Another First

 

CObs 2.9.23  

Another First

The exciting thing about life is that there are always more firsts along the way; until the last, although I’ve heard it is possible to die twice.

The emotions, these firsts excite, vary. My first filling in a school dental nurse chair with a foot pedal grinding the drill – horror. My first filling pulled out by a toffee after a lolly scramble at a church picnic – fascinated horror. My first olive in a dark Greek restaurant with my fifth form History teacher and class, thinking I’d picked up a grape – shock and confusion. I controlled the choke and spit reflex so no horror in the retell. Chef’s choice to offer pitted olives prevented the dental disaster link you may have been expecting.

A big first is cooking up and birthing a child. Our first was nearly three weeks early. Disbelief, panic, a crazy drive at 5 in the morning made this very exciting. Our second was nearly three weeks late. Desperation, after my obstetrician had said there was no room in the inn for an induction, drove me to gulp down some cod liver oil – and this was before the internet! Even then, nothing moved until I held my newest niece in my arms that afternoon. She was born at 11:50am and cooed away, snuggling contentedly. As if our second had been waiting for her cousin to arrive, she got moving and was born at 11:50pm. So reassuring to be able to walk from my sister -in- law’s maternity room around to the birthing suite and be told that yes, I was in labour.

The twin cousie’s first birthday party was at Featherdale zoo, in the farmyard zone. We saw the power of peer confidence after the candles on their piggy and cow shaped cakes had been blown out. Little fists grabbed and stuffed the first ‘slice?’ into their mouths. After a big grin at each other,  both little heads, one blond, the other brunette were face down in the icing, eating straight from the plate. This gave parents clear warning that these little ones would grab life by the throat.

And so to another first for me today. Petal’s first birthday in a different time zone to us. I have hung no banner, piled no pressies below it and have not made a red velvet cake.  But am so proud of all her firsts as she bounds into lots of new experiences. With London as her base and Rev & Rob as family in the zone she’s working and travelling – Corfu, Amsterdam, Cork and Albania – all firsts, places she never went to with us. Love your stories Petal, love your responsible risk taking, love you. Happy Birthday from your future, we are nine hours ahead! xx

Not stopping her from volunteering at a South African Wild life conservation park in 2017, was the first of many hold your breath, release to the wild moments, as a parent.