My Growing Family - Part 1

On 24 November 2008 I took a pregnancy test and it was positive! We were going to have a baby!!!
I was over joyed, ecstatic - I wanted to share the news with the world!

My boyfriend at the time (now my husband) and I couldn't believe that we were going to be parents in just a few short months. I just turned 19 but I was not worried about what anyone was going to say, I was going to have a baby with the love of my life, the man I was planning on marrying and I felt on top of the world.

The following day we went to our GP and he confirmed that I was 5 weeks pregnant, my due date was 1 August 2009.
We drove straight to my parents house to give them the news. They were of course surprised but my dad said it was not entirely unexpected because in today's life, this is what all parents should expect when their teenage daughter has a boyfriend.
We then went to my boyfriends parent and he broke the news to his parents. His father seemed excited but his mother didn't have much expression on her face. He was of course 5 years older than I was and his mother was probably disappointed that we were not married.

By Christmas 2008, all of our closest friends and family knew we were having a baby and they were sharing the excitement with us. My boyfriends mother seemed to have come around too and seemed to be more excited than she initially was. 

We had our first scan at Gatesville Medical Centre, I was 8 weeks and it looked like a little tadpole with only a tale and head.

As the months passed, I became more and more excited and couldn't wait to meet my little angel, my "growing miracle". 
I kept a pregnancy journal and week by week I noted my feelings and excitement. 
My stomach was growing very slowly for my liking but I could feel all the kicks and burps that my little busy bee was getting up to inside my tiny little tum. 

At 36 weeks Dr confirmed that I would not be able to have normal birth because my cervix was not expanding wide enough and that we will be going forth with an elective caesarian section. 
At my 38 week visit (16 July 2009), Dr said to me "Come in on Monday, book in at 11:00 and be nil per mouth from 07:00"
Needless to say, I was over the moon, I wanted to jump right out of my skin and hug that Dr. The last few weeks of my pregnancy felt like forever to pass so I could not wait to have my baby and see what he looked like. 

Monday 20 July 2009:
I woke up at 06:30 to have some toast and tea before 07:00.  
I was so excited, my stomach was in knots and I could not get my toast down. 

We arrived at Constatiaberg Medi Clinic at 10:30 that morning and settled in to my room.
The excitement grew stronger and surprisingly I was not nervous at all... all I could think of was holding my little man for the first time. 

At 13:00 I was wheeled into theater, the anesthesiologist gave me a local anesthetic followed by a spinal epidural. At that moment I started crying, I missed my mother so much and all I could think of was how my life would change in just a few minutes. 
I felt scared, nervous... afraid that I would not be able to get this thing called being a "mother" right.

Before my thoughts could get the better of me, Dr was in the room and the procedure started. My boyfriend held my hand tightly and took pictures with his other hand. 
Dr said to me I would feel a slight pain below my rib cage as he was going to push baby's bottom down.
A few seconds later I felt Dr's hands inside of me and immediately there was a feel of relieve in my stomach - there was no longer a baby inside of me.
My heart started racing when I did not hear my son cry. What felt like minutes later, I heard a soft gentle cry that soon turned into a loud scream... my tears started rolling.

Liam Matthew Kolbe was born on Monday 20 July 2009 at 13h35,weighing 2.86kg. Delivered by Dr Andrew Sherwood at Constatiaberg Medi Clinic.

My boyfriend put our son in my arms and my tears were rolling but I had the biggest, goofiest smile on my face... my son was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and I couldn't believe I had carried him inside of me for +/- 9 whole months.
Words cannot begin to explain the amount of love I felt for this little boy at that very moment. I whispered in his ears and I promised him that I would be there for him and love him for the rest of his life because he was now my life. 

We were discharged from hospital on Thursday 23 July. I couldn't wait to get home and spend time with my boys with no strangers around.

The challengers of parenthood was something that did not linger in the air for too long. 
We were home now and this is when the sleepless nights began but I enjoyed every minute of it, feeding him, bathing him, playing with him and of course kissing him more than a hundred times every day.

I was very grateful to have my boyfriends grand mother come around every day to help me out or give me a few minutes to take a nap. 

Liam was and is loved by so many. His whitty character, beautiful smile and intelligence are of the many reasons why people love him so much. 
He has a no fear personality, a go getter attitude and a mouth that is not afraid to say anything.

I love being a mom to Liam because he is an example of something wonderful and beautiful God has entrusted me with and my job is to nurture him, protect him, to teach and groom him to become an amazing man... one that we as his parents and God can be proud of. 

Liam is 4 and a half years old now and such an amazing person to have around. 
He reminds me so much of myself and we have a special bond that I am always grateful for.
I look at him daily and tell my husband, I cannot believe how time has flown and how mature he is for his age.

He is my first born, the first person who felt my heart beat on the inside. He gave me the title of "mommy" that I am so proud of. His smile melts my heart and the sound of his laugh tingles my ears.

He taught me how to love another human unconditionally.