CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

25th December 2000

Another christmas is here...  As ever it seems as though we've only really just gotten over the last one...

It's definitely been an eventful year and Claire has written a christmas message which kind of summarises and reflects for a moment on things as seen from her perspective.....

Dear Family & Friends,

This year has gone so fast it was almost Christmas before I knew it.  As I recall this years events I realise how much we have accomplished and yet there is always so much more to do.

On January 1^st 2000 we found out I was pregnant.  WOW I hear you say.  It was a lovely yet scary way of entering this new millennium.  At that time we were living with my parents as we had sold our house and had not found anywhere to move into.  This itself was a little fraught, as sharing a house with five adults and one child more interesting as the time rolled on, and as you can imagine when I got pregnant I got very sick.  I was sick at least twice a day for about four months.  I lost over a stone in weight and was very nearly sent to hospital.  What a way to start a year!

In the mean time we were still working (I was signed off work for a short time) and looking for the house of our dreams in Milton Keynes.  After a couple of disasters with a few different houses and with mortgages we eventually moved into the house we are in now.  Sally was ecstatic.  A room of her own for her with Winnie the Pooh stickers and duvet covers.  Russell, well he has a room of his own too as well as the garage.  I have never seen quite so many computers fit into one room.  The garage houses his Honda Blackbird and his bedroom has his computer bits, which is nothing like our old house which had computer gear and car parts everywhere!  As for me I got a Kitchen to cook in, not that I did a lot of that to start of with as cooking made me sick.  By the end of April I could travel without being sick which was good as we were travelling to and from Hemel every day.  I began almost to feel normal, fat but normal.

Things went almost quiet; I was trying to convince my work that replacing me before I went on maternity would be a good idea.   Sally was a bridesmaid for my friend Jackie and Russell found a new job working for Luton Airport.

I left Budget on the 1^st August I went for a routine check-up on the 3^rd and it was found I had pre-eclampsia so was admitted to hospital that night.  My labour was induced on Saturday the 5^th august and Jasmine Elizabeth Scott arrived at 10.19 Saturday night.  She weighed 4 lb 13 oz.  Because of her weight we spent about three weeks in hospital. It was heart breaking leaving the hospital without a baby but somehow we managed.  That was almost the hardest thing I had to do all year. 

Jasmine and I tried breast-feeding.   I was expressing at home and in hospital to give her the best start I could.  However she just could not feed off me properly so after they took the tube out she started to loose weight.  The hardest thing I had to do this year was to admit that I could not breast feed my baby.  She was too small and too ‘lazy’ to get enough milk to sustain her (as is common with premature babies).  Even now 16 weeks later the feeling of failure has not diminished and I still get very upset about it from time to time.  I know Jasmine is happy and healthy but I can’t shake the feeling I have when I see other mum’s breast-feeding. 

A lot of praying went on during the time we were in hospital, (especially during the labour). I am very thankful that in the end God blessed us with a healthy little girl to add to our family.  Sally adores her sister and although we are still having little spouts of jealousy she has adapted to her new situation wonderfully well. 

After reviewing this year I hope that next year will not be quite as hectic but who knows.  I am hoping to stay at home and not go back to work.  Sally will be starting full time school and Russell will hopefully get MCSE trained and qualified.   I hope you have a good year and that this Christmas finds you well.  wish you a blessed Christmas and New Year and I look forward to either seeing of hearing from you very soon. 

Claire