THE EXTREMITIES

This latest post comes rather delayed and perhaps not so fulfilling as it would've been had I created and posted this as it happened, however...

PART ONE - TRIP

My absence from blogger was due to a number of things all to do with family and children. I decided to take my 4yo son and my 8week old daughter (at the time) on a trip back up the line (Welly-AKL and HAM). For my son, this was one of many times flying on the plane and going on a trip away with me. This would be the first time my daughter had ever traveled. I decided (for some unknown reason) to do this trip without my other half with us. In hindsight, this decision was probably the first of many bad decisions about this trip. The main reason for the trip was to visit my family in those parts as I hadn't seen them over the summer break (and this has become somewhat of a tradition for me), and so that the family could meet my new baby girl. We usually have a very good time, and my son in the past has been great and generally enjoys the time away. This time, because of a new addition, my son was VERY clingy, wanted attention all the time and wouldn't, for the life of him listen to me, or anyone else. It was a real eye opener for me and hit me like a huge shock. Thankfully during the trip, my daughter was very good, slept well, wasn't upset with new people wanting to hold her and was incredibly easy to manage on the scale of things. My son just had the incredible urge to change and act in a manner that surprised me once we were away from his father. I admittedly had a difficult time managing the two children on my own away from my fiancee. Fortunately, I had some help from family while being away and would go out of there way to help me out when they could.

I don't want this to be a huge whinge fest, because in the end, I'm thankful we went away. The biggest thing I got from this trip were huge lessons about children and family and how important it is to be with them. My son proved to me that being out of routine, and lack of preparedness can prove difficult for not just yourself but also for your children, who don't want anything but to spend time with you. This time around it was also hard for him because we were traveling with his sister and so the attention couldn't be purely on him when he needed it. Even though I was glad to get back on the plane back to Wellington to see my other half, it was also bittersweet because while I was away it allowed me to see what I miss about being with my family and being back home where I grew up.

The moral is - try and remember your intentions when you're down in the dumps and having a hard time. My intentions were to see family and enjoy their company and I feel like I did that. It was even more down to earth with having both my children there. I am so thankful for my son because he radiates life. He is outgoing and honest and emotional and most of all, loving. I wouldn't have him any other way.

PART TWO - DISCOMFORT

The second reason due to my absence was because my daughter became ill and hence we had to spend 7 days in hospital from the day immediately after we arrived home. This is the longest I've ever had to stay in hospital. I don't want to elaborate to much on this situation, but lets just say that it is incredibly soul-destroying being in that place. I am extremely fortunate to have a very strong baby girl. She got well quite quick, and so a lot of the time spent was waiting around however they didn't want to take any chances since she was so young and hence the reason why we were there for so long. I do not want to be in that place again anytime soon, and certainly not for any of my children. It was an uncomfortable experience and am incredibly thankful that it wasn't anything worse and everything was treatable.

After the trip and the stint in hospital there was a total of 16 days, just over 2 weeks of being away from home and so I couldn't have been happier to see my bed and just be with my man. These two experiences make me appreciate my children so much more and being a mother so much more. Never have I been more challenged then what we went through in these two weeks or so. It was hard and difficult and draining but it makes life so much more fulfilling. I am so thankful.

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