Yikes

I know I’ve been somewhat out of the Etsy loop the past nine months, but how much has business REALLY slowed down on our beloved site? I’m not sure if it’s just me, or if it’s the economy, or if I’m not remembering the magic of Etsy properly. Today I posted this gem, and it’s only gotten 5 views so far!


I’m astounded. I remember business being pretty hectic during the pre-Christmas season, and I know that’s a busy time of the year, but only 5 views? Is that currently normal for Etsy? Maybe it’s my photos, and I’m slipping in that department. I’ve definitely got to up my ante if I want to get back into ‘business.’

It’s possibly time to offer a few good sales to my friends on Facebook, and rely a little more on my consignment shops for sales. Either way, whatever I do, it’s definitely time to get back to work!

Here’s a shot of my beautiful son, today he turned two weeks old. This photo was taken this morning with my blackberry, please excuse the poor quality. He just looked so peaceful and his features have changed so much in the past two weeks I had to grab my BB and take a picture of him.

Life will never be normal again, and I’m happy about it.

My son has arrived, and he’s more perfect then I could have expected, anticipated, or hoped for. I’m so madly in love. I know every parent feels the same way; the sacrificing of self becomes a new concept where the term ‘sacrifice’ has changed completely. Sacrifice is no longer something of loss, but a way in which you gain more than imaginable. I think that unless you’ve experienced this, it’s a hard concept to understand. At least, I don’t think I truly understood the idea of ‘sacrificial love’ before now. All of this, to simply state that I’m giddy with love and my heart is very full.

WARNING: If you do not wish to read a very G rated account of labour, please STOP reading here.

As for labour, for 9 months I watched programming like TLC’s Bringing Home Baby and their other similar programs to prepare myself for the torture and horridness that would be labour. Then, I pushed all of it out of my mind and refused to think too much about the process that I’d eventually go through for fear of panicking when labour did begin. I woke my husband at 5:30am told him to get ready, around 6:30am we arrived at the local hospital where my dr was called in to confirm if I was truly in labour. Once she confirmed that I was dilated 3cm, we set out for the hospital where I would give birth (about 30min drive away).
I insisted that we stop at McDonald’s for a breakfast sandwich, since I was unsure if they would let me eat once I arrived at the hospital or not. Since I wasn’t in much pain and was only 3cm shortly before when we arrived at the hospital, we were told that the Dr would see us after the shift change. Although, labour was progressing extremely fast.
The pains came, and came, and came; before I was officially admitted to the hospital they were preparing to take me into the delivery room. Before the delivery room was prepped, I was ready to push. A short while later (well, two hours of pushing), my son was howling and I was a proud but tired mamma. I was literally expecting to spend around 18 hours or so walking around the hospital, crying and breathing my contractions away. While labour was fast and many of you reading this may have had terrible hour after hour breathing through contractions, I promise that recovery isn’t different at all.
Also an interesting bit of info for those who’ve heard that kidney stones and labour pains are very much the same (from someone who’s experienced both); the contractions do remarkably feel like a kidney stone, although the similarity ends at the stage where one has to start pushing.

I’ve finally reopened my shop, and hope that the unpacking of house continues at such a rate that I can quickly get my ‘studio’ set up and back into the swing of sewing. I’m really itching to get at it, and luckily Benjamin is a great sleeper (so far).

Waiting

Today is the DUE date. Considering the fact that I’m sitting here at a computer typing a blog post instead of lying in a hospital in pain pushing can only mean; I’m still enormously pregnant. When I say enormously, I mean enormously. Consider the photos below taken by my fabulously talented Samantha just last Tuesday.

Please excuse the quality of the previous photo, and the second one. I had to resize them to fit properly.

In other news, we’re all moved and almost ‘settled.’ My mother has joined us for the unpacking process, which has been long and arduous, especially for the swollen, cranky pregnant lady. We are quite happy to finally be seeing the end of the tunnel with settling in. With every move come a few unexpected expenses, so we’re just trying to juggle those, and all this waiting for baby is making me itch to re-open my shop. I’m refusing to scratch that itch till at least the baby comes out. I don’t want to take the risk of someone buying something and being disappointed that I’ve suddenly gone into labour and can’t get to the post in time. It would possibly devastate me in a very happy time in my life, to have annoyed a customer. So, shop remains closed for now.

As for baby Benjamin, he’s doing well. We’re hoping to get some paint to fix up his room for him. I’ll post some photos once we’re near completion there. I’m feeling fine, tired a little, very swollen, and slightly cranky (first time the moodiness has shown up the entire pregnancy, I remind my husband that he should be grateful of that). Benjamin’s obviously doing well, he’s rolling around, enjoying his second hand BBQ, Chinese Food, deserts, etc. Every meal is followed by his ‘satisfied’ hiccups. I think he’s eating so well in the womb that he’s refusing to come out.

I must be off and try the suggestion of several friends that a hot bath will induce labour, as daunting as that seems in this hot July weather.