Fawned Friday

Happy Friday, dear ones! Today we had a really great & incredibly busy day -- I hope you & yours are well and that you enjoy my fawnings this week. Much love.

01. Another adorable anniversary surprise.
02. This would be fabulous in a cozy reading corner.
03. Deer love, here & here.
04. These business cards from here are fantastic.
05. Simple little alphabet flash cards.
06. Awesome posters -- literally!
07. Really neat pregnancy photos. I can't wait to see more of these.
08. I always loved her bags & such.
09. So in love with budgeting. We're going hardcore March 1st.
10. I never though I'd fall in love with a car seat.

Tell me, friends, what are you fawning after this fine Friday evening?

The Home Birth Story Of Miss Gretchen Fawn

On January 29th, 2009 at 1am, my partner, Ryan, & I were watching silly videos on the internet and I was laughing so hard at one of them that I started to feel myself having some Braxton Hicks contractions as well as some abdominal pain. I had to go to the bathroom after laughing so much and when I sat on the toilet I felt my water break right before I started to go pee. It was a strange sensation, not quite like peeing, but pretty close. Some people said I’d feel a ‘popping sensation’ but to me it was more like a strange gush. I was SO excited & shaking with anticipation when I went back into the office to tell Ryan that I was pretty sure my water had broken.

The only thing either of us could think at that point was “oh boy -- today is going to be quite the day.” I called my best friend Elena first (since she was going to be at the birth) followed by my midwife. After being assured that what happened was definitely my water breaking I decided to try & get some sleep before the contractions started – though I had no idea when that would be. I slept until about 4am when the contractions were starting to become painful enough to wake me up. Poor Ryan was terribly ill with bronchitis the entire week before I went into labour & since the meds were making him so nauseas he had taken some Gravol the night before to try & get some sleep. Unfourtunately, the Gravol/antibiotic combination made him a bit of a zombie. Poor boy was so sleepy that when I got up and went to sit in the kitchen to start dealing with the contractions he came and slept on the floor beside where I was sitting. I actually have a little photo on my cell phone of him sleeping on the floor – fabulous man. He was so wonderfully supportive all day, even though at times he wasn’t sure what to do. It was so good to have him there.

Elena came over a few hours into my labour and I have to say this: without that woman I would have been lost. She has two children & I knew that if I was going to have any of my friends there while I was in labour/giving birth it would be her. As much as I was able to get through the beginnings of labour she absolutely guided me through the hardest parts later in the day. She taught me how to breathe through the contractions in a way that I never would have done without her there. She forced me to drink Gatorade when I was getting dehydrated & she made me do all kinds of really uncomfortable things to speed up labour which were painful but oh so necessary (eg. Walking a lot and squatting). She is probably the reason I was able to cope so well. I originally only wanted my midwives & Ryan at the birth, but about a week before I was due I was thinking about the fact that Ryan would most likely be upset at the fact that I would be in so much pain and I realized that I really needed a good friend in the room who had been though it – the youngest of her two children was born in September 2008 so much of the laboring process was rather fresh in her mind. I will never regret having her there as well as Ryan. It was incredible.

I labored in my kitchen with Ryan & Elena for several hours until the contractions were strong enough & spaced close enough together to call the midwives to come. I was trying to eat a little & stay hydrated, but I remember not having much of an appetite & the smells of food were making me a little woozy. Once again, Elena & Ryan were both great for trying to keep me hydrated while I was focusing on my contractions.

When the midwives arrived one of them checked my cervix to see how much I was dilated and at that time I was sitting around 2cm dilated or so (though I don’t remember how effaced). They took my vitals and made sure everything was alright with me & the baby. They stayed a little while and then decided to leave for a few hours to let me progress a little more & said to call if things seemed like they were speeding up a lot. Things get a little fuzzy around this point since I was starting to feel a little tired, but I know that I continued to labour walking around my house, taking showers & doing some yoga to ease the pain (cat pose, downward dog). I’m not sure how much time went by, but a little while later I believe Elena called the midwives to come back because I was in quite a lot of pain. The contractions were getting very strong at this point. When my midwives came and checked my cervix again I was sure I had to be at least 5 or 6cm dilated and was absolutely devastated when I was told I was between 2-3cm. I felt at that point like I had done SO much work without being rewarded for it. I remember swearing and finally letting some tears go when I found out that I’d barely made any progress at all. Ryan held me & comforted me. I didn’t want to feel hopeless and tried to get my head straight and deal with the situation in a strong, confident way.

My midwives suggested lying in bed & making the room relaxed and comfortable and to try and sleep around my contractions if I was able to pass out between them. Ryan made the lights dim, turned on some music (Death Cab, to be exact) and snuggled next to me. We both slept on and off for a while, though I’m not sure how long… a few hours? I awoke for my contractions and he held my hand and comforted me. He reminded me to breathe in the way that Elena had taught me earlier in the day – breathe deep, hold it & exhale slowly. This saved me. During the painful contractions it was so easy to get caught up and panicked into breathing much too quickly – this type of slow breathing was the only thing that helped me get through the pain. For most of my labour I also really liked having a cold facecloth on my sacrum – this helped me deal with my back labour, which I’ll explain now.

In most cases when a woman has back labour it’s because the baby is posterior, however, Gretchen wasn’t, but I was still having terrible pains in my lower back which were sticking around even when I wasn’t having a contraction. This might have been the hardest thing to deal with – not having much of a break between contractions for a few hours. Taking a hot shower and leaning into the shower wall was helpful – for most of my contractions I braced myself on something, a wall, the floor, the toilet, my kitchen counter. By the end of the day my whole body was so sore just from exerting so much energy and strength into bracing my body to conquer the contractions. The midwives were trying to help me get rid of the back pain and offered me water injections. If you don’t know what these are they are four little injections of sterile water into your lower back which create a counter pressure and relieve pain. I was a little skeptical (since I’m not a huge fan of needles anyhow) but I was getting to the point where I needed a little relief. My two midwives put the first two needles in and I don’t think I’ve ever screamed so adamantly in my entire life. I remember screaming “NO NO NO NO NO!” as loud as I could because the stinging pain was so great. Elena told me later that it upset her so much she left the room for a moment. I couldn’t bring myself to let them do the other two needles. I would deal with the back pain on my own. Note: I was later told that most people don’t let them do the 2nd set of needles, but when they do they offer a ton of relief. I just couldn’t do it, so I dealt with the rest of the back labour as it came. Later on you’ll learn the reason for this mysterious back labour.

Eventually I was checked and found to be around 7cm (you’ll have to excuse my lack of knowledge of the time frame – I certainly wasn’t checking the time). I remember being on my bed, but in too much pain to stay there and I knew I wanted to be on all fours (once again, back pain relief). I got on all fours on the floor beside my bed and this is when things started happening fast, or at least I thought so. I remember feeling the contractions coming faster and faster. They were so fast that it was hard for my midwives to check me or to talk to me because when one ended the other was getting started. Once again I have to say thank you to Elena for helping me breathe through these intense moments. At this point I know that Ryan was feeling upset about not being able to lessen my pain, and the smell of blood in the bedroom was getting to him. He kept trying to come back into the room to comfort me and I remember sending him out into the living room, saying that it was alright and to sit down and relax. I knew how badly he wanted to help, but I also knew that he needed to calm himself a little – I do love him for trying. At one point he was seeming a little lost and upset so Elena sent him on an errand to make tea and when the water boiled I was the only one who noticed – picture the 9cm dilated woman telling a room of four other people that the kettle is boiling – they thought I was hilarious.

So there I was, on the floor on all fours, getting so close to pushing time and I could feel it all. There was a lot of fluid happening at this point. I had long given up clothing – another perk to having a homebirth is that only the people you are comfortable around will see you in such a vulnerable state. I had kept on a sports bra and track pants for part of my labour, but by the evening I just wanted to be naked. Things were getting incredibly intense at this point. I could feel a tremendous amount of pressure and I knew I would get to push soon. I knew that I wasn’t quite at 10cm yet so I did everything in my power not to push. Eventually it got to the point where my body was pushing whether I liked it or not & through the pain I felt SO excited knowing that my little girl would be in my arms in a matter of hours.

Now, I mentioned that there was a ton of pressure, so I’ll go ahead and answer the question that some of you are sheepishly wondering: Yes, I pooped. Yes, I peed. Several times in fact and I have no shame in admitting it. I actually remember laughing between contractions at the idea of all these people seeing me poop on my own floor. Oh yes, labour can be hilarious.

At some point one of my midwives checked my cervix again and found that I was about 9 ½ cm dilated and she asked if I wanted her to help the last bit along. Oh yes. During my next contraction she used her fingers to push the last lip of the cervix over the baby’s head so that I wouldn’t have to wait any longer. I remember overhearing someone say that since it was my first baby she should be here within a couple hours. I couldn’t wait to hold her. It’s as though the pain didn’t matter.

The midwives and Elena helped position me on my bed to start pushing and as soon as I was there I knew what I needed to do. I was in a different place. I started to bear down and push with every ounce of power I could muster. Considering at this point I’d been awake for about 18 hours and every muscle felt complete spent, this was quite a challenge – I think it’s like you hear about in the news, how someone’s child is in trouble and they find the strength to lift a car or something – my body found strength from its very core and I pushed. Elena was holding my left leg and I also grabbed both of my legs myself to help push. I remember Elena and my midwives telling me she was crowning, they could see her head and eventually it was out completely. Once her head was out I felt so empowered. Just shoulders now, I told myself, and the rest will come out easy. A few pushes later I felt the rush of her body leaving mine. It was exhilarating.

I pushed for a total of 19 minutes before Gretchen was out and up on my stomach, belting out a lusty cry & turning January 29th, 2009 into the greatest day of my life. I heard someone tell me that it was 9.29pm and I remember thinking it was neat how many 9s were in her birth date. I found out a few hours later that she also weighed 9lbs 6oz – I think 9 might be her lucky number. I held this gorgeous little girl on my stomach and I know I said something about how beautiful she was. Elena said she looked like Ryan & I agreed. There we were, mother & daughter, face to face. I could finally kiss her little cheeks & head. I was so excited about all of the hair she had.

While I was pushing I know that Ryan came into the room at some point, but I sent him away, knowing that he probably would be upset by the sounds that I was making and the things that were happening to my body. He came into the room as soon as he heard her cry. I will never forget how happy he looked. He came over to look at her and gave me a high five – no joke. He also gave me a high five when I told him I was pregnant – you’ve got to hand it to the boy for continuity.

I was holding her on my stomach for a while and eventually the midwives told me that the cord had stopped pulsing. Elena cut the cord and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so excited. I loved having her there. I asked if I could push out the placenta and they said to go ahead if I felt ready. I pushed it out in one push & then my stomach felt like a waterbed (and remained that way for a few days). Elena held her first, I believe, and then handed her to Ryan since her eyes were wide, wide open and she wanted Ryan to have that special moment with his daughter. Ryan & I also both gave the nod and named her Gretchen Fawn.

A little while after I pushed out the placenta I asked if I had torn and they examined me to see if I needed stitches. I had a nice clean tear, straight down my perineum and two little tears in my labia. The tear in my perineum needed seven stitches to fix it up, but the other two were small enough to heal on their own. I held Gretchen while I was being stitched – I didn’t feel the needles for the freezing and all I felt when I was being sewn back up was the pressure of the needle, but no actual pain.

I remember asking at some point if I tore because I only pushed for 19 minutes, but the answer was no – the reason I tore was because Gretchen crowned with both of her firsts up beside her face. She quite literally came out swinging. He little balled up firsts were practically glued up tight beside her cheeks and THIS was the reason for my back labour. Her fists were pushing on me from the inside in all sorts of unpleasant ways and this was why nothing we did would relieve the pain. My little one practically dove out.

When I was all put back together I got into a nice warm bath with Gretchen and breastfed her for the first time. It was so nice to sit in the water with her and relax after doing so much work. Her little eyes were wide open & I felt such a connection. I loved her from the very first moment I saw her.

The midwives stayed til about 1am -- the entire ordeal lasted 24 hours, though they count my active labour as about six hours.

After they left, Ryan & I were on our own with our brand new baby girl.

Our little family.

Our love.

She is the best thing that has ever happened to us.

Childbirth was the most intense & most rewarding experience of my entire life. I knew going into it that it would be, but the experience that I had wasn’t something that I ever could have been ready or prepared for. I am honored that my midwives and friend have told me that I was amazing. There were times when I could understand why people would choose to have an epidural, but I am so incredibly proud of myself for going through it all without drugs & in the comfort of my own home. I would recommend a homebirth with the support of loved ones to EVERYONE considering having a child. It was an experience that I will never forget.

Completely life changing & completely wonderful.

---

Thank you for reading.

Month One

Dear Gretchen,
I can hardly believe that you are four weeks old already. So many incredibly things have happened this month. First of all, and most importantly, you changed our lives. Something clicked the moment we met you & nothing will ever be the same again. You've completed us. Your father & I have fallen completely in love with you over these past few weeks & you amaze us every moment.



This month you learned to recognize my face & your dad's face. You learned to smile & to breastfeed, slowly but surely. You gave us a little scare by not gaining weight & after 278 appointments with different medical professionals we started supplementing your breast milk with formula and you've been such a happy little girl ever since.

You like to take warm baths & to snuggle up in a fluffy towel afterward. You sometimes enjoy being naked, but there are moments when you act as though having your diaper changed is akin to torture. You love music, lights, stories & kisses from your doggy brother, Winston.



A couple nights ago after a five hour fussing battle we gave in and let you try out the pacifier for the first time. You weren't sure what to do with it at first, but then gave it a little five second suckle & immediately passed out. We were shocked and amazed. You slept so well & I owe it (and my sanity) to a little fake nip. Once you had passed out you knocked the pacifier out of your mouth & continued to sleep for hours. I'm still in awe.



It's so fun to watch you learn new things everyday & to watch you change by the minute. You love your bouncy chair & each morning after your first meal you like to hang out in it while it vibrates away. This is usually when mommay gets to check her e-mail, so I thank you, little one.





I can't wait to experience each new day, week & month with you. You make us proud, little sprout.

With love,
Mommay.

Our Birth Story

I did it.

I finally finished writing up the story of Gretchen's birth & I would like to share it with all of you.

Click here to read it.

Swinging

Weighing On My Mind

In about an hour Gretchen & I have an appointment with our midwife to see if she's gained any weight this week. Hopefully with the breastfeeding, the formula supplementation & my increased pumping, we've made some progress.

I have a very positive gut feeling about it & I promise to share details when I have them.

Peace.

I also wanted to say thank you for all of the kind & supportive comments on my post the other day. We're really feeling the love.

---

Update: She's gained 8oz this week & is almost back up to her birth weight! Thank goodness!! I am so happy right now I could burst. What an incredible relief.

Family

Introducing, the first little video starring Gretchen Fawn & her dad.



Swoon.

Happy Monday

Oh my word. They change so much so fast.


Our little robot girl.


Gretchen & her great grandfather (on Ryan's side).


She's starting to love her bouncy chair.


Gretchen & daddy.


Little mooshy face.


Pretty girl.


Gretchen & her big brother, Winston.


Have a fabulous day!

ps. I might have some very exciting news soon -- I'll know a little more this afternoon so keep your fingers crossed for me & I'll let you all know very soon.

The Post Where The Fawn Gets It Out Of Her System

The last week or so has been a little rough around the edges. We've had so many appointments to go to & finally, as of yesterday afternoon, I am starting to feel better about everything. What's up, you ask? Well, about a week ago it became apparent that Gretchen wasn't gaining back any of the weight that she lost after she was born. Thankfully she was 9lbs 6oz when she was born & has a little more leeway. However, this stuck a worry chord in my heart & until yesterday I was feeling very, very stressed about my little girl. Basically, she's getting enough to sustain herself & be hydrated, but not enough to grow.

The lactation consultant that I spoke with yesterday was fabulous to us & so helpful -- she estimated (after observing me pumping some milk) that Gretchen is probably getting about 50% of her caloric intake from me, so I would have to start supplementing. So, I've rented a big fancy pump (since the $70 hand pump that I bought doesn't seem to do the trick) and I will be supplementing with both expressed breast milk (when I can get enough) and with formula. I had been worried about giving her formula (some sort of mother guilt, I think... though I know I have no reason to feel ashamed or upset about providing sustenance for my child) but I will do whatever it takes to fatten up my little sprog. There is a good chance that I won't continue with formula, as long as I can increase my milk supply, but if not, I'm going to be perfectly as ease with using both. Phew.

Last night I started topping her up with about and ounce or so of formula after she nurses & it's already making a world of difference. She's happier, she's sleeping a little better & she just seems to be so much less fussy. It kills me to know that I wasn't making enough for her to be completely full after each feeding and this is why she was fussy & upset & wanting to feed 24/7. It's also frustrating to know how easily my mood effects her. When I am stressed, she is stressed. When I am calm (as I have been since speaking with the lactation consultant) she is calm. We have an incredible symbiosis & I want to keep it balanced. As hard as I tried, I was so upset that I had tears when I was nursing her because I couldn't keep her happy & the pain in my breast was so great. Now I will be pumping after most feeds to try & increase my milk supply. I've also started taking domperidone which helps to stimulate lactation as well.

I also want to get the following off my chest: Yesterday I also saw a pediatrician (just in case he could figure some other reason for Gretchen's lack of weigh gain) and it was one of the most awful experiences I have had to endure. This may sound terrible, but I'm beyond feeling sorry about it -- the pediatrician was a man, easily in his 60s, wearing a terrible red bow tie. He treated me like I was the dumbest person he'd ever come across, prescribed some pills without helping me with the breast pain or offering any other suggestions for why she might not be getting enough milk. He also said not to feed her so often & to give her a pacifier in between because this way my milk would build back up before her next meal. Seriously? My child is almost a pound underweight & you want me to feed her LESS and give her a hunk of plastic instead of my breast? If Gretchen hadn't been crying & upset in the doctor's office I may have screamed at the man. Now, I don't think that there is anything wrong with a pacifier, but not when she is clearly hungry & not just looking something to hold in her mouth. She's three weeks old, for goodness sake. Skewed logic, old man. He was just so rude to me. He also scoffed at me when I told him I'd been drinking fenugreek tea to help with my milk supply & he said, and I quote, "There is no science to that, but you can keep drinking it if it makes you feel better. It mostly just has caffeine." WHAT?! My eyes almost fell out of my head at this point. For one thing, fenugreek is not caffeinated. It's also been proven to help with milk production & it was recommended by two lactation consultants & my midwife. When I told this to the lactation consultant yesterday she had the same reaction to me & said to ignore the pediatrician. I'm sure you can sense by now that I am ranting like crazy here, but if you've ever heard similar bullshit from a medical professional then I'm sure you understand my frustration. This doctor also wants me to come back on Monday to see if the domperidone is working (which is MUCH too soon to tell a difference). Cringe! Scream! Bah!

Alright, if you've made it this far you deserve cookies & tea & a big hug for putting up with my rambling. I appreciate it very much. It's so hard to be worried about your child & have someone like that come along to infuriate your further. Thank goodness I saw the lactation consultant afterward & have had all anxiety cast aside by her kindness & helpfulness. There are always good people in this world who will be there to pick you up when you feel like you've hit the bottom.

On this note, I hope everything is going well for you & your families on this fine, sunny Saturday. Cross your fingers that my little loinfruit puts all of that weight back on & is a chubby little munchkin in just a few weeks. Thank you for caring. Peace.

Fawned Friday

Good morning! I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive my tardiness. It somehow escaped my attention that it was Friday yesterday, so please enjoy a belated fawning (think of it as Savvy Saturday).

01. A gorgeous outdoor wedding.
02. Kittens, inspired by kittens.
03. Napping with New York.
04. Sounds like a good rule to me.
05. The perfect lamp for a tea party.
06. A holster for your hairdryer.
07. Hilarious & reminds me of that little Pixar lamp.
08. Pretty topographical pillow.



09. News anchor hilarity.
10. Eco-chic advice for the little ones.

My Little Family

I found them like this when I got out of the shower this morning.



Swoon.

Babywearing

This seems to be the best way that we've found to soothe her so I've started wearing her for most of the day. I've been reading a lot about babywearing & I have fallen in love with the whole concept. It's awesome to look at all of the cultures where babywearing is the norm & to see all of the different styles of slings & carriers. I love having her so close to my heart where she can hear my breath & feel my skin. I want to wear her forever -- I hope she will love it for a long, long time Another nice thing about it is that since Ryan & I can both wear her it means that sometimes I get to shower & poop. Thank goodness for that.

A Few Of My Favourite Things

Details.

Two Weeks & Four Days Old

This week I learned that:
a) The Lansinoh disposable nursing pads are the most ingenious invention. I tried for the first while to get by just using my washable ones, but they chaffed & hurt so much that I had to go searching for an alternative. These new ones feel fabulous & I'm no longer walking around with permanently cold nipples.
b) Sometimes you have to take a deep breath & know that you are doing your best, even if your little one is crying & you feel like you can't fix it. Thank goodness I have a partner who will remind me that I'm doing a great job.
c) Gretchen loves being held by Ryan's mom. So much.
d) If she is fussing, putting her in her snowsuit & taking her out in the Baby Björn will cause her to calm down & fall asleep almost immediately.
e) She loves to be worn, especially in the upright position in our Heart to Heart sling.
f) I can feed her (at least on the left side) while she is in the sling. I haven't quite figured out the right side, but being able to feed her on the left with no hands (!) is amazing. She's so snug & happy in there.
g) We love her more & more everyday. I think we may burst.

Fabulous News

I'm very excited to announce that you can now reach my blog at sofawned.com! I'd been thinking about buying the domain for a while now & figured there's no time like the present. Thanks for reading! Much love.

If you'd like to change your links & such that would be lovely, though the blogspot address will still lead you in the right direction.

Love, Love

I hope you're all having a very lovely Valentine's Day. Spread the love all around, whether you're coupled or not -- sometimes we don't love ourselves enough. Hug your pets, kiss your babies & snuggle your family (the biological & the chosen). Treat yourself to something special today -- a long afternoon nap, a cup of hot chocolate or night on the town with someone fabulous.

Much love, mes amis. You deserve it.

Fawned Friday (The Thirteenth)

It's been busy, busy, busy over here, but alas, here's what I'm fawned of this week.

01. Twenty six years, eighty five notebooks.
02. A beautiful anniversary gift.
03. Cat lady love.
04. Play with your food.
05. A baby at play. Adorable.
06. Virtual candy hearts.



07. Pretty bikes.
08. The Drooling Closet with fashionable Fable.
09. I sort of wish these came in a queen size.
10. These might be the most creative business cards I've ever seen.

What have you been fawning after?

Two Weeks Old

Our Gretchen is two weeks old today. It's incredible for me to think that just fourteen days ago at this time I was going through the most intense, overwhelming & satisfying experience of my life. Ryan & I have a hard time believing that time existed before her.

I knew that I would love her, but this is beyond that. I could stare at her for hours. I listen to her breathing while she sleeps, her cheeks are so kissable & soft, her face is so expressive & we absolutely melt when she smiles. This morning before Ryan left for work she gave him such a huge grin that he almost quit his job so he could stay home with her.


Our baby girl, napping in her daddy's lap at eleven days old.




Very relaxed.






Love, love.

She makes us so happy.
She's the best thing that's ever happened to us.

♥

Lastly, a lot of you have been asking about the birth story and I promise to deliver it soon! Our little one, however, likes to feed almost hourly & my one handed typing is bound to bring on a serious case of carpal tunnel. All in good time, friends.

Have a beautiful Thursday afternoon -- I hope the sun is out where you are, since it's certainly not making an appearance here on this rainy, rainy day.

Peace.

A Few Of My Favourite Things

Details.

Firsts

This week was a week full of firsts.

01. Her first outing: On Thursday we took Gretchen out of the apartment for the first time. It was also my first time outside since the day before she was born. We ran some errands downtown & visited a few friends at work. She mostly just slept, all cozy in her car seat. Definitely a success.





02. Her first stories: This week we read Olivia & Grumpy Bird. She always looks very fascinated while we read to her -- she especially loves her dad's voice.

03. Her first bath: Last night we had a very quick little dip in the tub. She was very alert & excited -- she didn't cry one bit. Before the tub we had some naked time just wrapped in a blanket, when she proceeded to pee all over her father. After tub time while wrapped up in a cozy blue towel, she decided to let loose and pee all over her mother. Needless to say, it was adorable.



04. Her first smiles: Our new favourite game is trying to make the baby smile (& I promise you it's not just gas). She's adorable.

I love that every moment with Gretchen is a new experience. It's fabulous to look at the world the way that she does -- taking it all in, step by step. I am constantly amazed & completely in love.

Fawned Friday

I hope you weren't too disappointed by the absence of fawning last week -- hopefully this week's will make up for it. Enjoy.

01. My amazing new baby, of course.
02. Valentine's Day teabags.
03. A Jane Austen inspired print.
04. Pretty little goldfish tile.
05. A gorgeous home in the Netherlands.
06. Where do rainbows come from?
07. A fabulous gadget for avid knitters.
08. The 90s make me a little giddy.
09. Deer and damask? This chair is love.
10. A little advice on keeping it simple.
11. This very beautiful t-shirt.
12. Neat idea to pretty up your baby wipe dispenser.
13. Perfect for some gift giving love.
14. Chase away the dark with this adorable nightlight.
15. I heart wooden baby toys.
16. I would love to have this carpet in our apartment.

What are you fawning after today?

My Love

She is just so wonderful it's hard to describe. I am so happy spending my days with her -- learning, loving & getting to know each other. I love how she responds to my voice & to her father's voice. It's amazing how much personality she has & how expressive her eyes are. She is fabulous.


Hanging out in her swing for the first time.




Baby yawns make me swoon.




Sweet dreams, little one.

I am amazed by every moment. Being a mother is beautiful & I love my family oh so much.

Have a great afternoon, friends. Peace.

Five Days Of Bliss

My heart has been stolen by our new little Fawn. She is so beautiful & amazing, so alert & observant -- I could stare into her deep blues for hours. She's only five days old & she already looks like she knows so much. 

I just wanted to let you all know that we're doing fabulously over here & that I shall be posting more photos & her story as soon as I can pry my gaze from hers. She's just waking up from a nap now, so I must be off to nuzzle her sleepy little cheeks.

Au revoir, mes amis. Thank you for all of the lovely comments & congratulations. We're certainly feeling the love over here. Peace.