Sunday, December 30, 2018

Yopping Update #26 - She is here!


She arrived at 9:18am December 27th, 2018.  And don't they both look just perfect.

I haven't got to hold her yet because the hospital is not allowing any visitors due to a flu outbreak in Split, but thank goodness for texting and cell phones.

They should be home later today.   I can't wait to hold them both.

Knitting is a great way to pass the time while ones daughter is in labour.  I finished something for the baby, and for her daddy, and some tree ornaments for my daughter to hang on her tree when she gets home.

We haven't had Christmas yet because my daughter was put in hospital on Christmas Eve so when she gets home it will be Christmas and Baby and New Year's all rolled into one.


I saw this cute Santa trying to break into a restaurant window near our apartment.

We are doing well navigating the streets, stores, and restaurants near our house.  The seawall is only minutes from our door and it is a beautiful place to walk and enjoy a bijela kavu (white coffee) in the outdoor cafes.  When the sun is out it is so warm to sit outside and enjoy the view.



My husband and I went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.  It started at 11:30 and ended at 1:20am.  It was the first time my husband has attended a mass with me.  Of course it was all in Croatian, and the church was filled to capacity.  I lit a candle for my daughter, and we were home and in bed by 2am.  Here is a picture of the nativity scene at the front of the church.



We were up at 7 to go visit her in the hospital for a couple of hours on Christmas Day and then home for a long afternoon nap.  On the 26th there was a concert at the church and afterwards a live reenactment of the Christmas birth.  The balcony of our apartment overlooked the square where Mary and Joseph, Jesus and the animals were on display.  We had VIP seats for certain.

Here is the crowd below us:



And here the kings are coming to visit the baby Jesus (who was a live baby!)


and of course the animals in the stable:





Then there was lots of chances for locals to get photos taken with the holy family:



After the show we spent some time with our son-in-law, and by 8pm he was getting messages from our daughter that labour was truly underway.  I went to bed about midnight and woke up at 4:30 to a message that her water had broken and things were well on the way.

After a few nervous texts with her husband, we fell back to sleep and woke up to the message and picture that opened this blog.  What a gift!



That night we went to her house where her husband's family had gathered to congratulate us all.  There was wine and a lot of laughter.  His family is so warm and welcoming to us.

Friday I spent doing laundry, and housework and knitting more little kits from my simply Knitting magazine.




I will have to get to a wool store sometime in the new year as I am running out of knitting to do!  Gasp.  I know, right?

So, we have a month to spend with our new grand-daughter before we head home.  It will be so hard to leave them:


Wishing all my readers the blessings of these twelve holy nights, and Peace to all in the coming year.

To follow other yoppers check out their stories here.

PS:  They are both home, and I can't stop gazing at her and her Mum.  A Christmas miracle and blessing for certain.











12 comments:

  1. Oh Mary-Anne congratulations! Your daughter and grand-daughter do indeed look perfect! Enjoy celebrating Christmas, New Year and especially New Baby once they all get home and the next month with them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How wonderful! A safe birth and celebrations in your adopted city, much to be thankful for. Enjoy, and more stories please.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have been wondering over Christmas whether there’d been a little arrival, how wonderful. Enjoy your first cuddle when you are able. It sounds quite wonderful where you are and how lovely for you to get a month with your daughter, SIL and granddaughter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh yay!!! Congratulations to you all. I hope you have a brilliant month and make many memories to take you to your next visit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations, Mary-Anne! She is adorable and LOTS of hair! Now is not the time to be running out of wool! Find a LYS soon so you can leave behind little things for your Grand Daughter to have. You now have a whole month to love the stuffing out of that baby girl. You are one lucky Grandma. It will be a big help for her mom and dad too. The ornaments you have made are very cute and will be perfect on a tree.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So happy for you all. She is gorgeous. Enjoy your time together and enjoy your belated celebrations x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congratulations to you all, Mary-Anne! What a beautiful baby girl. Is it too early to say I think she looks like her mama? And I think her mama looks like her mama! So baby must take after you! :)

    I pray that you have a glorious month with the new baby - of course you will. I feel so happy for you - seriously, I'm tearing up a bit here imagining your joy. Blessed Christmas season to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  8. what a bright and hopeful way to end 2018 and look forward to 2019. Congratulations to you all!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congratulations! What a great time to be born and what a beautiful baby. :) Happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, it all brought tears to my eyes! Your beautiful daughter and baby and the live nativity and the fact that his family has welcomed you.....so wonderful....they don't call it the season of love for nothing!
    Your little knitted items are so cute but truly....you need to get to a yarn store quickly! Your grand daughter is gorgeous and reminds me of my daughter when she was born as she had lots of dark hair too.....how precious and you can see the love of her Mom and Dad....how exciting and thrilling for all of you! Congratulations and Happy New Year to all!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations on your beautiful grand-daughter and beautiful family. What a fabulous way to herald the New Year and a special Christmas gift. I LOVE the nativity with live actors (including the furry ones). What a special time you are having. It is so awesome. Season's Greetings and Happy New Year. A special year to come indeed. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hoo-rah! Congrats on the safe birth of your granddaughter. Glad your daughter is doing well. Have a lovely visit.

    ReplyDelete

I look forward to reading the comments. It makes me feel like I am not just posting into the void.