Thank You, Thank You, Thank you.......

Well the party extravaganza has been and gone in a whirlwind but it was all so much fun. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who came and celebrated, sent gifts and sent love across the miles to mark Noah's special day (well actually it has been like a week long festival).
As I've made very clear this was a really momentous occasion for me for lots of sentimental reasons but also because I have been attending kids parties for years, making cakes and dying to have the chance to do it for my own precious child. At last I've done it and I loved every minute of the stress, chaos and mayhem.

Of course in true Murphy's Law style Noah got sicker and sicker as the week went on culminating in (what we now know was) a painful ear infection yesterday for his party. He really did his best to soldier on and put on a happy face but he was not his usual bubbly self at all. Luckily there were, what seemed like, hundreds of other kids having a great time and that kept him very entertained and helped him forget his pain for a couple of hours.

Thank you again everyone and I'll leave you with some photos of the fun.

The first photo of the 1 year old - still in his cot and a bit shocked to have a sea of faces greeting him.

Already not feeling well on Thursday's family celebration

Yes that is drool down the front of his shirt - when will it stop???

Thursday's Cake - Noah's first chocolate!!

Ther morning after - he crawled around all day Friday with those balloons in hand

Daddy and Noah got a round of applause as they made their grand entrance - have you ever seen such a cute but oh so sad giraffe!

The much anticipated cake

Excuse me are you talking to me???

The hundreds of blow up animals were definitely a hit

Hannah making the most of the colouring in table

Taya enjoying some bubble blowing fun

A wish for you........

Dear Noah,

One day when you read this I want you to know that today is one of the most important days of my life. You will never remember this 1st birthday and in fact you will have others that you will enjoy much more but to me this is the moment I will always treasure. Your birth was hectic and a little unexpected on this day 1 year ago and some of the usual joys were stolen from me. I could barely hold you as they whisked you away - I had just a few short moments to take in your perfect face and then I only saw you in photos for the following 3 days until we were reunited. Nobody can steal you from me today though. You are my son, my pride and joy, my greatest masterpiece and I treasure you. Nothing I have done before you came matters now - you have given me clean slate with which to live my life. I am not Kirsty Beggs or Kirsty De Roach anymore I am first and foremost Noah's mummy.

Today we celebrate your arrival in our lives but we also celebrate your journey. You have come so far and every day you change and surprise us. We are all on a wonderful adventure together.

You are my joyous, spirited, inquisitive child and I love you. Your smile lights up a room and your laugh is like music. Your tiny hand can send a shiver of happiness right to my core when you take my hand or stroke my face late at night. You are challenging but delightful. You are silly but also wistful. You are carefree and caring.

I wish for you a lifetime of happiness and all the joys that a life rich with friends and family can offer. Happy Birthday Noah Love mummy

Happy Birthday Noah

This morning you were greeted in your cot by Mummy, Daddy, Aunty Megs and Jake and Abbey - I'm sure you know it's a special day. We have already had fun opening a couple of presents. One in particular came from your friend Brianna in NZ and her mummy had very cheekily filled the box with colourful glitter and confetti - what a mess but what fun. Last night daddy and I decorated the house ready for your party tonight and your smile spread from ear to ear when you saw all the pretty things hanging from the ceiling. Today you are spending the day with Nanna because mummy has to go to Uni - I feel terrible but I know you will have a great day and be very rested for tonight's festivities. Happy Birthday Baby Boy (oops Big Boy!!) See you tonight.

Birthday Eve

It's 11.00pm and I hope to be in bed very soon because tomorrow my son, my baby turns one - I am absolutely blown away by the speed with which it has happened. I have been very busy preparing for the first of 2 big celebrations to mark this enormous milestone in mine and Rob's life. The table is set and the cake is made. In the morning there will be quality time as a family with a fair dose of presents and then in the evening will come the grandparents and great grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. It will be over the top and it will all be worth it because 1 year ago the most perfect, most wonderful child entered our lives and changed them forever.

Tomorrow I will write a letter to Noah as I do most months for you all to read.

Tonight I will leave you with a section from a beautiful children's book called 'When You Were Born' (by Diana Hutts Aston) it sums up how I feel exactly.

When you were born
the world hummed it's everyday tune
of footsteps and voices,
engines and bells
but here
in our home,
our souls
sang with joy.
Prayers of thanksgiving
for you,
our child,
flowed from deep inside us,
like water from a spring.

Last Day as Daddy's Baby

On my wedding day my good friend and groomsman Lance gave me a tidbit of advice along the lines of "occassionally stop and smell the roses because things like this only happen once". He didn't mean this flippantly, rather to purposefully stop every now and then and just appreciate what is happening. I took and will always be grateful for his advice because it accentuated some of the more poignant moments of that day, but more importantly it has helped me to really identify and cherish similar times through general life.

This morning was one of those moments. After the previous two nights of stormy weather and frequent wake-ups due to fright, Noah slept through the whole night to 6am. As is usual practice these days, I found Noah standing at the end of his cot just pleading for some milk and a cuddle (this sight melts Kirsty's and my heart every time). So I picked him up, put him on my lap, fed him a bottle and started rubbing his belly. All of a sudden I realised that this routine procedure was different - it was the last time I would be doing it with a baby - because tomorrow my beautiful little boy turns 1 year old. I must admit I had a tear in my eye from a mixture of sadness, nostalgia and happiness, and as if somehow sensing my thoughts, Noah reached his freezing little hand up and held my cheek.

Noah, you have turned into the most amazing little boy and have forever changed my life in the best way possible. Happy birthday for tomorrow my little monkey, but for today I am just going to cherish you as my sweet little baby.

I love you with all my heart and soul, Daddy XXX

Big Girl Ivy

Yesterday was Ivy's first birthday and lucky for her she's celebrating in Ireland with her grandparents. I can't believe it's been a year and it really made me think about that day she arrived. I showed up for work like any ordinary Monday morning ready to spend the day with Declan & Reuben. As usual Jack answered the door and I asked how the weekend was (of course Julia was due and we were expecting Ivy's imminent arrival) as casual as anything Jack filled me in on some details of the weekend then advised me Julia was in labour. The whole house was so calm and life as normal was continuing on. The boys were at the bench eating breakfast then Julia came downstairs looking very calm and relaxed and got into the spa to continue labouring. I think I was the most panicked of everyone!! We sorted things out for the boys to come to my place and we waited excitedly for the news - which came mid afternoon - that Ivy had arrived without a fuss and was fit and healthy. The boys and I headed in to meet her within a few hours and she was the tiniest baby I could ever remember seeing (she's still only a wee thing). As it turned out the boys stayed with us for the next 4 days which was really very special. Here are some pictures of Missy over the last year. Happy 1st Birthday Ivy - we love you.

More Adventures

Well here we are in Adelaide. I’m so glad to finally have access to the internet – I’ve been in a technology void and it’s driving me crazy. I have spent 2 hours this morning traipsing the city trying to find a wifi hotspot while at the same time managing a very grumpy baby who has decided daytime naps are a thing of the past – despite being cripplingly tired!!

Anyway I am now hooked up and I feel all the more human for it. I’m so reliant it’s quite disgusting.

So – about Adelaide. All I can say is good thing I didn’t blog after our first day here – it would not have been pleasant. Since then I have found Adelaide to be quite enjoyable and managed to find some great little spots for shopping, eating and coffee.

Mostly it has been all about relaxing and eating but Noah and I have explored the art gallery and the Museum and we visited the zoo on the weekend as a family. Yesterday was Rob’s last day at the conference and now we have 2 days hanging out together before we head home on Sunday.

Talk to you all soon