Skip to main content

One week old.

Seven whole days since our small bean arrived earthside! It feels unbelievable that she’s reached the one week mark already, yet it also feels like she has been here for much longer. And what a long week it has been at that!



For the most part, things have been going surprisingly well (please touch wood). She’s a settled and happy wee thing who has kind of just slotted into our family. Her big sister talks about her all the time and is very curious, but a little bit hesitant to touch her. She has taken it all in her stride though and we are so proud of them both.

Feeding is going well, sleeping is going well, and overall things feel manageable and good. It’s truly a very welcome contrast to our experience of becoming parents the first time around. We’ve definitely had our moments where things feel a bit much or the adjustment is tricky, but this time round these are only moments you know, rather than 24/7? I am afraid of jinxing things though, despite knowing that we will have our ups and downs, so I’ll just leave this stuff here.

Everyone has been asking us, “how’s it going?” and we answer that it’s good, it’s good, it’s so good, which is true. Sometimes we also say that it’s easier than the first time around. I’ve been feeling a little guilty about saying that though, in case it’s interpreted the wrong way. This is all the truth, but I don’t want people to think that we loved our first baby any less, simply because we had a far tougher time. She was a completely different baby and we found the fourth trimester so hard, but I don’t want anyone to think that this reflects on who she is, if that makes sense? Our big babe is all forms of wonderful and neither is “better” or “worse” than the other. We as parents just coped differently with each one and their uniqueness has been integral to our growth as a family. We love them both infinitely and they are each exactly who we need them to be.

As for the small babe herself, she’s absolutely lovely. She smells so nice. Her skin is so soft. She does those gorgeous newborn face scrunches while she sleeps. She was born too long for all of the newborn clothes we have, so already fits nicely into the 0-3 month size. She has very long toes, has regained her birth weight, and her hair goes fluffy after a bath. Her cry genuinely sounds like a lamb - it’s both so sweet and heartbreaking - but we don’t hear it very often at all. She’s such a joy and to be loving her is such a gift.

And as for me, I’d forgotten how much it feels like you’ve been hit by a truck, post-birth. Each day I feel a bit stronger though and less like I’m just going to fold in half down the middle, so that’s been nice. I’m going a little stir-crazy bring at home too, so I’m looking forward to venturing out in the next few days. Today I’m aiming to have a shower which will be super exciting, I can’t wait.

All in all, everything is going so well and it all feels like it’s glowing softly. It’s scary how well it’s all going, because I keep worrying when will it all be taken away? When will things just feel devastatingly hard? But Mary Oliver is to the rescue once again: 





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

It gets easier (yes, yes it does).

Last night I had the privilege of reading this post by Emily Writes; a favourite author, advocate, and rebel of mine. And my goodness, her words rang true! When our toddler was about 6 weeks old, we were at one of our first Space sessions where lo and behold she screamed for most of the time. I was trying to hold back the tears as I watched all of my mum friends with their happy babies, seemingly having it all together and knowing what they were doing. I didn’t know why my baby screamed so much and why nothing I did would settle her. After cursing myself for leaving the house and swearing to never go back, I started talking to one of the session coordinators. She told me that she had four kids, much to my absolute horror in that moment. I had no idea how it was even humanly possible to cope with one child, let alone four! I felt as though I would be stuck beneath these tidal waves of desperation and drowning and just wanting it all to end, forever. I asked her how she did it, you know...

Of birds and seed.

Earlier this week, our country got some disappointing, yet inevitable news. Community transmission of COVID-19 was back and as a result, we may all be returning to lockdown. While the government was working out what to do, everyone began to respond a little differently. Some played the blame game or jumped on ever so helpful conspiracy theories. Others started stockpiling toilet paper and flour again, as they seemingly must have used up their hoard from the previous lockdown. Some selfishly hurried off to their baches, trying to escape to a place where they could spend the time fishing. In my usual, unusual way, I decided that we immediately needed to get some wild bird seed. It’s not really the first thing you’d think to get when you’re preparing for a potential lockdown. Most would probably go for paint or vegetable seedlings or chocolate. But alas, this was my first thought to entertain my bird-enthusiast toddler. This posed the next question though, what to do with 1kg of bird seed...

A definitive ranking of places to throw up when you're pregnant.

It was the other night as I was ever so elegantly puking into the overgrown bushes that grace our driveway, that this idea pinged into my head. Why not write about the common places to throw up in when morning sickness (let's face it though, a man definitely came up with that name, it's all day and night) has you wrapped around it's little finger? How fun! Definitely a normal thing to write about. And even better, I'm ranking them from worst to best, so if you're reading this and you ever have enough time to choose where you next puke, then hopefully this list will be helpful. I'm giving myself the grand authority to list these places because I've been lucky enough to have thrown up hundreds of times over two pregnancies. What a dream! Places to throw up in when you're pregnant, from worst to best: 1) On yourself in the car when you don't have a suitable receptacle. This is most probably the worst place. It will go on your clothes. It will soak onto ...