Update from the trenches.

OK, so week one with an actual baby living at home with us is coming to an end! Craziness. It's been pretty fine, all around. Like I said before; the first 24 hours were a bit rough, and thankfully I got over the cold pretty quickly or else this whole week would have been horrid, especially since Andrew had to go away for three days on business.

I suspect some thought I might lose my mind being home alone with Shaughnessy so immediately after she arrived, but really it was fine. Before he left town Andrew did a big grocery shop and made sure we had everything we need, plus did some laundry, so we were set that way. All I had to do was continue to feed her, clothe her, clean her and make sure all her needs were met.

And seeing as how I've always been a poor sleeper the new Shaughnessy-driven schedule isn't quite as much of a shock to my system as it might be to someone who swore by a 'normal' sleep schedule before the arrival of their baby. If I depended on sleeping at night, getting up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning and couldn't function any other way then this would definitely be a nightmare. I've never taken to that sort of thing naturally, though, so this isn't as soul-sucking as it could be. I can adhere to that sort of schedule when I have to, don't get me wrong. I just feel gross about getting up early in the morning every time I have to do it. Every. Single. Time.

Honestly it was really nice to focus entirely on my girl and how she functions. We had real quality time together and it was nice to see how I work as a mom, too. I've found that using the sling that we got makes her a very happy baby. I wasn't really expecting that because I mostly wanted the sling so I could have two hands free when I needed them but still had to carry her around. It's a Hotslings pouch sling and the newborn carry means she's cradled inside it and carried nice and close up against me. The whole effect is very cozy and womb-like and she falls into a really deep, relaxed sleep and I even have to wake her up for a feed when she's like that. Not only that, I can even take a quick nap if I want to while wearing it and she stays comfy and settled without me having to move her anywhere.

So, I guess I'm a sling proponent. I've always loved the idea of them. It makes a lot of sense to keep your baby with you as much as you can when they're this young. I also love the design of this sling in particular. I may find I need to move on to a ring sling or something when she's a bit older, but for now the simplicity of this one is exactly what I want. I'm hoping that the various carries for this one will work as well as the cradle carry so I don't have to look for something else that involves dangly bits and adjusting and wrapping and ties and stuff. Me = Lazy!

So, to sum up: We've had Essie for a week. I did not throw her out the window or down the well or sell her or anything like that. Being alone with her for an extended period is not scary. Slings and baby-wearing are two thumbs up! Yet I want the simplest sling possible because dude, extra complication in my life is a no.