Thanks so much for the sweet comments welcoming Kate! It was so nice to know that everyone was out there cheering for her.  She’s doing great at home and I can hardly believe now that she was ever sick.

The biggest surprise since bringing her home has been that my life didn’t end the moment she came home.  I had braced myself for being totally exhausted all of the time and having no time for anything but baby.  In reality I am pretty well rested, eat three (at times rushed) meals a day and even fit a shower in every morning. Better still, she tends to sleep for a few hours in the late morning / early afternoon which affords me some creative time.  I’ve made cookies and a cake and even a dress!

This is another Simplicity 4243 in Riley Blake’s Bloom and Grow Flowering Vines in cream from Fabricworm, which I ordered for her embroidery hoop wall hangings but I didn’t think the colours were quite right for her nursery in the end.  It’s still a bit big for her even though it’s the extra small size but I think it will be just right for hot summer days.

The quilt underneath her arrived in the mail yesterday from my uncle’s Phil’s girlfriend Lynn who I don’t think reads this but just in case she does: thanks so much!

I also finished a pair of longies that I started just before she was born and finally got a photo of her modified Vanilla soakers:

You can read about the changes I made on my Ravelry project page.

It’s way more effort getting her dressed up in her handmade outfits and taking pictures of them than working on them! Plus, my photos really don’t do her justice. I know I’m biased but this is seriously the cutest baby I have ever seen.  Any baby photography tips are most appreciated.

All of this ease in adjustment is due in no small part to Chris being home with us for three months.  I think I would be much more frazzled if it weren’t for his sharing the responsibilities. The biggest lesson I’ve taken away from my whole pregnancy, labour and first few weeks at home is to take what others tell you about what it’s going to be like with a grain of salt. No two pregnancies, births or babies are the same and you can really work yourself up comparing your experiences to others.