Connor Raymond Duncan...

Welcome to the world Connor!! We're so pleased to finally have met you, to have held you and to have smothered you with kisses. You are absolutely perfect and you have been blessed with the most wonderful parents ever. You are already a very loved little boy and we can't wait to spend some more time with you. Your big cousin, Jake is so excited to have another little boy in the family to play with, it's going to be so much fun watching you grow up!! Thank you for coming safely into our family.

Well, yesterday was an emotional day. Connor was delivered at 11:50 (not 12:10) and we were able to visit him at 3:00pm, when he was just over 3 hours old. Unfortunately, Jake's not allowed in the maternity wing of the hospital, so he's been quite disappointed at not being allowed to see his new cousin yet. On the up side though, Connor was in Jo's room, so we were able to get our first cuddles!! There will be a lot of visitors tonight, so I'm sure that Connor will be tucked up safely in the nursery for visiting hours today.

Paul was very emotional when he phoned to tell us of Connor's birth and he is such a proud dad - he's absolutely beaming. He made a video of Connor's first few hours of life, for his mom. My parents spent a bit of the morning with Mary and she was in very good spirits. They had a few moments of quiet time just before noon and were together when Paul phoned just after 12:00 to say that Connor was safely delivered. Mary's stoked and I'm so glad that she is here to share this with them. She's very weak and she's really not doing well, but she's here and that's what counts.

Joanne has been very brave (after seeing her last night, I have no doubt that natural is way easier) and she was very sore last night. Both her and Paul were pretty exhausted by the time visiting hour was up. While it's still very early days, Connor's feeding well and seems to be a very contented little thing. I can't wait for them to get out of hospital so that I can start babysitting, I just can't get enough of that tiny little body. Not to mention that I can't wait to see my baby holding theirs...

When Jake was born, not knowing what I was having or when he'd arrive, my mom had told friends that she'd tie either a blue or pink a ribbon around the lamppost outside our house when he/she arrived. The tradition has stuck and we have blue ribbons blowing outside our house! Jake was very excited about tying them on...

Look how little he is. It seems so hard to believe that Jake was ever that small. Actually he was nearly 700g smaller... This is Paul (on the left) with his brother, TJ, holding Connor and their cousin, Ann-Marie, who's here from San Fransisco to spend some time with Mary...An exhausted, but thrilled mommy. She can't stop marvelling over how beautiful and perfect Connor is. Aren't they all??Hee-ha! Aunty Sue!! It's the moment I've waited for 9 months for! Goodness, I am SO broody...My parents... He already takes after Jake. See that tongue he's pointing at the camera?? He's going to get so sick of me...Aunty Rose visiting...Jo getting a cuddle... The perfect ending to a very special day...

A bit more...

OK, Paul phoned my mom back, so I have a little more news. Connor weighed in at 3.7kgs and is 49cm long. He's got light brown to gingerish hair. Paul was very emotional on the phone and just kept saying that he's the most beautiful baby ever. Paul held Connor for Jo to see, but she hasn't been able to get a proper cuddle yet. I can't wait to see him and get some photos up here for you all. Thanks for sharing my morning with me!!

Sue xxx

He's here!!

YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!! Finally, my nephew has been born. This afternoon at 3pm, I will see him for the first time, I can't wait! Paul's just phoned my dad, to say that Connor's arrived safely and that Joanne's doing OK. He was in a huge rush though, so I have no details. He also said he was turning off (how dare he!) his phone, because he'll be kangaroo'ing Connor for a little while, whilst Jo's stitched back up. Well done guys!! I'm so proud right now!! More details to follow...

Oh My...

My stomach is turning and there is no way that I could possibly work properly today. I haven't heard a word yet, but since it's 11:30, Joanne is on her way into theater. I am so nervous for her, I can only begin to imagine what she's feeling as she's wheeled into theater. Every time I think about them, I want to cry. At the same time, I'm so excited I could just about burst!!! Spare a thought, the time has come...

I forgot...

While we were all saying our goodbyes to the parents-to-be this morning, a tiny feather drifted slowly down out of no where amongst us. We have very special angels keeping watch over us...

30-03-2009

Well, it's finally today! Our long count-down is over and I am just so excited, I CAN'T wait to meet my little nephew!! I want to cry every time I think about him and I'm feeling quite emotional this morning. It's quite funny to think of Connor still all snuggled up in Jo's tummy, with has no idea of what's about to happen to him! Poor little thing!! Jo and Paul stopped by our house on their way to the hospital this morning to pick up a video camera (so they can show Mary her grandson later). Paul is a bundle of nerves and Jo is looking forward to getting the baby out. She's obviously very nervous about the surgery (at 11:30), but I know that it will all go fine and in just over 3 hours time, they'll be holding their little boy in their arms!!

Jake is very excited too and I'm really sad that I can't take him into the hospital with me to meet Connor today. I am fetching him after school and he'll be spending the afternoon with his other cousins, so he's looking forward to that anyway.

So, that's it for now. We had a great weekend, worked lots in the garden and caught up on a little much needed R & R. Think of us today and I promise to let you know as soon as I have any more news. YAYAY XXX

Ready and waiting...

Baby Connor will be delivered at Panorama Hospital (YAY - so close!!) next Monday at 11:30 via C-section. There are no words to describe how I am feeling at the moment. I am ecstatic that the time has finally arrived for him to make his grand appearance. I can't wait to meet him and I am continually wondering who he'll look like and how it will feel to hold him in my arms. I can't wait to take the first few photos and to share them with everyone. I know that when I see Paul holding Connor up to the window for us all to see him (if he's not in the room with Jo - they seem to be insisting on that these days), I'll have tears running down my cheeks. Just the thought of it, makes my eyes well up.

For Jo and Paul, I know that this is going to be such a wonderful, life-changing experience for them as a couple. Becoming a parent is such a huge thing. It's a lifelong commitment of unfaultering love. I am nervous for Joanne, as I am sure she is and I will be sitting on tenter hooks on Monday morning as I wait to hear that both she and Connor are OK. For Paul, I can only imagine what it will be like, to be on the periphery, waiting and giving his love and support. It's a very tough time in his life and I am sure that it will be a very emotional day for everyone.

To Paul & Jo, I wish you both every single ounce of love and encouragement and strength that I can muster up. Enjoy every, single moment of your last few precious days together before your beautiful little boy joins you together and makes you a family. I can't wait to meet him. We love you both lots and lots XXX

Well, that's all. I'll leave you with some pictures of the nursery as promised. Jo, sorry about the tummy photos (she's going to kill me), but you look stunning and I'm not putting any of the very personal ones up!

Toys waiting to be loved...

Mommy to be looking gorgeous as ever...

The waiting crib in Paul & Joanne's room...

At the cot in Connor's room...

A very excited daddy-to-be...

This sheep has a little heartbeat to keep Connor company when he moves from the crib in Paul & Joanne's room into his own room...

Blue for a very loved little boy...

The artworks. Boy poems - Simple Simon and Little Boy Blue... The room - pretty, isn't it??The wardrobes and drawers are stacked with beautiful, clean new baby clothes too... This is probably the one Jo will moan about. But, seriously, can you beleive that there's a whole little baby (my nephew!!) tucked up in there? OK, maybe she'll kill me over this one. Still, Paul's not that much skinnier then her at the moment. What a teeny tiny bump...

To everyone else, I'm sorry I've been so quiet this week. Life has been mad and I've been playing catch up at work since our accountant's been in. I will read everyone's blogs ASAP to catch up on your news.

Enjoy the weekend, next time I'm here, I'll have more baby news...

Love me XXX

PS. Guess who I saw over the weekend?? Sandi arrived in Cape Town on Friday morning and left early on Tuesday. She sent her love to everyone and apologies that she never got to see you all. Her time was just too short and she needed to spend most of it with her family...

7 Sleeps...

...Till my beautiful nephew makes his grand appearance, unless Jo goes into early labour, in which case, you'll be the first to know (I promise I'll log on in the middle of the night).

Jake & I spent quite a bit of time with Jo & Paul on Saturday afternoon. Jo wanted me to take some photos of her tummy before it shrinks back to it's original tiny size. Paul was around, so I got a couple of shots with him in too. I think they're nice and I hope Jo will be happy. Unfortunately, she made me PROMISE that I wouldn't post them on my blog (just 1 Jo, please??). I have some of the nursery too, so I'll post them ASAP. Jo's really looking great though and she's done so well throughout her pregnancy. I just know she's going to be a wonderful mommy and Connor's a very lucky boy to be blessed with such wonderful parents!! Paul is already besotted and he's like a kid at Christmas time - he just can't wait any more! Jake's still counting the sleeps and, while I feel a little sad that he won't be able to visit Jo in hospital, I know that he's going to be a great big cousin and it won't be long before I can take photos of the two of them! I just can't wait any more!! I felt Connor wriggling yesterday and I'm getting more and more desperate for a cuddle.

On a downer, Jo's mother-in-law, Mary, is really not doing too well at the moment. The doctor saw her last week and it doesn't sound like she's going to make it until April. Since the baby is due at the end of March, it's a huge stress for Joanne and Paul and we all hope and pray that Mary will be able to hold Connor in her arms. She's such a lovely lady, life is so cruel. Please keep them all in your thoughts, this is a really tough road they are walking.

Lots of love,
Sue xxx

A creature of habit...

The weather here has been really hot the last two weeks, not including the last 2 days, which have already put me off winter. I am a summer girl and I love blue skies! Not to mention that our maximum temperature is only going to be 20 deg C later today - I seriously considered wearing a scarf to work and have 2 Jerseys on. In the last couple of weeks, our morning temperatures have been higher then they're going to be today! In my mind, the only good thing about winter starting is that it means summer's on it's way again.

HOWEVER, with the high temperatures, Jake and I haven't spent as much time outdoors as we do when the weather's a bit cooler. Something Jake's really missed are our trips to the field across the road from our house. He hasn't been out riding his bike in the longest time and I was convinced that he'd have forgotten how when we went out on Thursday afternoon for a little pedal. To my delight, he hadn't forgotten and I didn't need to run next to him to save him from falling (or I might have died).

I always find it funny to see how Jake remembers (and enjoys) his old routines. As a toddler, my mom used to take him out to the field to play during the day. Because it's so close to home, they could go for 5 minutes, just to break the day. Since he's been riding his bike, he incorporates their 'field' routine into his riding one. So, he grabs his bike, pushes it out the gate, along the pavement and waits on our neighbour's drive way for me to help him get on it. When it's 110% safe for him to go, he cycles across the road and into the safe, quiet little crescent. I wander along to Jake's favourite climbing tree on the field and sit and watch him. His first stop is to check out the sour figs growing on the first corner in the crescent. He doesn't like the taste of them, but there's something about finding a ripe one that he loves.

After a couple of laps up and down, he plops his bike on the pavement and climbs the tree, always jumping down from one of the branches.

From there, he walks across the field to hunt for little acorn-thingy caps, that he puts on his fingers and sings 2 little dickey birds (who comes up with these songs anyway?). Next, he's off to look for birds eggs that have been blown out of their nests.

Then it's back to his bike and after another lap or two, he's stops at his friend, Matthew's house, to have a look at their Koi fish.

Another couple of laps and he's ready to go home. It usually only takes us about 15 minutes, but he feels like he's been on such an adventure by the time he gets home...

Phew, keeping up with a little boy is hard work!! And I think I'm going to need to invest in a bicycle of my own soon!! XXX