baby can bring. My siblings are all thrilled to be uncles and aunties for the first time and for my parents this is their first grandchild, so it is a huge milestone for them. Nevertheless even as grandchild number 4, Afam’s parents are over the moon too.

Labour was intense and completely different to how I planned or imagined, but the outcome was still the same and we were blessed with a beautiful daughter. I am slowly getting into a routine and hope to post about my labour experience and life as a momma very soon. In the meantime you will see a couple of guest posts thrown in here and there to keep the blog ticking over. And for those of you awaiting pictures… here is something to tide you over (Yes I am such a tease)!

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Today I have my lovely friend Modupe from Hepzibah Bride writing about having children and timing.

At our traditional engagement and wedding ceremony, our non-Nigerian friends were highly amused at the prayers and blessings pronounced over us that went something like 'Oh Lord, this time next year, bless them with the fruit of the womb!' Cue a resounding "AMEN!" Talk about pressure! And I am certain that there were auntie's that were sneaking looks at my middle in the months following to see if any growth was apparent.

Contrast that with the prayer of the vicar at a friends wedding - "Lord if they wish to have children..." Cue the the once closed eyes tight in fervent agreement flying open with shock and a stifled "ah ah, wetin' be the problem of this father, of course they want to have children now! God forbid bad thing that they won't have children!" Actually, my friends were in their forties and so the vicar's prayer put very little pressure on them.

So, to wait or not to wait - that is the question. For some, the choice is not actually theirs, because for some reason best known to Him, the Lord may decide to withhold the gift of a child for some time. But otherwise the decision on whether or not a couple have a honeymoon baby can depend on factors such as:

Adjusting period - getting married is a big deal and there's a lot of teething that goes on in the first year of marriage. You might decide that it's best to settle down as a married couple first before bringing children into the mix.

Age - if you're a relatively young couple, you may want to wait a while before starting a family so that you can do things like travelling together before kids come along, and then be older and wiser for the parenting season of your lives. On the other hand, you might think that it's best to have children early so that you can be energetic enough to take care of them, be young enough to be able to relate to them better when they reach adolescence, and then still be young(ish) when the children have flown the nest.

If you're an older couple, you might think that time is against them and so may want to have children straight away.

Views on contraception - if you'd rather not use contraception until you've had your first child, or you don't believe contraception is right for you at all, then all things being equal, a baby will follow very shortly after your marriage. A lot of girls that I know, come out with grand plans of waiting for a certain number of years, without thinking practically about how they are going to achieve that. I mean, if you're not keen on hormonal contraception and using barrier contraception on your honeymoon doesn't tickle your fancy, if your wedding takes place during your peak conception period, sorry love, your mama's going to be a grandma sooner than you think! (a few young girls are bumped back down to reality when I break it down to them like that!)

Circumstance - in an ideal world, when you get married, you should be financially sound, but things happen, and perhaps financially having a baby straight after marriage isn't a good a idea. The same applies if you still need to settle down accommodation/location wise as a couple. Of course adverse conditions don't mean you should put having a family on hold - the Lord is faithful and will work things out - look at Mary and Joseph...

Children are a blessing from the Lord (Psalm 127:3-5), but no one should feel under pressure about having children. As long as you PRAY and AGREE as a couple and ultimately hand your desires and plans over to the capable hands of God (Proverbs 3:5-7; Psalm 37:4), whenever you have children is perfect. There's no right or wrong.

I know you must be itching to find out...we had a honeymoon baby, which we were totally prepared for :-)

I am a mummy!

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

With joy in our hearts and immense thanks to God we are pleased to welcome into the world our beautiful daughter Siobi.

Born yesterday at 9:07pm, she weighed 7lb 5oz.

Thank you for your prayers, love and support.

It is totally amazing and overwhelming at the same time. Details and pics to follow.

All three of us are doing good.

Total thanks to God!

The Middle Wife

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

This was sent to me today and I thought it would be fun to share.

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself,but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me.. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands mimicking water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.

They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another ' Middle Wife' comes along.

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Here is my latest pregnancy vlog (hopefully the last one before baby comes!)

Happy Friday Everyone!

Solving the puzzle

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:33:00 +0000

Back when I was seven or eight, I remember entering this competition at school. We were split into teams, where I was a team leader and we had to work together in groups to solve these puzzles in the fastest time.

The clock started I remember attempting to do all the puzzles myself. My other team mates were around me, but I recall not allowing them to do anything and wanting to do the whole thing myself.

Consequently our team lost the competition and my parents pulled me to one side afterwards to explain a few life lessons; namely around teamwork and delegation. They told me that we were in teams for a purpose and that if I had shared the tasks out and included everyone in the team, we would have had a more successful result. Equally as team leader it was my job delegate and not do everything myself. Completing the puzzle in itself was not wrong, but I was not effective on my own.

That lesson has stuck with me to this day.

Earlier this week I was studying my bible and came across the the story of Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18.

Jethro was visiting his son-in-law Moses and observed a few things. Day and night Moses would sit in a certain place and the Israelite people would present their cases to him for him to solve. This was obviously time consuming and was beginning to take its toll on Moses. Jethro noticed this and asked…

" Why are you the only judge? Why do you let these people crowd around you from morning till evening?"

¹⁵Moses answered, " Because they come here to find out what God wants them to do. ¹⁶They bring their complaints to me, and I make decisions on the basis of God's laws."

¹⁷Jethro replied: That isn't the best way to do it. ¹⁸You and the people who come to you will soon be worn out. The job is too much for one person; you can't do it alone. ¹⁹God will help you if you follow my advice. You should be the one to speak to God for the people, ²⁰and you should teach them God's laws and show them what they must do to live right.

²¹You will need to appoint some competent leaders who respect God and are trustworthy and honest. Then put them over groups of ten, fifty, a hundred, and a thousand. ²²These judges can handle the ordinary cases and bring the more difficult ones to you. Having them to share the load will make your work easier. ²³This is the way God wants it done. You won't be under nearly as much stress, and everyone else will return home feeling satisfied.

²⁴Moses followed Jethro's advice

What I like about this dialogue is that Jethro identified the problem, provided counsel to Moses and Moses listened and took his advice. Call it the first lesson in the art of delegation.

Being able to delegate is the sign of a good leader but also a wise person. Sometimes we may not see the need to delegate, but those around us who we respect will identify this and tell us.

The ability to trust others to complete the task in hand so that you can focus on the bigger picture is so important in being successful both in your personal and working life. Some people get this, some people don’t.

Delegation also requires humility. Moses could have got angry with Jethro’s suggestion, telling him that he was fine to continue as he is, but he put aside his pride and listened. He was able to let go and release authority to others, while still remaining in control and it didn’t make him any less of a leader. In fact it improved the situation no end.

I suspect that these first few weeks (even months) of motherhood will definitely require me to put aside my pride and allow others to help me. It will require me to listen to those around me who I trust when they tell me to slow down/take a break/not be too hard on myself (*delete as appropriate). It doesn’t mean I can’t do the task in hand but rather it makes sense to allow others to do it or take a step back.

Letting go and delegating…so important.

Image {via}

Baby E…the story so far

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:29:00 +0000

So it’s fair to say that I am getting a bit bored waiting around. Everyone is like enjoy this time…

Not feeling any signs so just getting on with house stuff and daily walks with mum. I suppose it’s nice not to have the ‘pressure’ of doing things, but it’s still that unknown of ‘when will it happen’.

I’m properly in nesting mode, having cleaned out my kitchen today and rearranged everything! I’m also going to attempt to make some hummus this afternoon, after having a craving for it and not really feeling like trekking to the shop for it.

Friends and family have been so generous the past few days, dropping off baby clothes and equipment for us. I’ve also sorted out my labour playlist for my ipod; a list of my favourite worship songs to listen to in hospital.

So anyways here’s the latest info…

How Far Along? 39 weeks and 5 days
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Dare I look at the scales anymore.
Maternity Clothes? Yes. Live in my mothercare leggings – love them so much.
Stretch Marks? Moving on.
Sleep: Doing okay on this front. Although all my dreams are no longer weird vivid things but are all about labour.
Best Moment of the Week? Antenatal appointment and finding out baby is engaged.
Miss Anything? Bending down. Lying on my back.
Movement: Yes but baby E is getting pretty cramped in there for sure. Also she is now back to back, rather than front to back, so I getting lots of random body parts poking at my belly.
Food Cravings: Cheese, sardine and jam. All on the same sandwich. Also these bad boys:

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Nope fortunately.
Gender Prediction: Still a girl.
Labour Signs: Not really sure. Baby is engaged and have felt mild cramps but nothing more.
Belly Button In or Out: Was an innie, now it’s just flat.
Wedding Rings On or Off: Have been fortunate, have not had to remove them yet.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? Depends. Generally happy but have moments of frustration!!!
Looking Forward To: HAVING THIS BABY.

I can see the finish line!

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:12:00 +0000

Woohoo – hello week 39!

Not feeling any labour signs as of yet, at least I don’t think I am.

Below is my latest pregnancy vlog for weeks 37+38.

Can’t believe I’ve been recording these videos for the past 30 weeks. It was a completely new thing for me, one I had to step outside my comfort zone to do, but I’m happy that I’ve managed to continue making them to the finish line.

Some weeks have been harder than others, but it will be nice to have a record of my first pregnancy and see how I changed over the months. Also if baby girl ever wants to see details of her journey to the world, she can watch!

Just for laughs, look at the difference between my latest vlog…

and my very first at just a mere 7 weeks!

p.s. I’m thinking of doing a pregnancy q+a video, so if you have questions you would like answered, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to compile a video with answers.

The day I took a tumble

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

So yesterday I fell over.

I can’t even explain how it happened but I tripped and fell face/belly down into an empty Tube carriage. I wasn’t even in a rush or anything, but somehow I managed to catch my foot climbing into the carriage and fell.

I remember laying there. I remember pain. I remember crying.

I also remember this lovely old lady coming to help me and then her getting off the next available station to call my husband so that he could take me to A&E. #lackofphonesignalonthetubesucks

Thank God – baby is fine. I am just a little bruised up but will also be fine.

The devil is a liar.

I however will not be taking any more chances and have taken this as my cue to chill at home. No more unnecessary outings for me.

This journey is almost over (39 weeks tomorrow!) and what a great testimony of God’s love and faithfulness it has been.

In other news my MIL is here! Baby girl you can now make your appearance!

Peter Rabbit + the joy of reading

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:13:00 +0000

Alas! The first week of January is over! The snow never fell and the sun continues to shine on a daily basis. I love this unpredictable English winter! I think she knew my MIL was arriving soon and didn't want the adjustment from Nigerian temperatures to be too harsh!

So my favourite thing right now is my Kindle. I've had it a month or so and really love the flexibility it brings when it comes to reading. I've always been a bit of a bookworm and enjoy settling down with a good book. Before I discovered blogs I read a LOT of books to the point that when I was 11, I received an award at school for taking the most books out of the school library! I enjoyed nothing more than hanging out at the central library reading through the latest arrivals.

Fast forward to the generation of my 15 year old siblings and they often ask me, 'how did you do your homework without Google'. I laugh and respond by reminding them that there are places called libraries and books called encyclopaedias which took the place of the internet + Wikipedia back then (am I showing my age!). Either way I believe reading is an amazing and will always actively encourage it.

When I was a little girl my parents gave me with the Beatrix Potter story collection; the story of Peter Rabbit and his friends. I think there are 21 books in the full collection and they gave me the first 14. I loved reading those little books and cherished them. Recently I was tidying up and came across a bag where I stored childhood memorabilia and found all the books, still intact. Now that we're having children of our own, I plan to pass them down and hope they have the same enjoyment I had from them. Other favourite childhood authors of mine include Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and Judy Blume.

One of the things I love about the Kindle is being able to download samples of a book, so that you can read the first chapter or so and see if you like it. Right now on my Kindle I am reading Love & Marriage by Emerson Eggerichs. Last week I came across a book called 'Kingdom Parenting' by Myles Munroe. I downloaded the sample and really enjoyed it, so will look to purchase and read once I've finished Love + Respect.

What are you reading right now and what were your favourite childhood books?

First time experiences

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:56:00 +0000

I’m not going to lie to you, I am on watch.

Since reaching 37 weeks (38 tomorrow), every little ache, twitch or pain I feel now, I’m like ‘is this the start of labour’?

The thing about going through your first pregnancy is that you have no idea what to expect in any aspect. I am constantly texting my friends who have been through this before to get their advice and guidance because quite frankly I haven’t got a clue what is going to happen next or when. The whole aspect of the unknown is slightly scary. You just have no control. Whilst I know everyone’s experience is different, it’s nice to hear other people’s experiences. [Readers who have given birth – did you get any warning beforehand?]

Last week at our antenatal appointment, the midwife suspected that the baby was breech and wanted me to go for an urgent scan. At 37 weeks it the last thing you want to hear but off we went, praying that all would be well. Personally I wasn’t 100% convinced with her diagnosis given that all the kicks I had been feeling were at the top, but hey it is better to be safe, plus we get another opportunity to see our sweet little girl again. Thankfully the scan was fine and she was confirmed as cephalic (or ‘head down’ in layman’s language) and hubs and I could breath a sigh of relief.

Back to waiting.

As I get closer to our due date, the first question people always ask my husband is ‘has your wife gone into labour yet?’. Any time we call a family member, that is their first thought and we often have to spend the first 5-10 seconds reassuring them that nothing has happened yet and when it does they will be the first to know!

Physically I am feeling it. I have evenings when I just feel blah! When I just want my body back and the ability to turn in the night without it being an Olympic feat. I seriously have to psych myself up for those night turns. I know that once she is here, I will miss the self containment I have now, but it’s tough. The human body never ceases to amaze me. Now that I am no longer working my wardrobe consists of three items which are on constant rotation, due to the fact that they are the only comfortable items I own right now!

Hubby has been great throughout it all though. Reassuring me when I have my body image crisis meltdowns, giving me massages and foot rubs when I am tired, helping around the house, putting on my shoes lol! He has been a real trooper and I appreciate everything he is doing. I know he too is anxious to meet our little one, as this journey feels like it has been going on forever.

Second time round, I’m hoping the experience will be a whole lot more relaxing!

Looking into the new year

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:39:00 +0000

My husband doesn’t believe in New Year Resolutions. He believes if there is something you want to change about yourself, why wait until January 1st, just make the change there and then. In part I agree, but I do like the freshness a new year brings, an opportunity to start again and do things differently.

This year I take on a new role as a SAHM (stay at home mum), one that I am excited about. Within that it means managing the home, finances, meals, looking after our daughter etc. I have sort of being doing this anyway since we got married (minus the daughter part), but now I want to take it to the next level and become more organised with it.

For me 2012 is about being more disciplined and having consistency around what I do. Many times I start a project, do it for a couple of weeks and then move onto something else. This year I want to complete every project I start and for the things I am already doing, do them better.

Around the home, I want to become a better homemaker. I want to be more consistent in our menu and the food we eat. I am comfortable in our grocery buying routine and know what we use each month, but I don’t want to spend time worrying about what we’re going to eat today or tomorrow, but have it planned out. This will require me to spend time and work out a meal plan that works for our family and then stick to it. I also desire to learn new dishes as well. I have a sewing machine, which I rarely use but hope to see more of in 2012. We thank God for our home and I hope this year we can continue to open our doors to friends and family.

In terms of finances, I currently record every penny I spend. That took some time getting used to, but now it is a habit of mine. What it helps me do is reconcile all our expenditure and identify areas where we need to cut back or increase. This year, I want to establish our new budget for the year and stick to it, equally I want us to increase our savings for the future. We have other financials goals which we will look to work towards.

Parenthood is an interesting one. It is an unknown territory to me and I have no idea how it will turn out. What I do know is that it is our prayer to raise our daughter to firstly love God and have her own personal relationship with Him, secondly be a respectable member of society and thirdly be a virtuous woman. In order for her to know God and His love, as her mother I need to be able to display those virtues on a daily basis. All the things Christ calls us to be, I need to model in our home. I read somewhere that your children don’t listen to what you say, they watch what you do. So for me that is major. My lifestyle, behaviour, how I treat others including her father will all affect the way my daughter views the world.

Finally as a wife, I want to be able to support my husband more. Not only in areas where I think he needs help, but areas where he tells he needs the support. So often as wives we can do things to help our husbands with the best intentions but if it is not the thing your husband wants your help in, you can be wasting your time. I want to listen more and direct my time and energy to those areas which benefit my husband the most.

It’s a huge responsibility and I pray for God’s help in these areas.

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Out with the old…in with the new

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:58:00 +0000

If you ask me where 2011 went, I couldn’t possibly tell you. This year has just flown by.

2010 was a big year and I remember thinking back in January, ‘I had no idea how this year will pan out’.

What will happen, what will change, who will be in our lives, what will we achieve, but you know what, God has a way of working everything out and is always faithful.

I am thankful this year for my husband and the marriage that we have. It isn’t always easy but it’s encouraging to know that we are on the same page and want the same things for our marriage. We have worked hard this year to invest into our marriage as we want to build on our foundations so that when baby comes, whilst things will change, the foundation of who we are won’t.

In this second year of our marriage my love for him has grown and I have seen myself change and adapt to many new situations, become more accepting of things I cannot change.

Yes I still like to plan and make my endless lists, but ultimately I know that God is in control and He wants the best for us. God continues to bless our family in ways we couldn’t even imagine and we are truly thankful to have come through another year.

God has added to our family and in less than 3 weeks we will meet our dear little girl. I know I say it all the time, but I thank God for the strength He has given me throughout this pregnancy. From vlogs to posts, I have enjoyed sharing this pregnancy journey with you.

This year we also got more involved in our church family and have made some amazing friends. I can’t stress the importance of a good church home both for spiritual input and ongoing encouragement in your faith. They have been a great source of support for us this year and we appreciate and love them all.

To all my readers, new and old, thank you for supporting this blog during the past year. I appreciate all of your comments and emails as you follow me on this journey of life.

I pray that 2012 is a year of great things for you, full of answered prayers and fulfilled dreams.

Wishing you a blessed 2012.

Happy New Year!

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Term!

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:46:00 +0000

Dear Baby,

Congratulations on reaching 37 weeks today.

You are officially ‘full term’, although your due date is not for another 3 weeks.

Mummy is feeling slightly more uncomfortable but still loves every kick, jab and poke you give. I will so miss them when you’re on the outside.

Grandma is on her way and can’t wait to hold you. Daddy is so excited too.

We all eagerly await your arrival!

Lots of love, always.

Thoughts at 36 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:46:00 +0000

1. I must have been running on adrenaline the last couple of weeks. I honestly don't know where I found the energy to do things.

2. I foolishly thought finishing work would give me more time to do things, but I'm finding that I am tired all the time. My body is slowing down and even if I'm not actively doing anything, just the movements of the baby alone, exhaust me. It's a lot tougher to move about or even find a comfortable seating position and I can't stand for longer than 10/15 mins without feeling extreme backache. However it's not for much longer and it is good to know that she is still head down.

3. I spent last weekend washing all her clothes, blankets, bedding etc. Who knew that baby laundry would be so exciting and smell so good! Looking at all the items, as small as they are it's amazing to think that in a month or so, they will be worn and used. We've also sorted out the pram and car seat, so things are coming together nicely. I've picked up all the things needed for my hospital bag and will pack them all sometime this weekend.

4. Emotionally, while I am excited and looking forward to baby coming, I'm finding myself irritated by the smallest of things. If something is not right or in place, I get upset or angry. It's so frustrating and my poor husband is feeling the full brunt of it all. I'm assuming this is another pregnancy hormonal change, but I hope it goes away soon. I don't like being grumpy, especially at this time of year!

5. Getting out of the house is good. I spent the first part of the week away with hubs, which was good for a change of scenery and to get a bit of rest away from home. At home there is always something to be done, so being away helped me to relax and rest. It was also nice to order lots of room service and have someone else do the cooking for a change!

6. I enjoy finding baby bargains. This week we picked up the last few bits of baby things and I was able to price match a lot of things to get some good deals in store. #itsthelittlethings

7. Next Thursday she will be full term, which means she can arrive at any time. My thoughts: Please let us see the New Year!

8. My MIL has booked her flights and will be with us in 2.5 weeks. Can't wait for her to come. Yay for mothers and proper Naija food!

9. I have been listening to lots of Hillsong United lately. Loving the 'Tear Down the Walls' album. Hopefully baby will have heard the tracks enough times, that when I play it for her on the outside, she will recognise them :)

10. I am SO glad I beat the crowds and ordered all my groceries online (unlike last year). If you have never been to a supermarket in the run up to Christmas, you won't appreciate how amazing this is!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve so from our family to yours - wishing you a wonderful Christmas!

35 and 35

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:01:00 +0000

Today marks 35 weeks of pregnancy with 35 days to go…a pretty cool pregnancy milestone don’t you think!

I finished work yesterday and was surprised about how emotional I felt about it.

I got into the office and my team had decorated my desk with ‘congratulations’ signs and confetti. I also had an ‘it’s a girl’ balloon hanging from my chair (which is just cut out of the picture). I work in an open plan office so if there was any doubt I was having a baby, there was no denying it now!

We had lunch planned at a local restaurant, however when we arrived they had already decided to give our table away as we arrived late. Slight bummer, but we ended up doing lunch in our work restaurant. To be honest, it was more about the people than the location, so it was still good.

I am so ready to leave, there is no doubting that, my body reminds me every morning, but actually saying goodbye to people, made it all very real and sad. It’s definitely the end of an era.

I know I’m going to do something far more important but let’s just say I was grateful for the coffee handover I had with a colleague which gave me the opportunity to leave the building before the tears started.

To all my colleagues, thank you for all the well wishes and gifts and special thanks for making my last day fun and memorable.

Time to put my feet up…

You carry it well

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:52:00 +0000

That seems to be the most used phrase people say to me these days. I don’t know whether that is good or bad. At 34 weeks pregnant, I’m feeling bigger every day but I guess in comparison to others (which I know I shouldn’t do) I must still look small? Dunno, I blame it on my tall frame. The midwife measured me today and I’m still on track so that is all that matters.

This week sees me finish work (yay) and I have a team lunch planned which will be a nice end to the year. I’m thinking it’s also time to start getting ready for the Christmas and get out the tree and start decorating the place. I thinking this Christmas will be a quiet one, which I am totally up for. No fuss, just church in the morning, then a nice dinner in the afternoon, simple but perfect.

We’ve also started getting the final bits for baby. We’ve split our shopping into bitesize chunks, having done the first trip last week and the next one this weekend. Shopping in stores is not for, especially with Christmas crowds, but can I just say how much I love baby shopping! There is so much cute stuff out there and for girls especially it so adorable, I am having to control my urges to snap up everything in sight.

It’s funny how depending on your phase of life, you visit different aisles when you go to shops. Never before have I ventured into the baby section of stores, but now it’s the first places I visit.

The baby’s room is taking shape and next week I will begin washing everything. One of my mummy friends was like I didn’t need to, but it seems to be the general consensus to wash everything in non-bio soap powder before using on baby, so I will get that done.

It amazing to think that in 5 short weeks or so, she will here. Can’t wait to meet her!

Catch up with the latest pregnancy vlogs below.

Lists

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Right now my life revolves around lists.

To do lists

To buy lists

People to call lists

Things to finish before I leave work lists

The list goes on.

I have recently found that if I don’t write something down I forget it. If an event is not in my diary it doesn’t exist.

Even when I am talking I often just lose my train of thought mid sentence. So strange and so not like me at all.

Apparently this is very common in pregnancy.

I'm wondering how soon after pregnancy things will return back to ‘normal’.

Showers of love

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:56:00 +0000

Saturday was my baby shower hosted by my wonderful friend, Mrs G.

It was a lovely day and I got to see friends and family I hadn’t seen in a while.

We played games, ate great food, shared lots of advice and prayed over the little one.

There was lots of love in the room!

Baby E is so blessed already. I am so grateful for my community.

Mrs G, me, my sis and Mrs O

Best bits of advice (I can remember!)

- don’t forget your husband and be sure to get him involved. Try and have time out for the two of you – which God willing we should be able to do as my MIL will be on hand to help

- don’t compare your baby to others, your child is unique

- it is not my responsibility to raise this child, in as much as God will help and provide us with all the tools needed to raise her as we should. Children are gift from God and we are merely caretakers.

- God gives you grace for every season

- don’t be a superwoman – yes the house is dirty, nobody will die – no mummy guilt!

- babies are more resilient than you think!

- use the community around you – many people will offer up their help – don’t be afraid to use it

A big thank you to all who came, we appreciate you!

* I am behind on my vlogs – life has been busy, but I promise to do an update this week!

Like to shop! Love to swap!

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:13:00 +0000

My dear friends Aloted and Ronke from FabXchange has launched an online swap shop, where you can post items you would like to swap such as clothes, bags, shoes, fashion accessories and books.

If you’ve ever been to a clothes swap party, it’s very similar but with FabXchange it can all be done from the comfort of your own home. If you have any item you would like to swap, you just list it in the forums (like ebay) and then see if anyone would like to swap it for something of theirs.

The site is open to UK and US users (more countries will be added on request) and is a good way to get your hands on items that may not be readily available in the UK and vice versa by swapping with someone overseas if you choose to. Equally you can find a new home for items you have but have never used.

Apart from sending the item to its new home the whole service is completely free! You can also request for items from other fashionistas and hopefully someone would have it!

So check out FabXchange today and get swapping!

Have a wonderful weekend – I will be back Monday with a baby shower recap!

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If I Should Have A Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:03:00 +0000

I came across this wonderful poem the other day written by American poet Sarah Kay.

Words for those of you who can’t watch the video:

If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she's gonna call me Point B, because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me.

And I'm going to paint solar systems on the backs of her hands, so she has to learn the entire universe before she can say, "Oh, I know that like the back of my hand."

And she's going to learn that this life will hit you hard in the face, wait for you to get back up just so it can kick you in the stomach.

But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

There is hurt here that cannot be fixed by Band-Aids or poetry.

So the first time she realizes that Wonder Woman isn't coming, I'll make sure she knows she doesn't have to wear the cape all by herself.

Because no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal.

Believe me, I've tried. "And, baby," I'll tell her, don't keep your nose up in the air like that. I know that trick; I've done it a million times. You're just smelling for smoke so you can follow the trail back to a burning house, so you can find the boy who lost everything in the fire to see if you can save him. Or else find the boy who lit the fire in the first place, to see if you can change him."

But I know she will anyway, so instead I'll always keep an extra supply of chocolate and rain boots nearby, because there is no heartbreak that chocolate can't fix.

Okay, there's a few heartbreaks that chocolate can't fix.

But that's what the rain boots are for.

Because rain will wash away everything, if you let it.

I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass-bottom boat, to look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind, because that's the way my mom taught me.

That there'll be days like this.

♫ There'll be days like this, my momma said. ♫

When you open your hands to catch and wind up with only blisters and bruises; when you step out of the phone booth and try to fly and the very people you want to save are the ones standing on your cape; when your boots will fill with rain, and you'll be up to your knees in disappointment.

And those are the very days you have all the more reason to say thank you.

Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's swept away.

You will put the wind in winsome, lose some.

You will put the star in starting over, and over.

And no matter how many land mines erupt in a minute, be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life.

And yes, on a scale from one to over-trusting, I am pretty damn naive.

But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar.

It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.

"Baby," I'll tell her, "remember, your mama is a worrier, and your papa is a warrior, and you are the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more."

Remember that good things come in threes and so do bad things.

And always apologize when you've done something wrong.

But don't you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining.

Your voice is small, but don't ever stop singing.

And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother.

You can buy a book of this poem, B by Sarah Kay from Amazon, which would make a great Christmas gift for your sister, mother, friend or daughter.

Happy Wednesday!

Not long now

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:55:00 +0000

13 days. That's how many working days I have left before I finish up at work.

Time has gone so quickly and it's hard to believe that very soon work will no longer be on the brain.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy work and the people I work with but I am relishing the next twelve months where I will get to use my mind for other things and focus my attentions on new interests and goals.

You know all those things you wished you had the time to pursue? Well it's those things I hope I can get an opportunity to embrace.

My MIL is also going to be around for two months and because she does not live here in the UK, I am looking forward to spending quality time building our mother/daughter relationship.

Mainly this next year will be about becoming a mother and all that it entails. Living the life of a SAHM.

It will be an adjustment but one I am ready for. It's time.

Parentcraft Class

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:01:00 +0000

(Not my antenatal class)

On Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to attend our day of Parentcraft classes. For those outside the UK these are the antenatal classes provided to you by your hospital in the run up to your birth. They’re free and can either be attended over several evenings or in one large block. We decided that we would prefer to do a whole day session and we would also be able to get a tour of the delivery suite/rooms as well.

Having spoken to a couple of my mummy friends, we had a bit of an idea what to expect, although there were things I thought would happened which didn’t.

There were around 20 couples, all of whom were due within the next two months and the class was led by a lovely midwife. A mother of six herself, I really enjoyed her teaching style. She made the class very interesting and humorous, interjecting theory with real life examples.

The topics she covered were:

* stages of labour (got to watch a video along with it)

* what to bring to the hospital (the NHS doesn’t give you ANYTHING these days!)

* putting together a birth plan

* forms of pain relief

* hospital policy – dos & don’ts

* different types of births including induction & caesarean plus after effects

What she didn’t cover:

* breathing techniques

* breastfeeding

For me I found the session really useful because we were able to ask questions specific to ourselves and the hospital. Being an experienced midwife she didn’t pull any punches and was really practical and honest about what happens, which I appreciated.

We talked through all the different forms of pain relief and it confirmed my original thoughts around keeping labour as natural as possible. The plan for me is to use gas and air and not have an epidural.

At the hospital you have two options where to have your baby, the Delivery Suite or the Midwife Led Unit (MLU). I have opted for the MLU. The MLU is like having your baby in the comfort of your home but with the safety of a hospital environment and is less evasive.

Women for whom it is suitable will give birth in a low tech, midwife-led area, often requiring less pain relief, the unit specialises in normal (natural) childbirth in a relaxed and restful environment and caters for water births, breastfeeding and traditional methods of child birth/care.

As the class didn’t cover breastfeeding I have a separate session on this with a local breastfeeding specialist.

How many of you put together a birth plan – was it helpful when you went into labour?

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Just wanna say…

noreply@blogger.com (Chichi) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Whilst everyday I am thankful to God for all that he does, I will use this opportunity to acknowledge all He has done in my life and the life of my family this past year.

For our little bun in the oven to our new home.

For good health to good jobs.

For our friends and family to our church family.

For my marriage and wonderful husband.

For provision and guidance every step of the way.

Lord I say thank you.

And to my blog readers, thank you for following me on this journey!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:31

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