10th June - that one day's plan becomes a lifetime of unpredictable events

birth plan: The birth plan is a written list of your preferences to be used as a guide for how you would like your labour and delivery to go. As labour can be unpredictable, you may need to deviate from this plan at times during labour.

Many days our life runs to routine. Get up, shower, do hair, make up, get dressed, breakfast, pack bags....out the door.

Once we arrive at school or work our days follow a predictable routine - allowing us to pick up the manouvres at the other end of the day.....

pick up at childcare, pick up at OSHC, shops, home, homework, cook tea, shower, (newly added "watch Deadly 60"), eat tea, random events, clean teeth, bed, start work, FB :), bed.

Today, was not such a day. Firstly, Kate had her second visit to school. I had some time in lieu, so had banked it to do the visit thing with her, planning to 'start' my Reports during her visit, and then (good mother that I am) pop her in front of the tv with her colouring books for a while to let me do some more work when she got home.

Coughs, splutters, rasping growls..... no, today was not going to plan!

As I measured out the third dose of her medicinal cocktail the radio was on. Some 'princess' was talking about how important it is to have a birth plan - to make sure that your labour experience is as peaceful and as tranquil as you desire it to be. That the thought of intervention is heinous.

Now, as one who has NEVER had a delivery that has gone to "plan" I fail to see the reason for lamenting this. My only stipulation has been "healthy". Get it out - keep us alive.

So it was that as I asked Kate to have another dose I realised "what is the point?" No other day with a child will run to plan!

They won't always sleep when they are meant to.

They won't always eat what is placed in front of them.
They won't always do as they are told.
They won't always respect your wishes.
They won't always make wise choices.

The day a child is born is the first day that they let you know.....

'and you thought you could control the world? Not anymore!'

photo of Kate: mid-cough.