With You — 3 months +
Summertime
The sun was shinning. There were family gatherings planned. Feasting was to be had, plenty of swims and trips to be close to bodies of water. It was all the ingredients for a stunning summer but this year felt different, a distinct twist in the usual summer loving days. This year we were sharing it with our little 3 month old baby, Rino Bambino.
Christmas time
The week leading up to Christmas I tried to go for a run. I had reached the 3 month mark that is suggested to let your body recover after the C-section before any impact exercise. It felt like a success to leave Rino with his Dad and Nanna for 20 minutes and take off to the park, struggling to move with any speed.
This was the beginning of something, a new found freedom and a movement of the body (and mind). A chance to claim back me time and feel the exhilaration from a risen hard rate and working a sweat.
Then came Christmas preparation, and somehow the run time and desire slipped away.
I can say 3 months on, that was the one and only run I went on…
Instead, I moved into an anxiety about Christmas lunch and having people in the house as I tried to work through whatever routine was working for Rino that day. I recalled my first Christmas with my niece when she was Rino’s age, my sister prepared most of the dinner and while I was meant to assist, I had ended up having a few too many glasses of bubbles and being the entertainment for the night rather than the chef. I felt guilt, especially now knowing what she must have been going through with her little one, and now understand that people who don’t have children struggle to really grasp what the reality is for the people who do. It is hard for anyone to truely understand what having to care for a little one full time really means unless you are in and amongst it.
So this Christmas I was planning to help out where I could but also knew it would be limited without someone caring for Rino. The sunny day arrived as we welcomed Christmas Day 2020, we shared gifts with family and then prepared for the lunch with family and friends. We all sat out in the sun and enjoyed a delicious ham with barbecued roasted vegetables, a gathering of people who couldn’t have been a better selection to pass Rino’s first Christmas with. The only missing factor were his Abuelos in Argentina, who are unable to visit in these times of closed borders. It is a hard reality but we continue to include them in as much as possible over Facetime and sharing what we can. We were lucky to be able to get together in a group like we did, and there would have been a lot of families disconnected this year.
It felt like an accomplishment being able to enjoy a day in the sun with everyone. A summer Christmas, the first of many to be spent together.
New Years Eve and a start into 2021
After a few unsettled days leading up to New Years we decided on the 31st to go to Lake Tarawera with family and attempt a few days there. We knew that if Rino was unsettled, we would have an extra set of hands and a forgiving family who wouldn’t be worried about the screams of an overtired baby.
We arrived in the early afternoon and set up for a late dinner and a relaxed evening to farewell 2020, a year that was full of pain, uncertainty and disconnect. But also a year that bought our little one into our days, one of the most amazing moments of our lives.
At Lake Tarawera each New Years Eve a local pyrotechnic specialist puts on a show for everyone from Shelly Point Reserve. Everyone goes out on their boats at midnight to watch the show, we wanted to go but didn’t think it would be possible. Taking a 3 month baby along in the boat to sleep through not only the trip but the fireworks seemed optimistic. But it was only one night.
As we got closer to midnight, with Rino sleeping peacefully into the night, I second guessed the decision to disrupt his night. But again, it was one night of the year, and there was an adventure to be had. So at 11.30pm I scooped him up with a warm blanket around him and walked him to the boat shed, he stayed sleeping in my arms, stirred a little but then nestled into my chest and didn’t make a sound.
We placed him into the bassinet and again he flung his arms and legs in the air but as soon as the boats motor started and we rocked on the waters surface he went back into a deep sleep.
We arrived at location at 11.45, time to prepare the midnight brindis (toast). Rino was out to it and not looking like he would wake any moment soon.
The motor of the boat went off, and people started yelling out a random chorus of numbers out of tune from surrounding boats. Then a golden red warning shot set off into the clear summers night.
We had the perfect view from the middle of the lake, with the fireworks shooting up above us. There were golden sprays of light into the dark backdrop, green, red and blue. Hearts, flowers and spirals set off to the best display I had seen in years, all a private enterprise and enjoyed from a boat floating on the lake.
We kissed happy new years, applauded the lights, shared a bottle of Cloudy Bay Pelorus and the birthday cake that had been prepared for me.
A spectacular show and start to 2021 — a year to welcome change, opportunity, and most importantly growth in my new role as Rino’s mother.
A week in Maketu with family
Summer days continued and we were fortunate to have a family trip to Maketu. We were staying at renovated home on the edge of the beach, looking out to Motiti Island. An extended deck flowing onto open plan living with two babies, one energetic 5 year old and 5 adults.
It was here that Rino learnt to roll, and would practice over and over again in the mornings. It was here that I began to side feed and started to move away from Rino sleeping on me for all his feeds (I had a few spare moments in the day!). And it was here that we had our first break with my sister and her children, my mum and our little family of three. Cousins spent time together and I could see as time went on this would become more and more special as Rino would be able to run around and interact with those around him.
We feasted, we watched sunsets over the Papamoa coastline. We swam in the ocean and enjoyed the outlook. I was still learning how to relax and find my place with Rino, but this was the beginning of enjoyment and experiences with our little ones.
As Rino moved closer to being 4 months, he began to laugh, big gummy laughs, something so innocent that I never imagined could cause so much joy. He was becoming more alert, more focused and turning into a little being with character and love.
