Babies...Chele's story

I first met Chele on Orientation Day for high school, in December 1993. She was going to be in my class in Grade 8 when we started high school the next February, and I remember singling her out to be my friend because we shared the same name :D The next time I saw her was the first day of high school in 1994. From that day on, we were best friends. We did everything together and had so many great times and laughs. We weren’t in the same class in Grade 9, but we still remained best friends.

Through the following years of high school, we were still friends but by Grade 12 we had moved on to different groups. Chele met and married Andrew in 2002, and I was there at her wedding (got a lil bit teary, too!). We remained in contact sporadically after this, then when I had met Brad, I invited Chele and Andrew over to our place to meet Brad, and also to see our new house, as it was a beautiful Queenslander and I knew Chele would love it :] I answered the door when they arrived, and there was Chele with a pregnant belly!! I was so excited for her, and a few months later was there at her Baby Shower. Not long after that, in May 2006, baby Fletcher was born. We went to Chele’s place to meet Fletcher, and in the months following we would go to each others’ places for dinner – helped by the fact that Brad and Andrew got along great also :] Chele and Andrew came to our Engagement Party, and to our wedding, and one day in the first half of 2009 we were chatting on the phone to organise to go out for dinner, when Chele told me she’d been feeling a bit sick --- because her and Andrew “are expecting”. I was so very excited!!!

Chele's due date was 28/10/09, and in May she found out she was expecting a little girl <3 In the last few months she had been wracking her brain for names and asked for a few suggestions, and me being a 'names freak', I was happy to offer a few :]

The 28/10/09 came and went, then on Saturday 31/10/09, baby Claudia-Jean Bronte was born, weighing a healthy 9lbs! She has dark hair and deep blue eyes, quite different to her blonde big brother. But she looks so very precious and I can't wait to meet her <3

Babies...Brenda's story

I had heard so much about Brenda before we met, as she is my husband Brad’s sister, and they are very close. I met Brenda after Brad and I had been together a few weeks, and we got along famously :] She is only a year older than me, and we were both at the same stage in our lives. Me, Brad, Brenda and her then boyfriend Kieran quickly became the ‘Awesome Foursome’ and we were always catching up. It got the point where Brenda and I would became closer than Brenda and Brad hehehe. In April 2007, Brad and I got engaged. Shortly after in June 2007, Brenda and Kieran got engaged. Over the next 12 months Brenda and I planned our weddings together which was wonderful. I was one of her bridesmaids and she was one of mine. I always wanted to be with a guy who had a sister who could be my friend, and I found that in Brenda :] <3 Brad and I married in May 2008, and Brenda and Kieran in August 2008.

We knew they were wanting to start a family ‘soonish’ and then in February 2009 Brenda announced her pregnancy, due on 19/10/09 :] In May, Brenda found out that she was expecting a baby boy. It was all so very exciting!! I hosted Brenda's baby shower in September which was fun. We were all sure Brenda would 'pop' early, so when her due date came and went we were all very surprised. Finally, 8 days after her due date, she was induced, and seven hours later, at 4:01am on 28/10/09, baby Fletcher William was born. He is so little at 7lb 4oz and just the most gorgeous little thing!! I can't wait to give Fletcher a cousin some day ;]