Spring baby

Tomorrow is September. You are going to be a September baby - born in Spring, my absolute favourite month. The days start to get longer, the warmth starts to creep in - the whole world begins to bloom. Whereever we drive I am pointing out blossoms to your mama.. my favourite are the light pink ones.. mama likes the white ones. I am truly excited that you will be born in my favourite season. Every year we will celebrate in the new spring warmth, as we head out of the cold of winter, as everything bursts into life and we sow the seeds for our summer veges. Is it time to tell you about me? What would I say? I can't wait until you join our family.... I'm on high alert now that you are 5 days overdue... my level of excitement and sleeplessness is reaching new highs! I bite my nails, and can barely concentrate at work. This is my second last day - I am taking 5 weeks off to be with you and your mama when you come into the world. You'll be here this week most likely... we all wonder what you look like. Your sisters have been drawing you pictures and writing you cards... "Dear blobby, I wonder what your name will be?" It's still a secret.. well your Teta Fabe and Gabby know what your name is, but only the four of us are in on it. And your middle name is still up in the air - although I'm fairly confident I know what your mama will pick.

If I could do anything in the world I would grow plants... I think I may still do that when I get older... I always wanted to be a country girl - to live on a farm, to have chickens and a house cow, a big orchard and a vege garden... bake scones and make jams and pickles... wear aprons everywhere and send the children out into the paddock to play... I should have been born in the 50's in a country town.... of course if I had it would have never appealed to me. So I met your mama and we fell in love - she is the love of my life - and we decided to have our very own suburban farm. We want to live as sustainable a life as we can. So I now have my chickens, and vege gardens, and we're on the way to having an orchard... Soon we'll have our own water tanks to keep the garden growing by harvesting that valuable resource from the roof... we swap our eggs and veges with friends and family... and there is nothing in the world that gives me greater pleasure. At work I sit in front of a computer all day... and I dream of the soft grass under my bare feet and digging new holes for seeds, and what I need to get started for spring... the things I want to teach you all involve these skills. Knowing the essence of food - how it grows, where it comes from, how delicious it can be... how to nurture and protect the earth, how to work with it instead of destroy it. PJ and Gram - my mum and Dad taught me these things...

Are you ready to meet us yet my precious little blossom? It's nice and warm out here - come and play!

I have a sling to carry you around in - your mama has carried you so well for 9 whole months, it must be my turn now, I'd say she could do with a break... although I know it will break her heart not to have you inside her anymore... you two are such good buddies already...