JourneyMan in the house.

While waiting to start my new job, I was watching a episode of '16 and pregnant'. As JG has mentioned, I'm pretty low key and I don't feel much anticipation of coming events. JG would have liked me to have been more active in eagerly anticipating JBB's arrival. I did find, while watching a 16 y.o. attending to her newborn son, that I felt a rush of adrenalin and was quite excited about the arrival of my son in the next few months.

I know I will be an interested parent because my youngest sister was born when I was 10, so I was around little ones early. I've baby sat for my two friends, that each have multiple daughter's. Also my exposure to this, tells me that I will e wrestnjoy his company and be able to look after him.

While looking at baby car seats the other day with JG, I discovered some tops with motorbike/rockstar/cars on them, so once he's born I think I will buy him some cool clothes to roll around in.

I am looking forward to playing games with JBB like peek-a-boo and soft toy wrestling. I am hoping that I can soothe him when he is grumpy by playing some guitar or with some other types of music.

It will be really cute when he's wearing little jumpsuits and swaddling rugs. Once he's older, I'm looking forward to playing ball games and running with him. Most of all I'm looking forward to the multiplication of fun and love between our little family.

Greetings from the couch...

True to my word, the couch has been my best friend today (along with JourneyDog of course!) and I intend for it to be tomorrow as well, though JourneyMan and I are thinking of a movie which will be nice. I didn't go to the market again this week - the thought of the smells there was my undoing, I just couldn't face it.

I did have a big day yesterday. I went to see one of my friends for lunch who is pregnant with her second. It was lovely to see her, I hadn't seen her for quite awhile, we were supposed to catch up before we went to Thailand but then she told me that she was pregnant and I just couldn't face the stress before the trip - I did let her know why and she was very understanding. We had a good discussion about our group of friends, there are five of us that are pregnant and one friend who just had a son a week or so ago. I can't help but be thankful that our trip to Thailand was successful otherwise I don't think I would be able to leave the house all year. I have the latest due date.

I have to admit, I am trouble assimilating myself back in to the world of socialising with my friends. It is Australia day on Tuesday and a friend is having a BBQ and all of the group will be going but I don't think that I can face it just yet. I feel like I am still suffering the after effects of the slow detatchment from my life that IF caused in me. I have always been pretty shy and not particularly confident in a group but I used to like going and catching up with my friends - I used to have fun! However, the IF journey over the past few years leached more and more of my confidence from me leaving me feeling unable to cope with group situations and barely able to cope with one on ones. The situation with my sister as well has caused me to reasses my view of myself. I used to think that I was fairly wise because I had seen and been through alot emotionally in my life and that I had some good advice to impart on others - I have to think that that's not particularly true anymore. I am a bit of a doubting Thomas about myself right at this time.

I don't suppose I will ever return to who I used to be - how can I, I have had to many ups and downs since that time, I mean it is hard to forget times when I have literally howled uncontrollably after a cycle disappointment - it feels like a scar on my heart. Even the joy of being pregnant has an undercurrent of caution. I've always considered myself a fairly brave person, if I found any fear within myself, I usually tried to find a way to face up to it, this part of me seems to have eeked away somewhat.

On the other hand, the IF journey has provided me with many positives in my life. I am more grateful for the blessings in my that I have in my life than I ever have been before - each day I think about how lucky I am, how very, very lucky. I think I am extremely resourceful and resiliant - I am not afraid to fight for what I want.

I am going to take it slow I think. I will enter the world of socialising again but I will take as much time as I need. Hopefully, what will happen eventually is that I will become a new person - one comprised of the best of the pre-IF me and the new me. Hopefully I will be able to face the world again being brave like I used to be. Hopefully, this strong, confident woman will pass on this strength and confidence to her child.

Happy ICLW everyone - thanks for all the wonderful comments!