Milestone

Two years ago today I was snorting gas, panting, moaning and writhing in bed. It was quite a party - the birth of my second child.

Yep, wee Girlchild is two years old today! It's truly hard to believe that on this night in 2005 I was enveloped in the most wonderful feeling of bliss and happiness I could ever imagine. I was totally in love with my golden-haired girl - a lucky mom after trying for a long time for a second baby.

I had read about this bliss in many baby books and didn't really believe it could be true. Although I had a wonderful childbirth experience with Boychild, too, the days and weeks that followed were anxious ones filled with tears (mostly mine) and a constant, gnawing, aching feeling of dread and fear that I was going to do something wrong and break the baby. (The dread passed and so far he seems to be turning out okay!)

Perhaps it was because I was a more experienced mom or maybe it was just the right combination of hormones and moon cycles, but when Girlchild was born I felt that rapturous bliss they talk about in the books - that feeling of absolute joy and warm love and happiness and thankfulness and contentment and and and...it's just so hard to put into words.

Today she's two. And she's a princess - the island girl in a sea of boys (we have no close friends nearby with girls, but Girlchild holds her own amid a throng of busy young lads). In those moments when I want to run screaming from the house - and they do happen - I should remember to think back to that first night: Girlchild and I nestled in our hospital room, staring deep into each others' eyes, cosy, safe and totally in love. I hope we'll feel that way forever.