A few weeks before we came home from NICU, the nurses let us take Samuel out in the NICU pram for a walk. We didn’t go very far as we were quite nervous but we felt very proud pushing our beautiful baby around the neighbourhood. It was the first time we’d been properly alone with Samuel and it was wonderful.
The NICU 'chav pram' (apologies to any Burberry fans). His little friend is Grannie Bear (named after Grannie who knitted her).
Samuel's cardigan and bobble hat were knitted by Grannie.
Lately I’ve noticed that quite a few people have apologised to me for things they’ve said about their children.
For example just the other day my friend who has a son with cerebral palsy apologised to me for ‘going on’ in her words about her worries for him when she realises that her son is in a better situation than Samuel. I adore her son. I adore both her children. I love hearing about them and do also worry about him and hope that her boy will thrive and overcome his obstacles.
Also recently a friend apologised for grumbling about her children who were being a pair of pickles. She was worried that it upset me because of course Sam cannot be naughty, which is one of the many things we will miss out on unfortunately. I do actually love hearing about her boys who sound like a pair of characters and hearing about their naughtiness does make me smile!
But it is all relative. What about when I moan about Sam’s horrendous nappies? The headache of teething? When I’ve had a bad night sleep because I’ve had to be up all night with him? When he’s pooed in the bath and I just don’t know what to do?
I have a lovely friend who lost her precious boy in the 38th week of her pregnancy. She never got to hold her baby, cuddle him and bring him home, do his nappies, put him in the pram and take him out and about and show him off. I get to do that. I get to do mummy things. It’s about enjoying every little moment and realising and appreciating what you’ve got and giving it a jolly good squeeze.
We are so incredibly lucky.
Tricky Customer 