It's a Wrap

Documenting our baby-wearing journey over the past six months as part of Sakura Bloom's Sling Diaries, has been a true blessing - in more and unexpected ways than one. Swathed tightly together in luxurious linens and softly draped silks, we have wandered and explored tiny corners of this vast earth, each wholly immersed in the presence of the other. Moments filled with animated chatter upon a new discovery are equally as cherished as those where we meander along in a slow and comfortable silence. To hold my growing girl by my side and simply be, has meant more to me lately than ever before.

Returning to a four day-a-week teaching role at the beginning of the year has been a transition both harder and easier than I ever anticipated. There have been days when merely having everyone fed, clothed, organised and out the door by 7.30am has seemed utterly overwhelming {all too often on barely four hours of sleep during the heights of night feeding}. But somehow {miraculously!} we always manage - albeit a little dishevelled, with far too many wrinkles in our clothes and breakfast remnants gracing the corners of our mouths. There have been times I've pulled from our driveway with secretly welling eyes, as the longing to experience both the magic and the mundane at home with our girl, has, at times, become too much. However on that drive, I am also quick to remind myself how very fortunate we are for Si to spend his days with our darling daughter, and watching their bond flourish with each passing minute brings pure happiness to my heart.

Back in February, thoughts of the year ahead provoked notions of the 'monumental' and yet, in the blink of an eye, it's suddenly November. Not only have we survived the year - we've thrived. Sage is blossoming amongst her mini-village and I am relishing my time back in the workplace - initially hoping, and now knowing, that it will only be short-lived. I adore spending my days guiding 16 eager little learners and I never tire of the home-coming snuggles from my loves.

All too soon we will begin a new chapter as a family of four and I thank Leigh, Lynne and the Sakura Bloom team from the very bottom of my heart for compelling me to stop, appreciate and document these final precious months with Sage before our son enters our lives. Moments spent with her have always been, and will continue to be the most incredible gift I ever received. The images, words and memories we now have as a result of The Sling Diaries are a small but profound page in our story as mother and daughter; a page that may otherwise have remained unwritten.

Sage is cocooned in the Luxe Silk Sling in Deep Sea. I wear a custom-made necklace by Swoon Jewellery Studio - a most beautiful keepsake, gifted to each of the fourteen Sling Diary, Volume 3 participants - unifying us now, and always.

Wisdom | The Sling Diaries

 
Dearest New Mumma,

My goodness, just look at you, you amazing lady!! You made a baby! A cherished little life decided their time had come and without a moments hesitation, cleverly chose you to become their mumma. And what a perfect choice they made. Embedding themselves in your being and your soul, your journey to motherhood began. For the past nine months you have delicately navigated the ever-changing, tumultuous facets of pregnancy, at times with grace and at times with tears - and understandably so! Such a period of immense growth and change, physically and emotionally, can be both so beautiful and yet so unkind. Whether nausea, aches, fears or stretch marks infiltrated your days, remind yourself of the incredible feat you have just achieved - you made a human - inside your very own being! You sacrificed your nutrients, your comfort, your sleep and your camembert, all for a wee person you hadn't yet laid eyes on {but one who already captured your heart}. Your love for your unborn was so evident with each caress of your rounding belly, with each joyful smile at the movements within. You were bestowed the honour of experiencing a life develop just below the surface of your skin, all thanks to your utter incredibleness as a woman. And you are incredible... remember that. In time, look back on this extraordinary phase with pride and admiration, as no matter how your pregnancy journey evolved, be comforted in the knowing that you did the very best you could.


When the time eventually came for you to welcome your baby into the world, you were oh so strong... but then again, I knew you would be. Being the extraordinary woman that I know you are, no matter how, or where, or when you birthed, you undoubtedly displayed colossal courage and strength - a courage and strength far beyond comprehension. Whether your story was exactly as you'd imagined or a completely different tale from beginning to end, your baby simply wanted to meet you in the only way they knew how. You may have received them with a cascade of emotion - perhaps love, bewilderment, apprehension or delight - each completely valid considering the epic journey you've just faced. Take time... be kind to yourself. Allow you body and mind to heal from the enormity of your strength. In time, look back on this extraordinary phase with pride and acceptance, as no matter how your birthing story evolved, be comforted in the knowing that you did the very best you could.


After months of attentively nurturing a life inside you - with their birth, also came your birth - your dawning as a mother. Reminders of your once pregnant-self may linger for days, years, or even perhaps a lifetime and it's okay to feel uneasy in the knowledge that you may never again look how you once did. One day perhaps, you'll embrace each line, scar and curve as a symbol of your undeniable strength and remarkable capabilities. Be mindful of the immensities your body has endured. Love yourself... you are truly beautiful.

Before you lies a winding path of exhaustion and self-doubt, of pure bliss and unbridled happiness - the wondrous, yet turbulent path of parenthood. Well meaning loved ones as well as complete strangers will offer you their thoughts, their titbits of advice along the way. Graciously accept their offerings and then listen very carefully to your own heart. Your core will guide you now, and throughout this journey - have faith in your instincts and that small voice within. Trust in the woman who conceived and bore your child - she is an endless source of support and guidance if you will only seek to hear her whispers. She knows what to do - she is remarkably clever.

Weeks will pass by, each looking undoubtedly similar to the last. You may be entangled with a guilt for the apparent 'nothingness' you are achieving each day, however simply being is the most important role you will ever undertake. Perhaps you're unshowered and the laundry pile seems inconquerable. Beds will go unmade and crumbs linger on the floor. The endless cycle of eat, play, sleep becomes the rhythm of your day, leaving little room for the former life of busyness that was once your norm. Cherish your darling baby, breathe them in and bask in all of their newborn-ness. Trace the contours of their tiny ears and internalise the soft sounds they make as they slumber. Marvel at their impossibly small singlets and surrender to their desire to be held. You are never doing 'nothing' - you are loving, nurturing, nourishing and learning about this brand new little person in your life. And you are doing a mighty fine job! You may not see it just yet... but one day, you will. Savour the stillness and monotony of each hour, as all too soon they will become a distant memory. In time, look back on this extraordinary phase with pride and humility, as no matter how your mothering pathway evolves, be comforted in the knowing that you did the very best you could.


Love Anna x

Sage is wrapped with love in the divine Luxe Silk Sling in Deep Sea by Sakura Bloom


I sit here now, in the quiet, just 19 months in to my mothering journey. The world outside is cloaked in darkness, the night air moist after days of sporadic rain. Cross-legged and cosy, with the warmth of the wood fire caressing my back, and I am comforted in the knowing that I am exactly where I am meant to be. Contented, steady breaths of my sleeping loves filter my mind as I ponder the words above; the words I longed to hear resounding within my very own heart, only months ago.  I am so grateful to have been a part of this incredible Sling Diaries project. What an honour it has been to wear my darling girl - an extension of my very own heart - as we meander through this life, together.


Previous entries... Inspiration, Memory, Joy, Voice and Kinship

Kinship | The Sling Diaries

 

During the slowing of the evening, when the mist begins to linger and the light casts longer, deeper shadows, you quietly rest your weary hollow. My core whispers to you of tales passed; of how you were once but a tiny seedling, nestled and hidden within. After months of protection and nourishment, you grew strong and brave, eventually deciding the time had come to leap from my branches and plant yourself by my side. I watched as you blossomed, your delicate fronds unfurling, strengthening and flourishing with each passing day.

Now, fuelled by the rising sun, you awaken with vibrant luminosity, reaching your tendrils out into the wide open world without a moment’s hesitation. Courageously you strive for understanding, independence and truth, despite the looming enormity of the unknown. Your innocence immerses me in a world I had regretfully long forgotten – a realm where birdsong inspires wonder and ant trails instil delight. Fervently, you soak in every sight and sound, unconsciously adding newfound discoveries to the rings of knowledge at the very centre of your being.

In time, as my frame grows tired through the winters of life and the forest has revealed all of the majesty and splendour it can possibly muster, I will lay down by your side. Slowly, the softest of moss will become my blanket, and all around you, you will see fresh, new life. May the buds, sprouts and saplings spring from within and thrive through my legacy, left at your feet. Although my core will no longer whisper to you in the slowing of the evening, still the roots of my essence will intertwine your soul. Burrowed and bound together in the unseen depths, you will feel my grasp holding you steadfast through both silence and storm. From the very beginning to the very end, the stories of the trees will echo our journey and you will never face this world alone.

Images 2, 3, 4 and 5 courtesy of the beautiful Ellen Arthur

Sage is wrapped with love in the Essential Linen Sling in Driftwood|Mint by Sakura Bloom