Isabella turns 2!

Two years ago at this time I must say that I was a little nervous, anxious, yet excited. I was preparing to go the following day to Nyköpings Lasarette for a scheduled c-section. I felt it was scarier to know that it was going to happen for sure the next day than not knowing and just going into labor as I did with Alex. Also, the unknown was a little frightening. I was going to have a baby in a foreign country without my OB-GYN that I had grown to respect and absolutely trust with my life, and the the doctor that was doing the surgery, I had never met. Throughout my pregnancy I only met with a midwife that followed and charted my pregnancy. I am thankful that I had an easy, uneventful pregnancy (other than the terrible nausea). (With Alex I suffered from elevated blood pressure and was on medicine for that. So, that pregnancy involved a lot more observation.) Thankfully, everything went wonderfully. I thought that my experience with Isabella was much easier and calmer than with Alex. If I were to have a #3 I would definitely rather do that while living here in Sweden. I was very impressed with their labor & delivery unit and I am also EXTREMELY impressed with the Swedish welfare system that entitles all new mothers and fathers (yes, I said AND FATHERS) time to be at home with their children for atleast a year while earning 80% of their salary or the minimum for unemployed. I feel it is so important for a child to be with her mother during atleast that first year of life and I feel blessed to have been able to share in that year with Isabella.

Now she will be turning 2 tomorrow and I keep wondering where the time went. The idea is bittersweet. It seems like yesterday when I was in my hospital bed, she was in her little portable crib, and I would just look at her with pure joy, contentment, and wonderment. So happy to have been given the opportunity to be a Mom for the second time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISABELLA!