Fleurie is 9 days old. That sounds like such a long time and such a short time. She is beautiful. I fell in love with her straight away. Her tiny perfectness, fully complete, fully there, I am lucky, blessed, full of love. She has a lovely shock of velvety smooth dark hair, and dark blue beady eyes. Newborns are divine, pure and simple. They have a language all of their own which says love me, nurture me, protect me, I'm oh so cute and oh so vulnerable. At the same time, how could one so small look so infinitely wise, with eyes so deep, and ancient like the night sky full of stars, other-wordly, beyond time. It is such a privilege to live out my day simply giving love, Motherhood is a beautiful gift and I am unwrapping it slowly, savouring every moment of the experience.
Fleurie is my third baby, and experience has taught me so much. I learnt through the other two and I am still learning every day. I've learnt to chill out, at the end of the day babies are very simple creatures (if they are fit and well), and my philosophy is to parent in the way that most minimises stress, happy parents, happy children. If routines make you stressed, don't do them, if they make you feel more confident, go for it. Try not to think too much about what's right or wrong, not thinking, but being and flowing with the moment seems to be a much easier way to function. Experience has taught me that although life revolves entirely around children right now, it won't be that way for long, so enjoy those baby snuggles while they last. Sleep will return, and so will grown up evenings, suck up all the goodness of newborn smells, toddler first words and five year olds first stories. One day they'll be calling you from some other country and you'll miss the time that naughty little girl was sneaking out of bed just for one last bit of contact from you (even if it was a cross word!).
We could talk until the cows come home about what children need, how to discipline, ways to show love, but the simple truth underneath it all is that everything they need is inside your heart. Loving starts with you, so feel the wonder of your breath, the life within your bones, sit in the stillness and let love fill you up. Know how infinitely precious you are and then snuggle those babies, let love surround you all.
Fleurie is my third baby, and experience has taught me so much. I learnt through the other two and I am still learning every day. I've learnt to chill out, at the end of the day babies are very simple creatures (if they are fit and well), and my philosophy is to parent in the way that most minimises stress, happy parents, happy children. If routines make you stressed, don't do them, if they make you feel more confident, go for it. Try not to think too much about what's right or wrong, not thinking, but being and flowing with the moment seems to be a much easier way to function. Experience has taught me that although life revolves entirely around children right now, it won't be that way for long, so enjoy those baby snuggles while they last. Sleep will return, and so will grown up evenings, suck up all the goodness of newborn smells, toddler first words and five year olds first stories. One day they'll be calling you from some other country and you'll miss the time that naughty little girl was sneaking out of bed just for one last bit of contact from you (even if it was a cross word!).
We could talk until the cows come home about what children need, how to discipline, ways to show love, but the simple truth underneath it all is that everything they need is inside your heart. Loving starts with you, so feel the wonder of your breath, the life within your bones, sit in the stillness and let love fill you up. Know how infinitely precious you are and then snuggle those babies, let love surround you all.
