one month

A month! A whole month already... actually it's almost 5 weeks since we had our little boy. As days and nights make way for a new unit of time; 3 hourly blocks, weeks blend together, and in this new pattern, time has flown by.

In this short time our little boy has already grown so much, both in weight, length, and cheek plumpity (today they looked so big I swear they were resting on his shoulders). He is doing brilliantly. I spend lots of time gazing into his tiny little face, and touching his tiny little arms and legs and wishing for him to never grow. Part of me wants him to stay this tiny and cute forever more (the way his little arms only just reach to the top of his head when he stretches just kills me). But I know as each stage makes way for the next, I will feel the same way; partly wanting to freeze time, and partly dying to see what comes next.



For the time being I am loving his smallness. Alarmingly, when he's in his most docile, malleable state (just after a feed), I have an overwhelming urge to stick his floppy little body in a pumpkin, Anne Geddes style. I KNOW! I did warn you it was alarming! Before you know it I'll be displaying other worrying "mum" traits. They don't warn you about that in the books. Good God!

Despite having a short-list, it took us four days to decide on a name for him. In the meantime I found myself referring to him as various food types; my happy little vegemite, spud, happy potato, my little muffin man, egg with legs, and sleepy prawn (because of the adorable way his legs curled back up tight against his body when he got sleepy). Now he has a real name that doesn't make you hungry. And of course he needs a blog name too... I'd like to introduce you to our little Millipede.

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What else can I tell you? He has stacks of dark downy hair, very dark blue eyes, and makes a continual array of strange and curious noises.

Thank-you all for your kind comments of congratulations. I have, for the past month, been trying to get a chance to blog, I guess posts will be rare for a while until we adopt some sort of pattern here. But I do plan to continue... keep an eye out for atmospheric photos of a naked docile baby resting in a bowl of exotic fruits ;)

Its a........

Boy!

Hello, Mr You here hacking into the pretty flossy matrix to let you all know our baby has arrived. Early and slowly but healthy.

He is pretty much the best thing we have ever seen.

Flossy is recovering and training well in hospital. She'll be home in a few days - not sure she will be back to this blog in a hurry as she is much in love [and servitude ;)] with jr.

So a massive high five to you all with a cross stitched felted pastry cigar on the side.

the generosity of you

Recently I have been showered in generosity. Pure, sweet, kind, selfless, thoughtful generosity...

Penny from Pocket Carnival sent me (for our soon-to-be-new-baby) one of her adorable softies:




Lauren Carney sent me an ORIGINAL drawing:




And at the Finders Keepers markets I made some great cards swaps with Courtney Brims and Kareena Zerefos. Plus I managed to swap one of my prints for this lovely pair of birds by Beth-Emily:



Now we have our bedrooms painted, and all this gorgeous new stuff in them, it's all starting to feel really really homey. Thanks, so so very much. :)

slowing down... with a big sack of goodies

At the end of this week I will be closing my shop down for a little while, in an effort to slow down and mentally prepare myself. Hoping to rest a bit too before the whole concept of rest and long sleeps become a thing of the past.

But as a send off, for these next few days I have stocked my shop to the brim with lots of brand new goodness. Get in quick while I'm still able to fit behind the steering wheel of the car and waddle my way to the post office. (I'm hoping to re-open the shop in a few months.)

There are wombat prints, pillowcases, cushion covers, and also 2 designs of whale library bags.

So go have a peep-see!

i have learnt

Image: I am fertile by Ana Ventura

I haven't really spoken much here about being pregnant. And with only a matter of weeks to go I thought it might be time for a catch-up post.

Things I've learnt:
- Considering how terrified I was about pregnancy, I count my blessings every day at what an easy, blissful one I've had. This has taught me to start being more positive (rather than shit-scared) about the next bits.

- I've learnt that I can no longer refer to myself as a girl. "Pregnant girl" sounds all sorts of wrong. I have learnt to refer to myself as a woman. Hehehe, still sounds funny though.

- I've learnt other women with young children are out-of-their-minds excited about babies, and can barely stop themselves talking about birth, spew, poo, sleepless nights, household mess, etc etc, for hours on end, all with some type of mysterious glee in their eyes.

- I've also learnt that as soon as you mention you're pregnant, these same women can't wait until the baby arrives to talk about these topics of conversation. They jump in right away. What they don't remember / don't realise, is that I will have the rest of my life to talk about all that stuff. Right now I only have a few weeks of normal life left to talk about normal things. I just want to make the most of that.

- I have learnt that everyone wants to come and visit in these last few weeks. I'm happy to see everyone, but am absolutely exhausted by the constant stream of visitors. And am getting further and further behind in my work (that I had been hoping to have all finish by now). I'm actually considering escaping by leaving my own house for a few days, just to get a rest from all the visits.

- However, I have also learnt that everyone is SO excited for us, and have been unbelievably generous towards us. This has been amazing!

- I have learnt that pushing a full shopping trolley is one of the hardest things for an already overloaded pregnant body.

- I have learnt that being short, people can't see your giant belly behind the trolley, and very few people get out of your way or offer to help you push it up the carpark ramp.

- However, when there isn't a trolley and the belly is obvious, other women in the general public will give you the nicest smiles.

- Despite Mr You regularly referring to the baby-bump as "you big karate poo", I watched him absolutely melt when we visited the neonatal-nursery (with teeeeny weeeny babies in there) during a recent tour of the hospitals' birth centre.
While we are both very scared about how we are going to cope as parents, and how we will manage getting used to such a different lifestyle, it is clear to me he is going to love every minute of it more than anything in the world. I have learnt that this is the single most reassuring thing for me.

- Recently during a yoga class, while meditating and being prompted to try to listen to our heart beating, I realised I currently have two hearts. ♥♥

- Mr You then realised I may also have a penis. Many jokes followed.

high tea baby

A few weekends ago (yes, that's how far behind I am in blogging), I was completely surprised when my friends threw me a surprise baby-shower!

It was at a gorgeous tea-house in a nursery, and together we sat around drinking very fine tea from very pretty cups, and munching on a delicious selection of bite-sized savouries and sweets. Each of us were served munchies from our own cake stand, and tea from our own tea-pots, with embroidered linen serviettes, and small flowers on our plates.

I've been to baby showers before, and had to do things like guess with a length of string how wide the pregnant woman's girth is. It's always been awkward, and there's always been at least a slight degree of offence due to the over-generous guesses.

Well, here, at mine, there was none of that. No awkward moments whatsoever. Just very fine company, tea and nibbles. It was wonderful. AND they gave me lovely gifts!!!


You may spot some handmade treasures in there from Chunky Chooky + My Bearded Pigeon.

I felt so special. And what's more, it was all a total complete and utter surprise! Mr You, in kahootz with these sneaky friends did a stellar job of keeping the secret. So much so, that somehow (I suspect Jedi mind-tricks), he managed to get me to suggest going to that exact tea-house that afternoon, so I thought it was my idea... Which as you can imagine added to my confusion... So when we walked in and I spotted the table of my waiting friends, I assumed they were there on their own, and it was a co-incidence we were there at the same time.

EVEN when they all called out "Surprise!" I still thought they meant "Surprise, what a co-incidence we're all here at the same time", not "Surprise here's a party for you!"

But it was a party for me. And I was completely chuffed. Thanks so so much guys! :)

art 4 heart, lot 2

The first lot for the Art 4 Heart auction (raising money for the QLD Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal), wrapped up over the weekend. And I am astounded and very proud to pass on the news that together we raised $2,440!

So far...

Now it's time for Lot Number 2. Even more artists, even more lovely art, and another chance to nab yourself something wonderful for your walls this new year, all whilst helping those in need.

Go have a peepsee: Art 4 Heart.