So many new things!

My dearest angel,

You have experienced so many new things this past week that has made me so very proud. You had your first taste of rice pap, which you absolutely hate! You are so very expressive that there is no doubt about how much you dislike this mush that I am so desperately trying to feed you. You even launch yourself out of your little chair just to get away from it, but unfortunately I must persevere and hopefully you'll get use to the taste and texture soon. You also went on a little holiday to all you aunts and uncle grant in Durban, where you saw your first snow (lucky boy, I only got to see it when I was 20) and you had your little foots in the sand on the beach. You are very weary of new people and have to check them out well before you start to revealing your personality, this was apparent when you met your aunts, but by day 2 you were just showing off your smile and giggled all the way! You also had to say bye to tannie Annatjie who has been taking care of you while I'm at work. She said she's gonna miss you so much, and I know you krept very deep into heart. While all these things were happening, you got your first tooth! I couldn't believe it, I have been rubbing teething jel on your bottom teeth and to my surprise your top left tooth popped out. Ooops, sorry my boy, but I promise I'll rub the jel everywhere from now on. You are becoming a very cute little man, throwing tantrums and all! Dad and I had such a great weekend with you and we can't wait for every second that we get to spend time with you, seeing what else you've learnt and mastered. You're trying to sit, you want to, I can see how frustrated you get, but all in good time my boy, just have patience.

Anyway my angel, we love you lots and lots and I can't wait to see what else you come up with this week.

Mwah!

Food yummy yummy!

Hello my angel,

It seems that you are growing quite attached to dad and I because the doctor thinks you might have some seperation anxiety issues. You were so sad on Monday and Tuesday that we even took you to the hospital, but after our visit with Dr. van Dyk yesterday it came out that you are 100% perfectly fine. You also went for your EEG on Wednesday (which came back perfect by the way) and you looked so incredibly vulnerable with all those wires attached to your head. They gave you some syrup to make you sleep, but even the technician said he hasn't seen someone fight the sleep so much in a long time. You just wanted to stay awake and inspect everything! Finally after a LOT of rocking you gave in and they could start. Dr. van Dyk is very happy with your growth, even though you are only weighing 5.2kg, the same as a 2 month old baby! But your development is right on track and she said I can start giving you some porridge! So tonight we're gonna try and feed you my angel, and I can't wait to see what you are going to do with the food. She also says that she thinks you are teething because it's just spit everywhere! Yesterday you druled all over yourself and all over me, everything was wet, and you couldn't chew your hands enough. You can put your whole fist in your mouth and you even try to get a second one in there! Anyway my love, just wanted to let you know that you are growing beautifully and that we are so incredibly proud of you.

Love you lots and lots and plenties!
Mom

Happy Birthday Loren!

To one of the best people I know, I hope you have a wonderful birthday and an amazing year to come! May all your dreams come true.

Lots of Love

Us 3

25 April 2008

I’m so sorry for only writing now again, but guess what, you decided to join us early this year! You came 20 February 2008, a full 3 months early! Your dad and I have been up and down going to the hospital to visit you. On April the 13th you were finally home and we could love and care for you the way we’ve been wanting to. You were so incredibly brave in that ICU. My heart was filled with pride every time I saw you. You were in there for 51 days, fighting all the way. You made us so incredibly proud my beautiful warrior. Thank you for not giving up, for teaching us so many lessons, for just being your beautiful self. The journey begins now my angel. I hope you’ll have wonderful memories growing up and we’ll do our best to give you anything your heart desires while teaching you the lessons that took us ages to learn. I won’t be writing anymore because my story ends here and yours is just beginning. Go and write your own tale my boy, and enjoy every minute of it.

I love you always!

Hello my beautiful,

You are growing up so quickly, and I'm scared that the time will just fly by and I won't get enough of you! We went to see your second cousins yesterday, they are 2 weeks old now and so beautiful. I know you guys are gonna be the best of friends. But I couldn't believe that you were smaller than that when you came home, nevermind when you were born! You truly are our little miracle and we are so proud of you! It was also your friend Deqlan's 2nd birthday yesterday. He's another brave little soldier, and we wish him many more wonderful birthdays! Well, here's another clip from my diary I kept for you. I hope you like it.
Love you plenty my only.

10 Januarie 2008
Hi daar my bekkie,

Soveel dinge het gebeur in die laaste paar maande. Ons het uitgevind dat jy ‘n pragtige seuntjie is! Jy het begin skop en beweeg, en dit is absoluut die hoogtepunt van my dag! Ons het ook uiteindelik ‘n naam vir ou gekry, ek hoop jy hou daarvan = Caden Matthew Paul. Caden beteken “fighter” in yankee engels of "little warrior" in welsh en Matthew beteken “Gift from God” in hebreeus. Almal is so opgewonde. Jy lyk nou soos ‘n perfekte mensie, 27cm lank! Ons het jou kamer begin regkry. Ek hoop jy hou daarvan! Ons het besluit op ‘n “jungle theme”. Het alklaar ‘n hele paar speelgoed vir jou gekry Ek gaan deur baie emosionele dae. Ek wonder hoe dit gaan wees as jy hier is, waarheen ons gaan reis wanneer jy eendag groter is. Ons wil jou soveel dinge wys! Jou pa is ook ongelooflik opgewonde. Hy praat gereeld met jou en vertel jou watse wonderlike prins jy is. Jy moet dit nooit vergeet nie! Jy is alklaar die ongelooflikste dingetjie wat ek ken en jy is nog nie eers gebore nie!!! Ag ek kan nou nie meer wag nie, maar daar is nog 4 maande oor vir jou om te groei! Ons gaan Dinsdag dokter toe om te kyk hoe jy groei. Ek is so mal daaroor om jou te sien op daai skerm. Jy het reeds so ‘n ongelooflike persoonlikheid. Ons kan sien jy hou niks daarvan as die dokter jou pla nie (Jy kry jou temperament van my af), maar jy is mal oor die kamera en draai gereeld so dat ons jou kan sien. Ek het jou eie blogspot vir jou oop gemaak. Ek hoop jy sal dit kan gebruik totdat jy eendag oud is! Elkgeval my liefie, ek hoop jy’s nog gemaklik daar binne, en dat jy lekker kan groei en speel in my maag totdat jy eendag hier by ons is.

Lief jou triljoene!
Mams

08 November 2007

Hello my beautiful. Tomorrow I’ll be 13 weeks pregnant with you. I am sooo thankful you are growing strong. Dad and I went to the doctor to see your first picture. I can already see what a beautiful child you are. We don’t know whether you are a boy or a girl yet, but hopefully we’ll find out soon. Dad has his heart set on a girl, and I don’t really care, but I also think you’re a girl. We heard your heart beat, it was so strong and fast and of course I shed a tear (I think dad too). You already have a lot of friends that you haven’t met yet. There’s Keaton, who is also not born yet, and baby Theron, who will be born about a week before you, Josh, who is already 4 and beautiful Deqlan who just turned 1. We heard great news about Deqlan today. He has Neuroblastoma, a child cancer, but after praying for months his cancer seems to have cleared up. I can’t wait till you meet them. You’ll have lots of friends!! I am so proud of you, sticking in there, growing in my tummy and holding on. I already love you more than you’ll ever know. Dad is also so excited. He’s just thinking about your future the whole time, and how we can give you the best possible life, the one that you deserve! You’re developing so fast and you finally look like a human now!!! This is what is happening to you now:

Head and NeckFetal head is about one-half of the crown-to-rump length and rests on a well-defined neck instead of shoulders. Sucking muscles of mouth fill out cheeks, tooth buds continue to develop and salivary glands begin to function. Scalp (hair) pattern is discernible.ThoraxHeartbeat can be detected with external instruments. Lungs develop further as the fetus inhales and exhales amniotic fluid, which is essential for air sacs within lungs to function properly.AbdomenFully functional spleen will assume functions supervised by liver such as removal of old red blood cells and production of antibodies.PelvisSexual organs distinguishing female or male are now clearly visible.LimbsArms have almost reached final proportion and length, though legs are still quite short relative to fetus' body. Hands, particularly the thumbs, become more functional.SkinMuscles function more smoothly and fetus is more flexible and has advanced movements of head, mouth and lips, arms, wrists, hands, legs, foot, and toes. Muscles and nervous system continue to advance. Sweat glands appear and body hair begins to grow.

You are about 6 – 8 cm long about the size and weight of half a banana!!!
From now on your main task is to grow bigger and stronger!
My nausea is finally gone, thanks my angel and I feel like I’m on top of the world again. I am so extremely happy!!! I have however, had some outbursts, especially at work, but that was the hormones! My tummy is starting to show, we’ll take some pictures for you. My exams are also finished, so now we can relax a bit. You are so strong, dealing with all the stress with me. But now I promise to relax so that you can focus on growing!

Love you tons and tons and tons my precious!!!
Mom

02 Oktober 2007

Sienende dat ek graag wil he jy moet Afrikaans en Engels kan praat, sal ek vir jou in beide tale skryf. Hierdie week het ek nie so lekker gevoel nie. Ek wonder soms wat maak jy hier binne in my maag? Ek is naar as ek my oe in die oggende oopmaak, tot laat middag toe. Dan voel ek bietjie (net bietjie) beter. Selfs jou pa sê hy voel naar!!! Kriewel jy baie rond? Dis reg so, jy moet oefen. Oefen al daai spiere!!! Jy gaan oor 8 dae soos ‘n mens begin lyk. Nou lyk jy nog soos ‘n buite-wêreldse gediertetjie, met ‘n stertjie en al! Maar dinge is vinnig besig om te groei. Jy ontwikkel nou verskriklik vinnig in my maag.
Ek kan nie wag om jou te ontmoet nie!!! Ek wonder soos wie jy gaan lyk, is jy ‘n seun of dogter, is jy gesond, wie se persoonlikheid gaan jy aanneem? Ek weet dis nog ver, ons moet eers deur hierdie 7 maande kom, maar dis lekker om te dagdroom.
Jou “gran” is in ekstase oor jou. Sy het al klaar die hele wêreld leeg gekoop. Jy sal sien, sy gaan jou nog baie bederf!
Jou ouma is net so opgewonde. Sy is meer van die “kom ons maak dit” tipe. So alles wat sy maak weet jy is met ekstra liefde gedoen. Sy is ‘n baie wyse vrou en jy moet eendag mooi na haar luister! Ek kan nie eers praat oor die oupas nie. Oupa Zak is ‘n verskriklike wyse man, en hy sal jou als van die “mysteries of the universe” leer. Ek het nogal baie van sy belangstellings. Grampy Charlie is die stil, maar ewig wyse een. Hy sal jou alles van masjiene kan leer. Hy werk met helikopters, en is ongelooflik handig. Vra hom enige iets en hy bou dit vir jou! Jou pa het sy breins gekry!

Nou maar daar het jy dit, ons sal maar moet sien soos wie draai jy uit, wie se streke neem jy aan en wie se wysheid sal jy volg.

Lief jou verskriklik!
Mams

O ja, hierdie is wat nou met jou gebeur:
Head and NeckBrain is well marked by its cerebral hemispheres. The hindbrain, which is responsible for heart regulation, breathing and muscle movements, begins to develop.Future lower jaw, the first part of face to be established, is now visible while future upper jaw is present, but not demarcated.Mesenchymal cells originating in the primitive streak, the neural crest and the prechordal plate, continue to form the skull and the face.External retina pigment is visible and the lens pit has grown into a D shape. Nasal pits are still two separate plates, but they rotate to face ventrally as head widens.
ThoraxPrimary cardiac tube separates into aortic and pulmonary channels and the ventricular pouches deepen and enlarge, forming a common wall with their myocardial shells. Mammary gland tissue begins to mature.Abdomen and Pelvic RegionsThe mesentery, which attaches the intestines to the rear abdominal wall, holds them in position and supplies them with blood, nerves and lymphatics, is now clearly defined. Ureter, the tube that will convey urine from the kidney to the bladder, continues to lengthen. Proliferation of the coelomic epithelium indicates the gonadal primordium.LimbsHand region of upper limb bud differentiates further to form a central carpal part and a digital plate. The thigh (rostrolateral part), leg (the caudomedial part) and foot areas can be distinguished in the lower limb buds.

Something New?

Hi There,

I decided to change the blog a bit. Seeing as Caden is big and healthy now and we don't need to keep everyone updated anymore, I will start writing for Caden. So here goes:

My angel, this weekend was a big one for you. You had your first sleep-over at ouma Rina's and ouma-grootjie's house. Apparently you were very friendly, just laughing and talking to them all night! Thank you for being such a good boy! You also went to Anè's annointing and the minister annointed you as well, so you received a very special blessing. I found a baby diary I started when I found out I was pregnant with you, and thought maybe I can post an entry a day for the next couple of days so that you can see what happened before you arrived. Here's the first one:

27 September 2007

Well, it’s been almost 2 weeks since I found out I was pregnant, and it’s been an absolute roller coaster ride! I knew I was pregnant from the moment you were conceived, or at least the week after that. I could feel my body changing immediately, and I didn’t need any test to tell me that!! It was Friday, 14 September, as soon as your dad left I did a home pregnancy test and to my delight it tested positive. After that I rushed to the hospital to do some blood tests. I wanted to be 100% sure before I told your father. The blood tests showed that you were already 3 weeks old! I then went to the shops and bought that big white teddy bear that’s in your room. I left it on the bed along with the blood test printout. When dad came home he was still very busy, writing things in his diary and phoning clients. Eventually he went into the room and slowly figured out what was happening. We were so happy. Dad was a bit hysterical, but in a good way! Well, after that we informed all the family and friends and soon the whole world knew about our bundle of joy!!!

You are 5 weeks old today. I have been going through so many emotions, from ecstatic, to scared, to nervous, you name it! I had my first glimpse of morning sickness yesterday and today, but overall it’s been good. You’ve been treating me well my angel, I just hope you keep it up!!

Anyway this is what is happening to you now:
The baby is about 2cm long (the size of a small bean) and weighs about 1 gram.
The face changes almost daily. Dark spots appear where the eyes and nostrils will be and indentations for the ears.
Buds that will become the arms and legs are more noticeable.
The internal organs – the lungs, digestive system and excretory system – form.
Growth of the pituitary gland and muscle fibres.
Pancreas and bronchi grow.
Heart has divided into chambers.
The testes or ovaries have formed.

Your brain, heart and spine also already started developing, and your heart had its first beat on the 20th of September!!! We’re expecting you round about the 15th of May 2008, which is a day after my birthday! Anyway my precious, I hope you are doing okay in there, and I can’t wait to hold you!

Love you tons!
Mom

Happy Birthday Granny!

Happy Birthday Granny (mom),

Hope you have a wonderful year and that you get showered with all the love that you so readily show other people. Thank you for everything you've done for us and we can only hope to repay you one day.

Lots and lots of love

Us 3

Happy Birthday Lisa!

Hope you had a fantastic day yesterday and may there be many more to come. Hope all your dreams come true this year!

Lots of Love

Elriza, Wes & Caden