Hello March!

I'd love to tell you that I've been too busy getting on with family life to blog and that everything is perfect and wonderful. But that wouldn't strictly be true.
After the initial excitement of having Lily join  us, we've all discovered our own little struggles that we're having to deal with and things are a little up and down at the moment.
I do want to talk about it properly, because I've been pretty shocked by the way having Lily has affected us all and I have a feeling that the things we're struggling with are completely common. And yet I've never heard them talked about and that surprises and dismays me slightly.
However, I would also like to try my hardest to keep this as a craft blog, so for today, and in an attempt to get myself back on track, I'm going to ignore our trials and tribulations and show you a cushion that I made for Lily's room just before she was born.

These houses are as close as I've come to having a theme for the nursery. I started sewing them because I could do it by hand when I was in bed feeling lousy with pregnancy.

Instead of just using bondaweb to applique the houses directly on to the linen, I hand sewed the individual pieces of fabric on to pieces of batting.  Creating a little, padded house, which I then cut out and machine stitched on to the linen. (if that made no sense at all, please bear in mind that I gave birth only two weeks ago and my brain still isn't working!).

After stitching the houses on to the linen (which I backed with more batting) I quilted around them and then machine stitched a circular 'path' in the center of the cushions because I wanted it to have a village green feel to it.

I made the binding myself - cutting it on the bias so that it had the necessary stretch in it (for my normal quilt binding I don't bother cutting it on the bias) and hand stitched it on the back as usual.
Like I said before, the houses are a bit of a theme in the nursery, with more of them adorning flannel blankets and Lily's (still unfinished) quilt. And yet more waiting to be finished off.
The actual nursery still isn't completely done, hence the lack of pictures, but I'm hoping to be able to spend a little more time in the studio this coming week, so progress should (hopefully) be made.
I was actually able to get in to there for a good few hours the other day, but ended up wandering around it, not really knowing how to get myself started again. A trip to the fabric shop the other day has inspired me again though, so I'm determined to get things going again.
I do hope you can all bear with me in the mean time?

Comments

[Rachael]

Every time is different. I remember crying uncontrollably a lot more after my second. And that was just the hormonal changes, never mind the guilt, the aches and pains, the tiredness, the dramas..... Trust me, whatever you're going through with this one you will be in very good company with a lot of wonderful mums! Look after yourself as well as everyone else - then blog in your own time.

[Creature of Habit]

Manda, I think what people love about your blog is not only your creations, but your consistent sincerity and honesty. I feel like you could talk about the weather and people would want to hear what you have to say! :)

My sister has 3 children. And while the first child is always life changing, she said the shock, stress and difficulty of going from 2 to 3 was NOTHING compared to going from 1 to 2. Two was the hardest she says.....just for thought. She is even considering 4! I think it becomes a matter of systematizing your days and schedules, or else things spin out crazily.

Hang in there and vent if you need to!

[Penny]

I love the design and colors you chose for this cushion! Very sweet!

[lucykate crafts...]

hey, you've just had a new baby, there's no such thing as normal for at least the first 6 weeks! it's a big change, going from one child to 2, but it gets easier much quicker than it did first time around.

[sue]

Ooh the cushion is gorgeous and I love the little house theme too. How sweet. I hope things settle down for you too. It must be hard for Lily as well taking in everything around her as she has been hibernating for 9 months and everything sounds so strange to her. It does take a while to adjust to a new baby and getting used to new routines too so I am sure in a month or two you will be settled in so nicely you wont remember how hard it was at the start.

[Patricia C.]

I just had my second 7 months ago and the first month was very difficult. I was so tired and felt so torn between my 2 year old and my newborn. My son went from an easy going little guy to a whiny, sad, clingy boy. It was very difficult. That being said, after about a month things got so much better. Now, my older son adored his little brother and their interactions melt my heart. We've become a family of four. Hang in there and know it's ok to talk about it. We're hear to listen. Take care of yourslef. :)

[leslie]

i always look to your blog for the real nitty gritty on how difficult it is to be pregnant and raise children, you say it like it is and its refreshing.

[Lynn]

Hey there,

The cushion rocks. Thanks for the photo.

I started reading your blog a month ago and checked in daily. I will check in and check in as I am sure everyone else will.

Patiently,
lynn

[the pesky bombolino]

I am totally loving your new cushion.
I was ok with going from one to two children but my daughter wasn't! One day she threw the remote control at our new baby daughter and I was totally ashamed. I felt that I'd let my first daughter down and that I'd not paid enough attention to her. Now, 4 years later I really think that it wasn't about how I was acting (as mothers we always blame ourselves) and it was going to be painful for her to go through that transition from only child to one of two, no matter what.
I don't know what troubles you're going through, but you must know that you have a lot of people cheering you on and wanting to help you through it.
And you have plenty of craft- your blog is what I think of as an honest craft blog- the art and the life mixed in together- and we love you for it x.

[Lucy]

Just hang in there. It will all fall into place and get so much easier pretty quickly. In the meantime, try to relax and feel free to vent if you need.

[pipany]

Having had five children with various gaps between them (25 years between eldest son and youngest child, Isabella who is now almost two) I ccan only say that whatever you are feeling I have probably been there and it IS normal. Take your time my lovely and remember there are plenty of us here to listen if you want. xxx

[Gillian]

The cushion is adorable and I love the house theme.

As someone who is contemplating a number one sometime in the not too distant future (hopefully!) I would be all ears to hearing the reality. I love that your blog is a balance of craftiness, work and 'real' life - sending you good thoughts and best wishes for your adapting family. x

[julie]

Great cushion Manda. As for the thing that no-one talks about - I think it's that old guilt-monster that stops us voicing anything - that and fear that we'll be judged as bad parents. I found having my second child really hard because of the impact it had on my feelings for my first. I was so completely in love with my first child even through my 2nd pregnancy but within a few days of my son's arrival I began to find her demanding and difficult. I struggled with my feelings for the first 6-8 months or so and no-one seemed to share how I was feeling. Like most things it was a phase that passes and now I am close with her. But I still clearly remember the feeling of grief at loosing that closeness for a while and guilt at finding my own daughter so annoying and demanding. It takes a lot to adjust to being a family of 4 but it will come.

[Erica]

The best thing I ever did was give my daughter a little sister.They are truly best friends now.They are 18 and 20 years old.
Nature has a way of helping us forget the rough times surrounding childbirth and the first months.I sill remember some of the thoughts I had during that time.It was not fun.
18 years later, I think so much of it was lack of sleep!

[Periwinkle Vintage]

You know, Manda, it's amazing how caught up in each other's lives we become in this cyber-world. When you apologized and said you were trying to make sure your blog was about crafts, I wanted to say, "nonsense!" I really want to hear your thoughts on life with the new baby. We care about you as a whole person, not just what you are sewing.
Love, Cheryl

[Catherine]

Having number 2 was far worse than number one. I started to really worry about my mental health. I felt guilty for inflicting this screaming child on number 1 and found it hard to accept that I could love 2 children equally after 5 years of undivided attention for one child. Lots of numbers here!!! Anyway, it does get easier and they love (and occasionally hate) each other to bits nearly three years down the line.

[Joy]

I think the thing with number two coming along is that on one hand you have got the 'how to look after a baby' knowledge from the first one, although this one is a totally new person with their own personality, but also the family dynamics shift and that can be really strange to get your head around, going from three to four is a big step, take your time, you will all be fine. x
The cusion is really fab!

[Véronique]

hi Manda, it seems it has all been said already, but for what it's worth, Antoine is six months now and it's still hard, although there are some amazingly sweet moments thrown in for good measure, and those do seem to be growing in number/length. but something has shifted beneath our feet, and we are all still rocking. finding our balance. it seems much of life is about that, somehow, and you seem to be a professional balancer :),
love,
Véronique

[meg]

Hey, I'm more than impressed that you've managed yet another post so soon after having Lily. Whenever you're ready to spill, I for one am all ears; you're my guinea pig on life with two, after all! ;)

Take care, Manda!

[Heidi]

I missed your virtual shower but have a little something for Lily. Could you email me your address? Thanks.

spiritualknitter at gmail dot com

[jenny]

I love this little cushion. It is just beautiful. I love the spiral path in the middle. Just beautiful! - Jen :)

[biff]

Love the village green cushion. So sweet. We are due another baby in June (my son will be 2 1/2 then)& I am already scared stiff about how it will rock our boat! Don't get me wrong I am over the moon to be blessed with another but so very scared at the same time. So any top tips would be welcomed. You seem to be coping really well. So chin up & share your secrets!

[Lucy]

Oh Manda, life does take time to get back on an even keel after number two arrives.
My two are 20months apart and boy oh boy I had some truly shitty tough days in the first few months after my second was born. The thing is to allow yourself to make mistakes and not try to be perfect.
I love the cushion too, its perfect for that dinky little chair.
Take it easy, am sending you a big (((hug)))
xx

[strikkelise]

Congratulations!!!
Having number two is both easier and harder than having number one.
We have a saying in Norwegian; 'one is like nothing, two is like ten'. I bet you feel that whenever one kid is happy, the other one is starved, either for food, attention, anything.
Having them this close in age is hard in the beginning, but a huge advantage later.

[jennifer russell]

Hi.. I'm not sure what growing pains you're suffering but I do remember this from my life... my son was 16 months old and my daughter, a newborn.. and I remember looking at my husband ( in tears ) and asking him why did we think we could handle another baby. I remember thinking at the time that my life would have been so much easier with just the sixteen month old. Not my proudest moment but it passed and now they are three and four and a joy.. The growing pains you are suffering are just adjustments that have to be made to fit your new member into the family. It won't be easy, it won't always be fun.. but in the end it will be worth it !