By Lia Spencer
I am now officially a mother of two.
After nine months stuffing my face with watermelon and carbs, crying at movie trailers and Dr Seuss books, tossing and turning at night, and waddling around like a tired penguin, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.
Louis Michael Spencer arrived on 10 May and surprised everyone with his gender.
My husband Michael and I wanted a surprise, but after having to endure several ultrasounds due to potential complications, we both studied the screen looking for any signs of a willy because curiosity got the best of us. It turns out we should stick to our day jobs, as we had no idea what we were looking for.
Based on my hunch, I spent days lugging out my three-year-old daughter Isla’s boxes of outgrown clothing, re-washed everything and organised the clothes accordingly. I stocked the nursery closet with onesies ranging from 0000’s to six months. I organised the shoes, jackets and headbands and dug out the pink baby blankets. I tried to paint the baby’s room a neutral grey, but when Michael suggested we repaint it because it had a feminine violet undertone, I shrugged my shoulders and told him it would be a waste of time.
I did, however, have one drawer dedicated to neutral and blue garments. But I didn’t bother to wash most of them as I thought they would make good baby gifts for one of my many expecting friends.
Little did I know that the joke was on me, and everyone else including Isla, who didn’t think it was funny at all.
Isla had made up her mind from day one that she would be having a sister. She wouldn’t even entertain the idea of having a brother. So when she came in to meet her new sibling, her little face dropped.
‘I wanted a girl.’
I smiled and urged her to give him a kiss, hoping it would break the ice. She did, but it didn’t help any.
‘He doesn’t smell very nice. Girls smell nice.’
I couldn’t help but laugh.
She went back to her gran’s that evening and slept on the news, and the next day decided he smelt a bit better and that it would be OK if he came home with us, especially because he(we) bought her a Poppy the Troll doll.
Fast forward to two months later, and she will not let that little boy out of her sight. She smothers him with kisses and cuddles to the point I have to tell her to give him some space. She helps with nappy changes and bath time and sings him songs and tells him stories. My heart is full when I see the two of them together.
Isla said she would never want to give up Louis, but hasn’t given up on the idea of having a sister. In fact, she’s already put in an order for two girls next year. Eek!
