Show & Tell - And a year later...

...I'm still around in the blogosphere. Who would have thought? Those who know me well enough must find it strange that I've stuck to this blog for a whole year, albeit on & off, but still hanging in there. Journaling is really not my kind of thing.

"We read to know we are not alone"
C.S. Lewis

Infertility was the loneliest and most painful journey of life and only after conquering it did I realise how many other travellers there were out there. Thanks to Mel at Stirrup's, I have discovered that I am not alone, that others have walked or are walking the IF Camino. My blog has been the vehicle used to navigate the land of IF. I reached my destination 8 years ago, with the birth of the little guy, but the walk continues so that others may know that they are not alone.

Some say that infertility makes you a better person. I don't know about that. But if I am a better person, it is probably from reading all those amazing ALI blogs, - my source of inspiration, with so many lessons learnt. I am honoured to be part of this community.

My little guy insisted on adding this picture to the post. I couldn't refuse the request as he was the photographer today.

To see what the rest of the class is showing and telling, check out Mel's Show & Tell.

One happy camper

It was the little guy's 7th birthday yesterday. A house full of kids, poor little old me sweating & slaving over a hot BBQ, after an afternoon spent baking all the goodies, catering to the needs of lots of hungry little boys, and trying to look cheerful at the same time - not an easy task, folks! But I managed to survive.

He wanted a picnic by the river, but I put my foot down. Imagining all worst-case scenarios, there was no way I would even consider the responsability of watching over a horde of kids in such a treacherous place (ok, a little exaggeration here). So we settled on a picnic & BBQ in our own backyard. He'd always begged me to get a picnic table for the garden, after hearing so many of my childhood stories. So grandpa built him one just like the one he had built for me many years before. When I saw it, for a split second there, I was seven years old myself.

The little guys had a blast! Big guy and I decided to have dinner inside and leave them to their own thing, except for when they'd be shouting "Will you bring us some more coke! We're running out of fries! Where's the ketchup? What's taking so long?!?" So, basically, we were running in and out of the house the whole time, as good servants do.

Cutting away from the traditional birthday cake, it was chocolate fudge cake, covered in smarties, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the side. A beautiful picture-perfect moment with chocolate-covered toothless smiles. Then it was lining them up one by one to wash those filthy hands & mouths before they had a chance to add a fingerprint motif to my lovely white walls.

As I said, I lived to tell. It was a hell of a lot of work but worth every drip of sweat. Moments like these were what my deams were made of. There was no way I was going to miss out on the fun.

Friday Flower

Little Blue Daisies

By Ajay Das Gupta

Little blue daisies
in my flowerbed
First came the ladybird
red red red
Fly away ladybird
said the daisy blue
Poor little ladybird flew flew flew

Then came the grasshopper
green green green
He hid in the leaves
not to be seen
Hop away grasshopper,
said the daisy blue
Poor little grasshopper
Went hop, hop hop

Third came the bumblebee
black black black
Humming to himself
a brand new song
Fly away bumblebee, said
the daisy blue
Poor little bumblebee
went buzz buzz buzz

Fifth came the butterfly
flap flap flap
Welcome cried the daisy
clap clap clap

It's the little guy's birthday, so today's Friday Flower is dedicated to him. Blue daisies are the flowers my husband gave me the day he was born. Although he knows I don't like receiving flowers, much prefering potted plants, an exception was opened for the birth of our little guy. Daisies cuz there my favourite flower and blue for our little boy.

(Pssst...to be honest, I would have prefered white daisies, but it's the thought that counts.)

We are the Champions

This song is dedicated to two very special IVF boys, who happen to share a birthday. Two moms rejoice today with tender sweet memories of when these guys came kicking their way into their lives. A toast to you, Hope, and to our miracle boys!