Baby Number 2…..

So there we were with our lovely little family.. our Jessica was absolutely the light of our lives but we felt like we wanted to add to our family.. and so in December 2010 I discovered that I was pregnant.. to say the three of us were excited was an understatement.. to say I was nervous was one too.. .it had been 5 and a half years since I had had Jessica and I was apprehensive at changing our family dynamic.  We were our own little team and we got on great as we were.. could I possibly ever love anyone else as much?

We had a private scan at 11 weeks to check everything was going ok as I just simply couldn’t wait until the NHS scan at 14 weeks.. Everything was as it should be – heartbeat – phew.. now it seemed real. We decided to tell Jessica at this point as she had already started asking me questions about my ‘bloated tummy’.  Her reaction was amazing..I think because she had a scan photo to look at it made it all the more real… she also cried her eyes out and was a little overwhelmed at the prospect of having a baby brother or sister – telling her was just awesome!

At the 13 week scan, the sonographer confirmed as the 11 week scan had – all ok but also added that we would be called back for a 16 week scan due to us already having a child with talipes.  Now I could understand this extra scan, to a point, but part of me didn’t want to know.  We went along to the extra scan at 16 weeks and looked at the positive – that we would get to see our little baby again. If I were to tell you that I wasn’t nervous then I would also be a liar – but what mum to be isn’t when going to any scan?

During our scan I feel guilty that I had my fingers crossed and was praying with all of my being – that the baby would have a healthy heartbeat? of course, that the brain, spine and all other vital organs would look ok? absolutely.. but at the forefront of my mind was that the baby might have talipes like Jessica.

The sonographer was a very ‘matter-of-fact’ individual.  She was very straight faced and I really wished at the time that she could have at least smiled a little, if not to ease my nerves.  But, she had a job to do and was of course very professional.

“Oh yes, I can see that there looks to be Talipes on the left foot, I’ll have a look at the right………”

and there it was.. the news I had dreaded.. We would yet again embark on our journey through having a newborn with talipes.. and unfortunately this time I knew what this meant for both my baby but also, us as parents.. and this time I cried….and cried… and cried…

We didn’t mention to Jessica that the baby had talipes.  We decided that she just didn’t need to know yet, but unfortunately one day she overheard me talking about it to a friend and she realised that the baby in my tummy had feet like hers.. she cried.  I was so devastated to realise how much she understood about her feet – that doesn’t make sense I know.. but because we had never really made a big deal about it – not in front of her anyway.. because we had always acted like it was just normal in our family, I had never before seen her cry about her feet.. and I realised what a tough little cookie she had been and also how kind and thoughtful she was.

“I don’t want our baby to have to wear boots and bar mummy” were her words.. but we had a chat and I told her how special she was, and also how proud we were of her.. I also reassured her that her baby brother or sister would have a brilliant big sister to prove to them that they had nothing to be frightened of or to worry about, after all our baby Happy Feet would dance just like their sister does..

This conversation with my little girl made me realise how strong talipes can make the character of young people.. they just get on with it and as their mummy, that’s just what I do.

There are far more important things in life to spend time worrying about than feet!

We were sooo sooo excited to finally meet this new addition and we decided to name the baby in my ‘belly’ ……….’Happy Feet’

Exciting times ahead – and more work for Jane, the physio.. but hey! at least she knew us xx

Proof that Happy Feet can Dance x

When I was a little girl, my mum had taken me to dancing lessons.. I remember starting these at around the age of 3 and I absolutely loved it.. I started with tap and then began modern -very much the typical drama queen little girl..

When  I had a daughter I was thrilled at the prospect that she too may be a girly girl like her mummy and that she too would also want to dance and sing and generally love all of the razmataz of it all so I was determined that through her treatment, I would be strong – and strict so that I could ensure that she too could do anything she wanted to do, girly or not.. hey if my girl wanted to be a footballer, mountain climber.. I wanted nothing to stand in her way..

Jessica and her little friends joined their ballet school when they were just 3.. To take her and see her in her little ballet shoes with her straight feet was just the best feeling ever.. she was just like her friends and loved every minute of it..

 

The night of her first ever show came.  It was Snow White and she was in around 5 of the dance numbers.. she was just three and a half years old.. I had no idea what to expect.. maybe her waving at us standing there doing her own little moves, or maybe even tears if she spotted us in the audience – nothing could prepare me for how we would feel..

Our Happy Feet baby girl walked on the stage with her friends in the cutest of costumes and danced her little heart out!  She knew dances I  had never seen her practice and danced and sang remembering every step and word!

In any parents eyes, this would be an emotional sight.. but given all the fears we had had about her feet, walking and running.. to see her dancing, ballet dancing at that was just the most magical sight.. so you see

HAPPY FEET CAN DANCE!!!!

 

The end of the Boots!!! Hip Hip Hurraaaaaay……

When Jessica reached the age of 5 we knew that the end of her treatment was in sight.. this was just the best time ever! I couldn’t wait for her to be able to sleep in all of the positions you and I can enjoy, to be able to go to sleep overs and not worry about wearing her boots and bars, to be able to actually get out of bed and run into our bedroom when we were still asleep – yes I wished for that!

The day came at an appointment not long after her 5th Birthday.. we were over the moon and all of a sudden quite emotional.. throughout her treatment we had always tried to continue as though we were unaffected by the talipes.. we never made a fuss of it and some people who knew us were unaware of her treatment at all.. but yet now we could let it all out – the relief that it was all over and that our beautiful little girl could sleep any bloomin way she wanted..

what did she want for a celebration – KFC! that’s it? nothing else.. 🙂

Boots and Bar over night – COMPLETE!!! yaaaay xxx