The Udder Life: Happy 1st birthday baby girl

Oh my God.....how can a year just slip by so quickly? Today has been one of great joy and a bit of saddness because today at 1.15pm, Bella turned 1yo. No longer a helpless baby, but a little person forging her way in this world. Bella seems to be more developed than either of the other two kids and we put it down to the fact that she simply wants to keep up with them (or escape them as it may be!).

at birth.. 7th June 2010

at 1yo...7th June 2011

As I was lying in the hospital this time last year, I told Mark that I wanted him to video the actual birth. I had to make this clear hours before the actual event, because I knew that when the time came, I would be in no position to be asking anything of anyone! This video is not for general viewing, but it is one of the most important documentations I possess of all of the 3 kids arrivals. It is for me to look at - albeit rarely - and remember the miracle that occurred on June 7th 2010. It is made even more special by the fact that, in all likelihood, Bella will be our last baby. It is so easy to forget the little details and I am glad that we were able to record it.

Bella has not had an easy time of her first 12 months. In fact, it all started well before she even arrived. Not being able to get pregnant, Mark and I returned to IVF much to my reluctance. We had already been down this (expensive and emotional) road a number of times in the past and I wasn't keen to do so again. However, with my chances of conceiving being quite low, it was our only course of action, I wasn't prepared for the fact that it would all fail again. With our prognosis looking grim, we decided to try again. In the meantime, we just had to wait for my body to get back to a rhythm and while doing this, I fell pregnant naturally. Of course I did!

Week 13 saw an emergency visit to the dr and the hospital with suspected ruptured membranes. A flying visit to Geelong showed that everything was ok and no indication of loosing the baby was obvious. Week 16 (ish) saw me in Melbourne facing an amniocentesis mainly due to my age (39). This was a true test for me and I have to say that I failed. I couldn't go through with it. In my heart of hearts, I knew that there was nothing wrong with the baby and that I was potentially risking a miscarriage to be told this. I was sent home a blubbering mess and spent the next week second guessing my decision. I did go through with it and had THE BEST sonographer/doctor performing the procedure. Everything was fine - no miscarriage and no genetic issues - and the rest of the pregnancy went on normally.

Bella's arrival was joyous, not just for Mark and myself, but also for the other kids. Tom was now of an age that he understood about babies, and Biddy was a doting 'mum-in-training'. They have taken to her like bodyguards and even today, can't leave her alone. She is spoilt by them!

About 3 months of age, I noticed that despite her birth weight being the same as Biddy's, she was falling behind in the growth charts. At one point she was almost 1kg below Biddy at the same age and my kids are not big kids. Alarm bells started to ring and this started a chain of events that subjected Bella to blood tests, urine tests, a barium meal, ultrasounds and being placed under a paediatrician. She was a spewy kid and whilst it was not projectile, it did empty her stomach. She was slipping in growth, development and potentially health. A combination of treatments including measured feeds, early solids and different lying/sitting positions helped and once she got up on her knees and started moving, everything fell into place. She is now firmly in the 25% percentile and is about the same weight as Biddy at the same age.

For the past few months, she has just gone off like a rocket. She has now cut 4 teeth (the last one just on Sunday) and is on the edge of standing by herself (she is up for seconds at a time now). It will not be long before I turn around and she is walking and talking. And then she won't be a baby anymore. I don't want to keep her the same forever, but I do wish that time would just slow down a bit. All my babies are growing way too fast for my liking and I feel like in our busy world, that sometimes I miss things.

But today, we celebrate Isabella Mary Simpson Billing's 1st birthday. We give thanks to Dr Nick Lolatgis who was there to assist the pregnancy to keep going, the midwives Dot, Laura and Pauline who bought her into this world, to Dr Peter Nice who looked after me and has looked after Bella during her first year (and beyond!), to Dr Chris Cooper who got her over the rough patch of weight issues, to Rosemary and Helene the maternal child nurses that have provided encouragement and advice and finally, to our parents who have been there to pick up the pieces and fill the gaps when the wheels fall off everything!

It has been a wonderful year watching you grow darling girl. From a helpless little bundle to a beautiful baby and now a darling (almost) toddler. We wish you all the very best for today, tomorrow and the rest of your life. Always know that you are very much loved and that you will always have family to surround you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA

xxxx