Hello,
Happy New Year!!! I’m stopping by to give an all around update on how things are going over here at A Delicate Gift. With our new little gift joining our team at the very tail end of April/early May (fingers cross we make it to then), I have started to prepare my time away to deliver and what that will mean for the shop and our events. I find coordinating my own Maternity Leave more complex than when I was working in Higher Education.
As for my delivery prep, I have packed my hospital bag, the babies bag, and put together a few things for Mason. This will be the first time Mason and I will be apart and to be honest I don’t like the thought of it (for a split second I considered a home birth). Mason and I spend every day together, so being apart will be very different for both of us. I have thought about planning some days away and maybe an overnight to help adjust us both to all the changes to come. A lot of thinking and intentional prepping going on over here.
As for coordinating my Maternity Leave that prep is happening now as well. In this business of event coordinating (and working on a 1 person team) I need to plan well in advice to limit the events I coordinate and/or style as I would never want to leave a client hanging if I were to deliver earlier than expected; therefore I have began to slow down. I will not be taking on any new coordinating events until later this year. Our consulting availability will continue through the end of February. Over the next month or so you will see more instant downloads available in the shop while our personalization and printing become more limited; this is so that our loyal customers are able to still receive their Delicate Gift products while we are away. As of right now, I do not have exact information whether our shop will have an official close time once baby G arrives. Once that is hammered out; I’ll be sure to share more information with you all.
So many thoughtful followers have asked how I am doing. First, I appreciate you all so much for taking time out of your busy day to send an email to ask how I am doing! My first trimester and well into my second I wasn’t feeling all that great (food was the last thing on my mind). After some great advice and encouragement from doctors I’m feeling very balanced now. I can now tolerate others eating around me 🙂 At times I forget that I’m pregnant, but that all changes when I go to lay down and try to get back up…. I forgot how dramatically ones body changes. I haven’t had to pull out maternity clothes yet (my wardrobe has always offered a relaxed fit and more so for winter); which is partly why I feel this pregnancy is flying way to fast.
Mason is beyond excited to be a big brother. There is not a day, well an hour, Mason doesn’t ask about when “his baby is coming” and if he can talk (rub my belly) to the baby. He wants to be present for all my appointments! At my last appointment he told me, “Don’t forget a picture of the baby this time.” We have had to explain how our ultrasound appointments were special appointments to see the baby; now we just hear for a little heart beat (which he loves). He is baby obsessed, so much he asked to take home his “classmates” baby from our Wednesday activity. Our energy is now focused on finding the perfect birthday present for his little brother or sister. Mason is very much like me when it comes to the details and thinking through his decisions, so picking out a gift has been a daily task he takes very seriously. He has narrowed down some of the details for the gift: soft(because it can’t hurt baby), needs to have a ball, needs to have a stick, it needs to make noise, and it has to be called a jingle. So pretty much we are looking for a cute rattle. Before nap today he committed to this cute little cow by Cheengoo, but as I left his room he asked if we could look at the “pig.”
I very much look forward to seeing Mason in his new role as a big brother and the transformation from a family of 3 to 4! I know the transition will not be perfect, I’ll likely be hard on myself; although one constant will remain. Our supportive family sticking together through it all! Thank you for allowing me to share!