Everyone was looking forward to you coming, but no-one anticipated your arrival more than your big sister, Lizzie.
She was the first person that I told about my pregnancy, following my first scan. We hadn't wanted to tell anyone about the baby until we had the scan and knew that you were growing safely inside me. So Auntie Heather looked after Lizzie whilst we were at the hospital, thinking we were going Christmas shopping - unknowing that we would come home with such exciting news!
We got back to Auntie Heather's house and I sat Lizzie down and said we had something to tell her. I said that the doctor had looked in Mummy's tummy and found a baby growing in there! Her eyes widened in surprise and she threw her arms round me and gave me a big hug. I showed her your scan picture. She was going to be your big sister!
She was convinced from the start that you would be a baby girl. She desperately wanted a little sister! We tried to warn her, prepare her, that you might be a boy - that we'd have to wait and see - but she insisted all along that you would turn out to be a little girl.
Over the next six months her excitement grew and she delighted in my changing body and my blossoming bump as you grew inside me.
She loved to lie on the bed beside me and listen to you through my belly. She insisted she could hear you breathing! She loved to feel your movements; she felt you kick long before Dad was sure he could feel those first tiny flutters of you. She loved to watch you kicking and getting stronger. She laughed when you had hiccups. You often reacted to her voice as she talked to you, sang to you - Lizzie loved to feel you wriggling around in response to the things she said and her touch through my skin.
One day Lizzie accompanied me to my check-up with the midwife at the surgery. The midwife let Lizzie use the handheld device to find your heartbeat. There you were, strong and healthy. Lizzie was so happy! She helped the midwife to measure my bump and to take my blood pressure. She was such a good helper and took great care of me whilst I was pregnant.
She massaged my feet when they were sore; she rubbed my back when it ached; she came in the bath with me and used body scrub on my shoulders to relieve my aches and pains. She applied tummy cream to my growing bump to keep it smooth and soft.
For some reason she insisted on saying "preg-mint" instead of "pregnant" - no matter how many times we corrected her!
When I started maternity leave, Lizzie was so proud to have me taking her to school and collecting her each day. She told everyone about you; your due date, how my pregnancy was going; how I was feeling; how she had been helping. She was so proud to have a pregnant mummy and to be a big sister to you soon. When the due date came and went, she told everyone that you were overdue, and by how many days. She knew your arrival was imminent; the excitement was building and everything we did was centred around the build-up to you being born.
Lizzie was with me when my contractions started.
She was watching TV and I was snoozing on the couch beside her. A contraction woke me up and I knew that you were coming.
I knew I had to get organised at this point so I made Lizzie's tea (fish fingers, of course!) and phoned Granny to come and keep us company whilst we waited on Dad getting home.
Lizzie had asked me before how I would know when the baby was coming, and I had explained that when I started to get a sore tummy that would let us know. As I stood at the kitchen sink, holding on to the worktop and waiting for a contraction to pass, Lizzie came in. She noticed what was happening and said excitedly, "is this the sore tummies starting now?" - I explained that yes, you were on your way - she was ecstatic!
She ran upstairs for some body lotion and then she massaged my lower back each time I had a contraction. She didn't really know what was happening, but she knew you were coming. This was it! Six months of anticipation for her - from the moment we told her about you, to this moment - your impending arrival.
When Dad came home, Granny took Lizzie away to spend the night at her house. I kissed Lizzie goodbye and knew the next time I saw her I'd have you beside me, my beautiful baby to share with her. I was as excited as she was - our eagerly anticipated baby was on the way.
You were on your way. Our beautiful baby. Our beautiful little girl.
Lots of Love
Mummy
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