The Greatest Adventure of All

Loyal, loyal, loyal followers, fans, admirers, fanatics ....... the rumours are true ....... the most highly anticipated blog since the fabled tale of a reasonably unfit couple trying to walk up a large hill in the French Alps is back.

“Why?” I hear you ask “Why Tim, has it been so long?” “We’ve missed the thrill of adventure, the tales of daring, the chilling stories of Tim and Mai going for walks and stuff”. Well, there’s a very good reason for our absence, shortly after our mission to Mt Blanc we embarked on our greatest adventure of all, one of such epic proportions that this is the first time in well over two years I’ve had a chance to sit down and document this life changing journey. So strap on your seat belt, this is going to be a wild ride!

The Little Bean

Errr yeah so, somewhere between the middle and end of September 2017 Mai told me she was pregnant ....... BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!! I've been wanting to sit down and write something about this time in our lives for such a long time now. But as pretty much every parent on earth can relate to, finding the time to do stuff when you have kids can be, shall we say, a little challenging. And we've only got one, so far.......

For our Christmas break 2017, there was time for one last trip before the craziness that is parenthood would properly start. I could write an entire blog post about that trip, but by far and away the highlight of our time in Tasmania was seeing my incredible wife hike to the top of Cradle Mountain (whilst four months pregnant!?!?!). Getting to the top of Cradle Mountain ain't no walk in the park, with some serious scrambling near the top. Needless to say, I was very proud and impressed with Mai's effort and couldn't be happier that this little family's adventures together had already begun.

Mai on the summit of Cradle Mountain

Fast forward five months to the night of the 29 May 2018. We know the baby's due sometime soon, but honestly the actual due date isn't for another week and a half, so we're not thinking it's gonna be our time just yet. Then ....... Mai wakes me up at 1.30am and says "I think my water's broke". Oh sh#t, we're on!!

So we call the hospital, like the amateurs we are, thinking they're going to tell us to go back to bed and call them when the contractions start. Sure enough, they tell us to come in and good job they did. I'm not going to lie, it was a pretty nervous drive, being as absolutely cautious as I could be, through the empty streets of Sydney's North Shore in the middle of the night ....... don't mess this up Tim!

Mai sitting in the birthing room waiting for the contractions

We arrived at the hospital and they showed us into a birthing room where we would sit and wait. After what seemed like no time at all (but was probably a couple of hours) Mai started making some strange moaning noises. My first reaction was the leftovers we had for dinner might have been a bit risky considering the circumstances, but then I realised something else all together was happening.

I won't go into too much detail about the next few hours, but suffice to say I bravely supported my wife by letting her crush the index and forefinger on my right hand together every time there was a contraction, all without the support of drugs and supplemental oxygen!

Ah yes and Mai didn't do too bad either, a four hour labour with no drugs whatsoever and a lot of hard pushing. At one point she asked for two Panadols!! She took the two Panadeine Forte's (that the midwife advised might be a bit stronger than a paracetamol) and then proceeded to throw them straight back up again. I watched on as the miracle of life unfolded before my eyes.

All jokes aside and for the rest of my days, I will remain in absolute awe of Mai and how well she did that day. I'm still amazed that she didn't take anything for the pain and there was A LOT of pain for her. Every man on this earth could do with witnessing the birth of a child to realise how easy we've got it compared to women. Inspiring and humbling stuff.

Tears of joy

At somewhere around 8am, on the 30 May 2018, weighing in at 3.52kgs Riley Kai Barnes entered this world. Mum tired but having done amazing, Dad with slightly sore fingers but otherwise okay, both couldn't be any happier!!!

The two years that have passed since that day have just seemed to go in a flash. How do I summarise two years of life changing wonder? I'm not going to lie, parenthood isn't easy. But we feel like the luckiest people alive to be blessed with this amazing little guy, to watch him learn and grow. All the while we're learning and growing alongside him.

Riley, you have brought a joy, meaning and purpose to our lives that we never could have known without you. Your fun and laughter is the light of our lives and every single moment spent with you is the greatest privilege and happiness your Mum and I are blessed to have (even when you're up in the middle of the night screaming your head off and won't go back to sleep!). You are and always will be my number one boy.

Way way too many good times to tell them all, but some funny and firsts photos below, with many more good times to come. Especially considering that Mai is pregnant again (BEST NEWS EVER PART 2!!!!!) And in a couple of months time this little family is going to gain a new member. Dad, Mum and Riley can't wait to welcome Riley's little baby sister into the world and feel the blessing of the miracle that is having a child.

Riley's first night at home: