Our Donovan; from none to One.

Three children was quite comfortable for us, in fact with three children in the First World you can have the typical five seater car, a two or three bedroom house or apartment even, or even a bench with three stools at breakfast time for those three children. We were content and comfortable, life may have been a little more predictable even, and whilst our eldest child was quite a responsible four year old daughter, on family outings Campbell and I could hold the hand of our other two young children and be mindful of them all in safety in public quite comfortably. Doing a trip to the grocery store it was quite doable taking them, whether holding their hands or all in the trolley.

Life with three kids was comfort zone for us, or me at least I would say.

I could feel the comfort zone boundaries of three, have the capability of being stretched a little - a fourth child perhaps? Could a fourth child possibly fit into the image above? I was 25, my husband 27 at the time the photo above was taken. It was common for people to think we were 'crazy' having children so close together; and it was also as UNcommon for people to believe we planned it this way. Perhaps not seen as often in families and this modern society. Nonetheless we wanted to be parents in our prime, and is probably the best decision I think we have made to date, apart from choosing to marry each other.

The answer to question; could another child possibly fit into that image above? Yes, indeedy. 

We fell pregnant with our fourth child around the month of April of 2011. We had decided, contrary to what we had previously done with our previous three children, that we would not find the gender of child number 4. Partly because it didn't matter the gender, and we found it a little exciting to anticipate the surprise. 

Pregnancy with baby 'x' was good, I was probably the most health conscious with this pregnancy and made effort to eat well and have a brisk walk most mornings. I felt great, pregnancy appointments all fine, what other can one expect than a good birth and healthy baby? I was grateful.

At 35 weeks into my pregnancy, a Tuesday evening while Campbell attended his Bishopric duties, I recall tidying up the dinner dishes and sitting down with my son two year old son, Bruce, and I felt strange pains from my belly. Surely not a contraction I thought,  I continued with kids night routine, bath, story time, tucking in. Fast forward to 9pm that evening, these pains became consistent, up until about 4am the next morning - and baby 'x' was born! A beautiful boy, weighing about 6 pound, a healthy weight for a baby 5 weeks premature. 

We had decided on a name be it a boy, and our babe was named Donovan Moli Walshe.

Donovan, is the name of my beautiful brother who has passed, and Moli the name of my dear father.

What a lovely surprise, and even a sigh of relief I didn't have to carry for another 5 weeks, the strains of pregnancy in the final trimester.

First photo taken of Donovan. Moment with mummy post-birth before visitors.

He was a beautiful straight-light-haired boy with features that were distinct and reminiscent of Campbell (I thought!) First 36 hours in hospital I had a swift recovery and all seemed to be going okay apart from Donovan producing dark vomits which can apparently be normal for newborns, and he also had signs of slight jaundice. He hadn't done a poo, which could also be seen as normal as some newborns don't have bowel movements up to two days since being born.

Baby Donovan, front right. With his 4 week old cousin Pu'eomanu, front left; 5 year old cousin Taumei, back left; 2 year old brother Bruce, back left

At about the 48 hour mark since been born, the immediate events following were unprecendented and a shock to us all. In short, Donovan's dark vomits had actually been bileous vomits (he was regurgitating bile - not good at all) and after he had been transported from Sunshine Hospital, to the Royal Children's Hospital Intensive Care Unit, tests were done and within about 5 hours of arriving, he had an extensive operation on his bowels. 

Surgeons had found four obstructions in his bowel, whilst also finding a coiled part of his bowel which was interestingly abnormal. These obstructions caused food (milk) unable to get through the whole of his digestive system, and as a result he would vomit up the digested milk and other acid, also known as bile. So in short, it was physiologically impossible for Donovan to do a poo!

The duration of the operation was about 3-5 hours roundabout (to be honest I can't remember exact timing, that whole time was a whirlwind) and they took out about 30% of bad bowel, separated the obstructions in the bowel and sewed them up altogether. He was in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for about 7 days, heavily sedated for about 3 of them, and doctors were hesitant about his progress following - we could only wait and see. 

Possibly the worst feeling Campbell and I have experienced in our lives - the waiting. 

The Director of NICU sat us down and told us the varying progress Donovan could have, also from his experience of infants of similar problem. We were looking at Donovan being in hospital for at least a month to a year, and that was if his operation was successful. We felt overwhelmed, but so grateful at the same time because we were at one of, if not the best hospital in the world for children. 30 minutes away from our home. I felt comfort and peace and try to prepare myself for the long haul, and also the possibilty of our son not surviving. These were the very possible outcomes. 

The following photos are of Donovan and the many medications he was on, including oxygen. He had the most wonderful nurses, and doctors. The MOST wonderful! I am amazed and grateful they do what they do so well. They were attuned to his physical and emotional needs, and to ours also. They were truly angels. They helped us understand quite well what was happening with Donvan, articulating his drugs, the purpose of them, the way they work in conjunction with each other etc. 

I was taken back to my high school Biology class and it was confirmed to myself the reason why I didn’t take up Chemistry!

Donovan, the day following his operation. Amazing technology at The Royal Children's Hospital.

Modern medications are amazing. And so is the power of Prayer and Fasting - even moreso. We had our family and friends, pray, fast, have his name on prayer rolls at various temples around the world - for his progress  and recovery to be speedy and successfully healthy.

The timeline we were given of his potential stay in hospital put us in a position where were literally had to take one minute, one hour at a time. Our children, and gratefully so, were jumping from grandparent to grandparent, aunty to aunty, so I could be in hospital with Donovan all throughout the days. And Campbell also, while he had gone to back to work. He had his own business at the time, our income dependant upon. 

Donovan was in hospital for the space of 21 days, and he was home! Home with us! His nurses and specialists were amazed at his recovery and would mention we were lucky. We knew without a doubt - it was all things combined - health facilities, health professionals and last but not least the divine and direct result of the power of prayer and fasting. Donovan is meant to be on this earth, at this time. There are no words in the English or otherwise language to explain such a blessing Donovan’s health resulted. Only a feeling of comfort, peace and profound gratitude.

Donovan's first day home from hospital

...with lovely aunty Nelia

A month following his arrival home, we were able to experience a beautiful Sunday of his blessing shared with family and friends.

And just this past week, on January 4, 2013, our precious Donovan turned one year old. A great milestone for us in so many ways. We had a little party for him and celebrated with our loved ones. It was a beautiful day. On his invite was this little poem;

When I was so little my nurses called me 'ducky'

For after my baths my hair went 'fluffy'

This is a great milestone for us you see

Come celebrate and wear some 'yellow' with me!

It was a beautiful day, weather wise, company wise, and food wise of course.

Donovan asleep for the first two hours of his party.. of course. 

Cousin Quadey and brother Brucey knocked out mid-party.. they must've felt relieved.. their parents too.

Wondering about the strange song people seem to be singing to him 

Making sure icing is of worthy tasting

Second nap on Uncle James..

An exhasuting day for certain littlies, and mums and dads, we enjoyed celebrating Donovan's first birthday. A relaxing, beautiful day. Donovan had two naps within his party. It was wonderful to be with and catch up with loved ones.

People comment on how quiet he is; not a loud baby. Which he might be, but his countenance certainly radiates aloud the innocence and perfection a child can emanate. This blog post is entitled "from none to One" - one being his first year of age. 

In hindsight his beginnings of mortality brought some unfamiliar territory. Not knowing if he would survive, to the beautiful healthy boy he is today with such a pleasant and kind nature. He bravely and successfully fought his physical battles in the first days of life, and for all we know may in the future if complications arise which is also possible. He was and is surrounded by those who love him dearly. So in essence, I would edit the title of this blog.

"Our Donovan; from none to Won."

unedited.

Today, a good camera is quite accessible to the ordinary fellow like you or I and you can with a little effort take a great photo, and with a little more effort sometimes clasped with talent, edit a photo and turn it into a breathtaking  says-a-thousand-words-picture. Who doesn’t love a great photo?

I love how a beautiful photo can take you into another world.

I've noticed and enjoyed friends, or others igniting their own personal (professional) photography brand. Really nifty way of spreading talent, making business, which I think is really cool. Such talent  could take a photo of me in my pyjamas and after airbrushing, contrasting, colouring - chuck me on the front of a magazine cover. Okay, maybe not the person in the pyjamas, but you get my drift.

I admire friends who have shed their wonderful talent in photography, and I adore the photos a dear friend, Leanne Leatitagaloa, who shot of my family earlier this year. She captured the essence of what our family is. That is - when Campbell or I aren't looking forward to some shut-eye after work and after our four little monkeys have out-swung their energy out for the day.

So, for awhile I've wanted to blog about my thoughts of imagery, photos. 

Unedited photos.

How amazing are the various Apple i-gadjets, instilled with self-capturing technology, inbuilt cameras  in phones, desktops, laptops, iPads, and the like. And what a practical invention. As a mother, with all my babes at home, none of which at school, our days can be filled a lot, or quite the opposite. Being homebound can create fun, or otherwise, lots of wriggles that haven't been wriggled out. I love capturing these moments on 'PhotoBooth' an application on our MacBook laptop. I'm almost always in my pyjamas, whilst with the kids I try not to suffer them being in their pyjamas all day. Now the older three - Luaipou aged 4, Vaiola aged 3 and Bruce aged 2 - will basically dress themselves It's always a grand day when you have the delivery man, or unexpected visitors at 4pm and you greet them in your pyjamas and wonderfully poised bed-hair. This is our life. And I love it, I do.

Over the last two years or thereabout, the kids and I have embraced the world of the inbuilt camera in our computers. Which also include video-capturing options. As much as I love our professional and beautiful edited photos, I've also embraced the everyday photos that we take of ourselves. It catches the kids (& me) as we truly are. And perhaps the low mega-pixel, gives that relaxed casual feel. I love to look at these photos, and remember the day we had, the fun we had pulling faces, and I guess being their (proud) mummy, they are most relaxed and their true personalities come out. Some of our photos and videos are more vanity induced than others, which makes it all the more hilarious. Who doesn't have that natural tendency to do the 'fish-lips'? Okay, maybe my husband. But it's so much fun.

 

  

 

Just recently I stumbled upon photos that pleasantly surprised me.

My girls had taken photos of themselves without my knowing - posing, pulling faces, smiling and the like. It gave me a little insight into their sweet and somewhat confident little personalities that bring so much joy to our lives. What a sweet and funny surprise when I found these. Even sweeter, the ones where they had taken one of themselves altogether.

Out of focus. A little.

Siblings. I adore this one especially. 

Oh.

Dear.

Luaipou.

  

Lovely Vaiola's ‘after & before’ shot after cutting her own hair.

Donovan's second Mother. She is a wonderful girl & sister!

My thoughts as writing this post seemed progress to the following.
As humans, we want to edit out the bits in our lives, here and there so that we can have what we see as a perfect slate. I know that perfectionism of oneself will not be attained in this life. Some days I would definitely like to be perfect! Like a beautifully edited photo, it would be wonderful to airbrush out the flaws, the choices, the darkspots. All it takes is driving past an advert at a bus stop and seeing the 'perfect' person with the perfect features so delicately holding an ice cream to awaken natural feelings of wanting to be perfect whether they be inner qualities or physical beauty. 

But I know. I know I wouldn't have certain qualities that have come from experience, that have given me courage to make choices for me and my family today. I'm grateful for the imperfections that I can see with my human eye, and experience with my choices. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has provided a way for me to return to that Heavenly Home again, with a Saviour, even Jesus Christ who can if I allow him, to edit, so to speak, the dark spots in my life.

I love and have instilled my heart the following 'words' which life today is so centered around beauty, more physical, and not enough on the spiritual. This gives me strength on particular days, moreso than others. It's a 'quote' I guess, that has come to fruition in my life and the wording has sprouted from my own feeling. I think of it often, especially in a world that focuses on physical beauty which is ever enticing.

The truest form beauty, is found in imperfection & difference.

I love photographs, imagery, and the power it can bring. I love the talent people have in experiencing their love for photography (and even better when they can practise on my family and me).

I also love self-capturing devices. They are great especially when there isn't another grown-up or able person around. There is only one favourite of all situational images.

Campbell and me - with our lovable monkeys.

A Princess Playdate & Miss Luaipou's Birthay Cake

You might've guessed Miss Pouey is three

                                                But just in a little she will no longer be

For December has come a'knocking at our door

Which gladly means she will now be four

All things princess she prances to be

She'd love if you dressed as one, you see

We'd love to have you come celebrate

A Princess (or Prince) Playdate & Miss Pouey's Birthday Cake

Birthday girl awoke at 6am on Monday December 12, 2011 and jumped into her mummy & daddy's bed, then pranced off to grandma's bed (but most likely not brave enough to jump into aunty Nelia's bed) to announce "Hey, guess what - it's my birthday now!" 

As a babe she could be boisterous and restless legs always bouncing off the lap of the person carrying her. She was now a professed princess, turning four & ready to embrace a world of wonder. Eldest sister to a younger brother & sister, she has taken them under her wing with pride. One of my favourite things about her. But today was her day - her birthday. From 12am to 12pm she made that much clear, ha! 

She had a birthday breakfast with Grandma & Pa at a local cafe, crepes being her specific order. Her mother's daughter indeed.

She returned home to eagerly await her fellow royal friends whom she'd invited to celebrate her day with. Cake was prepared, decorations hanging & set, everything ready for a day of fun.

Friends began to arrive Pouey greeted them running down the stairs as her royal friends entered. Elegantly dressed, they entered a little of Pouey's kingdom.
Prince Michael fittingly found riding his horse & Princess Aimee elegantly dressed in white - just some of the little guests of the day.

Once all had arrived, Pouey an avid storybook lover each night before bed, wanted to read a favourite with her friends on her birthday. One of my favourites also, authored by Rachel Ann Nunes it is written beautifully and painted illustration with rich colours of detail by David Helmsley. Entitled 'Daughter of A King'.

This is a story of little country girl Katie who is taught that she has come from a Crystal Palace before birth and there awaits the loving King for her return. She believes she is a princess of this king, but has come for a little while to live in care of parents raising her from physical birth. She tries her best to emanate the behaviour of that of a kind loving princess, though at times she would fall short.  

This picture book embraces our journey here in the mortal realm and to be living our divine heritage even though we may fall short at times. We are indeed only "here for a little while" but our Heavenly Father awaits as he hopes that our behaviour emanates our divine heritage and indeed our return to Him one day, although we may not wear the physical attire of royalty. There is nothing more powerful and visible than the countenance of a child or adult, who knows 'who' they are & not get caught up in the worldly fashion of 'what' they are.

I recommend this simple yet powerful story to everyone, especially those with young children.

The children seemed to love the story. 

It was time after the story for Pouey to blow her big candles on her cake. I decided to go for a buying a cheap $2 barbie doll from Reject Shop, took off the tacky clothes (ha!) got the glue gun out and left over ribbon & strings and played fashion designer. It was fun.

After the birthday song was sung, Pouey got straight into saying her own "hip hip!" to which everyone replied "hooray!" and I thought that was quite cute, as it revealed a little of her eager personality.

And finally the Princess had run enough of a 'royal mok' and after trails of crumbs of food were had in their dresses and about, each guest said their royal goodbyes - little thank yous from Pouey were given. Because we know how mums love lolly bags for their children to take home right after a birthday celebration of treats & sweets.

Everyone had retreated to their royal abodes, and left within the Walshe abode were two exhausted princesses with one pooped prince. Not to mention the queen mother who was ready for some quiet time. Perhaps the perfect depiction of depleated energy levels can me summated through these 'before & after' shots. And of course noting time in between these were taken - was had a lot of fun.

BEFORE

Beginning of playdate...

AFTER

A few hours after some royal fun...

And so, it was to be realised that our eldest babe had turned an 'I'm-a-big-girl-now' four years of age. Where time had gone from the first time I had since become a mother, was unknown, yet unworried for, for present happiness couldn't compare to any of the past.