It's all a bit new and weird
8 things Amelia likes:Having one arm free from her bunny rug
Incey Wincey Spider
Feeding
Sleeping during the day
the Amelie soundtrack
Big-P saying “beep-boo” and touching her on the nose
Lying in the bath
Wearing socks
8 things Amelia hates:
Having her nappy changed
Being dressed
Being undressed
Sleeping at 2am
Wind
Getting out of the bath
Being woken up for a feed when she’s sound asleep
Going back to sleep after being woken up for a feed
8 things I am not so keen on:
Changing the nappy on a screaming, squirming baby
Feeding (oh LORD it’s hard)
Waiting for the next feed
Lack of sleep
Worrying about things I never thought I would worry about
Wondering if we should let her sleep or wake her for a feed or what
Loads and loads of washing!
The idea that Big-P will eventually go back to work and I will have to manage all of this on my own
8 things I love:
Our little girl
The smell of little baby
Sleeping for 6 hours straight
The occasional smile (or is that wind?)
A blissed out happy child after lengthy feed
Peeking into her crib while she is sleeping and marveling
Feeling her little hand curl around my finger as she feeds
Rubbing my cheek against her crazy soft hair
Naps with the baby are fabulous, too, especially after you’ve mastered feeding while lying down. Enjoy this time! They change so quickly!
Good.
I keep watching those Oprah shows on motherhood and thinking, “I could NEVER be a mother!”
Then I read your entry like this and think, “Aw…the rewards outweigh the hard stuff!”
Hang in there! Sounds like you’re doing a superb job! Yay for Mommies!
“…a little ray of sunshine has come into the world..boo de boop…a little ray of sunshine in the shape of a baby girl..boo de boo…” etc etc for four more bars 🙂 (Apparently the smiling/farting thing never goes away)
oohhh, i’m with amelie on incey wincey spider!the 8 things i love list is a delight.
thats soooo cute!
Did she pull your hair yet? 🙂 Did you know that sad babies become happy adults, and happy babies become sad adults? Well, to most. Amelia is so cute. Take pictures of her hair! 😀
more baby pictures please!!! 😉
Wow Claire–what an absolutely adorable journal entry. It made me smile like crazy to read it, and my heart melted seeing the illustration of you with the Little One. Congratulations.
if the smile is followed by the blissed out happy look, it’s wind. 🙂
Wow, it makes me jealous to remember I am only 16 and have years to go before I am ready to have a kid. I love babies and it all sounds so exciting, yet exhausting. Still, I can’t wait.
Claire – So impressed (& thrilled) you are getting enough sleep & rest to be able to keep up the journal, & draw your lovely illo’s.Your lists made me smile in total agreement 🙂 Take it from a new mum of a 5 month-old… it does get easier, & you will only grow to love little amelia even more than you do now – which is difficult to imagine, when you already love her so much!.
Best, best, best wishes!
wee tears in my eyes!
Wow, what a beautiful image you created. I know that having a new baby is a HUGE responsibility, but you definitely illuminated the joys of it wonderfully!
Sounds like all the things you love out weigh the things you not to fond of. In no time you’ll be a pro at mommyhood. I have 3 kids who have all grown to adulthood just fine, even with all the mistakes I made.
ahh..motherly love. heh. i hope my babies turn out to be as cool as yours. must be that whole libra thing. i will make a mental note to give birth in october. 😉
awwww, you are a natural claire!!! this is so great! thank you again for sharing. i love it >=o)
Awww..! Honesty on having-a-babyness tempered with heartmelting loveliness – it’s so sweet 🙂
It sounds like you are on your way. Yup, feeding is hard but it will become like second nature soon. In fact, you’ll miss it when you stop. Nothing compares to the physical bond of having the baby skin to skin with you.
As for waking her up to feed, I used to do that with my babies too when I started to feel uncomfortably full (especially if its been more than 3 hours since their last feed). Otherwise, I just breastfeed on demand.
Good luck! Have fun.
I want one.
Claire, can you bottle some of the scent and send it over?
My best friend will give birth to her second child next month, and just by reading your journal, it has reminded me of what I have to look forward to… again 🙂
Thankyou for sharing this special time of your life (and Amelia’s) with us 🙂
warm fuzzy feelings 🙂
Yeah, what Missjenjen said, I want one too! Now!
One hand out of her bunny rug – precious 🙂
I wouldn’t bother waking her up for a feed, either, unless you are massively uncomfortable. (The baby books would probably kill me for saying that, but rest is important!)
I’ve been waiting to hear about her! so happy to read more today! It is an amazing, blissful, exhausting time – that first baby…but there is nothing like it.
Aren’t little loves wonderful! I miss my little ones now that they are ‘too old’ to hug and snuggle.
Tracey
O Claire! How lovely. I’m all misty and awash with baby lust! And I wonder: What is it about Incey Wincey Spider that babies love so? My friend Andrea had twins and Incey Wincey was on their all-time favorite hit list. It’s the only thing that could stop them cold when they were screwing their little faces up for a good scream. Wishing both you and the little boo more of the things you love! xo
*happy sigh* You’ve reminded me why I had four beautiful children, even though two of them are in pre-teen hell. Don’t they smell wonderful? And don’t worry about the feeding, it get easier! I nursed all mine for over a year and I’ve never regretted it. Enjoy every moment of this!
that is a great list!
as other people have said, all too soon you will be used to feeding & the rest. it all flies by so quickly. my second little one is now 3 months old & she just slept through the night for the first time. babies are an absolute joy!
do any of us like having wind, really? although, toots *are* funny.
congrats, claire. can’t wait to see more snaps of the sprog.
hooray !!!
Congratulations, Claire! It will get much easier within about six weeks or so. Soon, she’ll start to recognize that changing her diaper (nappy?) actually feels good when it’s finished.As for waking her up to feed, as long as her weight is not dangerously low, you don’t need to wake her up. Let her wake up when she’s ready, and she’ll be more alert when you feed her. That way you’ll get to gaze into her beautiful eyes, and you’ll both get the rest you need in between.
And yes, those smiles are wind, but they’re still precious beyond compare.
oh my god. be a little cuter! oh wait you cant!yay for new arrivals.
Gosh – in 4 1/2 months, if all goes well, this will be me. Love the illustration with her hand out of the blanket!
(I’m here thanks to NaNoWriMo — great shirt designs!).
Congratulations and enjoy every second… even the not so keen ones. (“Incey Wincey Spider” — I’ll have to keep that in mind, although in the U.S. it’s the “Itsy Bitsy Spider”…)
bottle the new baby smell along with new car smell, fresh cut grass, and warm cookies. Not in the same bottle, though.
Wow. 🙂 I love your lists, and the illustration is so heartwarming. Motherhood must be amazing… exhausting and maybe a little scary, but amazing. Thank you for sharing it with all of us…
the first day i was left at home alone with my son I freaked. I thought i would do something wrong and the whole world would fall apart. I kept saying – I’m not ready, I’m not ready.
But we both survived and now he is 15 and taller than me. I think I am still screaming – I’m not ready – somewhere deep inside.
Oh, it’s so obvious that I’m pregnant. This entry made me bawl my eyes out at work. Yay for babies! 🙂
Ditto Ditto Ditto Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!:-)
p.s, the big question, how do you find energy to do such gorgeous illu’s?
I recommend practising changing the diaper on one lungful of breath now while it’s still a reasonably un-smelly chore. Believe me, that’s a very handy skill.
One lungful of air, rather. Or one breath. Same diff, really.
Wow, its amazing how much you life has changed over the last few years. Congradulations on the tiny being of joy in your life, may your life be only sunshine, cool summer breezes and lemonaide from here on in. 🙂
It just makes me so happy to read your entries, especially now on Amelia. I am so looking forward to motherhood (my bbq is due in the beginning of January).
Your illustration is heart warming and inspiring. I just started a baby book for my little boy coming in February, and the illustrations I did are my husbands favorite part!
I think you’ll survive! Good going! One tiny little suggestion…Amelia won’t starve if she sleeps through a feeding and you won’t explode, so let her set her schedule and it will be oh so much easier on both of you. Really. Have fun! Soon she will start moving around on her own and you’ll be in chase mode!
I saw a link to your site at a friend’s page. Your layout is just the cutest thing; you’re incredibly talented!
Congrats on the new arrival, BTW; she’s gorgeous. Good luck with the feeding! 🙂
This is a little early, but let me share a little trick my mom used on me for when Amelia starts teething – frozen waffles. The cold helps numb the pain, and they taste pretty good. You’ll just have to make sure they don’t get too soggy. 🙂
Good luck with the munchkin!
adorable. i’m sooo addicted to this site – and reading about baby boo only makes me moreso. best wishes!!!
I have recently been going through old videos of me when I was a baby and have found myself longing for one of my own. It was me on that screen and now I am a human being capable of real thought and love. I find myself just wanting to grow up so that I can have the oppertunity to find love and to be able to create a new love and a new individual. I still do not want to give up my dreams of working in the advertising fields, but nevertheless I want to discover that love. You are so lucky to have found it in another person and to the point that you can birth life into someone new that will always have an unconditional caring and love for you. Hopefully in ten years or so I will have that. I’m just a little child right now, but SOMEDAY I will be able to start that beautiful family of my own. Like the one I am a part of now. YOU ARE LUCKY! Never forget it 🙂
: )
blessings to you three.
Infused with sweetness, as always.
i’m sure you’re doing great.
Funny — I agreed with everything on the list of “things Amelia likes”.
May I suggest feeding (icecream in particular) while lying in the bath listening to the Amelie soundtrack? 🙂
I saved the page from WIRED that had your web page previewed, and yes, indeed, they were right. Your messages are touching but not TOO soppy, and make me remember back 13 & 17 years to my little girls as babies…Thanks.
Wow, I just had a look at your archives. I’ve been reading pretty much since you got your domain, but I never realised how much better your illos were getting. (They were still cute at the beginning of course!) Rock on!
I have been reading your journal for longer than I would care to remember and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new bundle of joy. May you both stay healthy and loved for a long time to come..
Claire, I’m new to this site and a new mummy to a 10 week old, who still screams the place down when its time to be undressed. Congratulations!
She’s adorable! Mmm, young baby smell. It’s amazing.
If you’re having a hard time with breastfeeding, try talking to a lactation consultant. There may be some better positions for you and the wee one that would be less uncomfortable or difficult.
My son is just over a year now and if we’re not in a “good” position, he tries to stand up on my lap and eat, with his bum in the air, or put his legs over my shoulders! Finding a good position for both of you will really help.
Sleep will come eventually. Heh.
🙂 Suzanne
Ahh, Claire…congratulations on your new little one. She sounds sweet! 🙂
Delightful entry…hope you are getting enough sleep.
hope you’re doing ok, claire. The first 8 weeks are so tough – but then it will be better. I’m amazed you felt up to even one entry so far. I hope you’re getting lots of support and a little sleep here and there.
Sending this one to my daughter.. shes just found out shes having a baby herself. 🙂
Wowie!Claire CONGRATS CONGRATS!!!!I’m so happy for you!Have you named your lil cute baby girl after Amelie de Montmarte???Such a sweet name!!!Last week my cousin also gave birth to a lil baby girl!!!!!She named her Zosia(like Sofie)^<>^Have a luffly day and hug lil Amelie from me <33333