Leaps and bounds

Freia one month old.

A month. It might as well be a hundred years. Freia has only been with us for a month, and I can't even remember what life was like before she got here. So much has changed and happening in the past month. And I am not just talking about adding another person to our family. It feels like our entire family has changed since she arrived. Leaps and bounds for all of us.

First smile

e went from having this tiny little family that sleeps and eat all the time, to a baby girl that is getting more and more aware every day. We even got our first smile a few days ago :) The sweetest, cutest little smile. My heart just melted that day. The girls have embraced having their little sister around - I guess embrace is not the right world.....they ran to it! They had been waiting for their little sister for so long.

And the minute she arrived, it's like they already new about how to be the wonderful little sisters that they are. Well, we had to teach them a thing or two, like "Don't step on your sisters head, Olivia!" or "Madeline don't you put that lollipop in your sister's mouth!"....little details you know ;) But overall, all that love, they already had it ready for her. Such nurturing little girls I have.
 

And I, well, I've been learning to balance having 3 little girls. Which, to my surprise, is much easier than I thought. I am growing in my role as a mother, learning to be present when I need to and let go when necessary - which happens a lot nowadays. The girls have gained so much confidence since Freia arrived. I watch Madeline in the morning as she walks out the door in the morning carrying her lunch box, and I am amazed to think that in the fall she'll start pre-school. I swear she was still in my belly yesterday. Time gets blurry.
  And Olivia - she started writing on her own! The other day I found her at the table - she had picked up a book and decided to copy the letters in it...all on her own! Such a big girl. So we're encouraging her that way. Can't believe that in the near future I'll have a little girl that can read and write.

Of course the past month hasn't been without it's challenges - physically as I've had some post birth issues, minor issues but still tiring. How tiring? Well, so tiring that indeed I forgot how to write my own daughter's name when I took some pics to celebrate a 1-month birthday - see pic below :D Oh. And I posted the picture on facebook without noticing it...until my friend Carlin called me up on it. The shame. Ha! This woman needs sleeps, guys. And I am not the only one - big changes in the house means that everybody is more tired...and mmmm, let's say, a bit fussy. Tantrums much? Yes, Olivia, you do have to eat your food........
 

So what do we do? Well, we slow down. Take a deep breath. And try to focus on what the things that matter - our time together. Especially 1 on 1 time. Last weekend hubby took Olivia on a big girl date, and while Freia was sleeping I made paper princesses dress with Madeline. We had such a blast. Having more to balance has made me rediscover how important every minute that I spent with my kids is.
 

So we're tired, yes. And sometimes things get challenging. yes. But in the end, being challenged is the only way to grow, right? We rise up to those challenges, and our lives get better for it. I am so so SO glad that we decided to add another child to our little family.

Sure, things were easy and comfortable before that, and we could have chosen to stick with  it-  nothing wrong with that. But I feel so good having one more little person to love and care for and watch as she grows. Turns out, I had a lot of space left in that little heart of mine. And then some :) Seems like that little heart also grows leaps and bound with each sweet little girl that comes to our life.
 

Princess Madeline singing Let it GOOOOOOOOOOOO!

With mama

Swing fun :)

Freia's nursery

I am so excited to finally show you Freia's nursery nook - get ready for a gazillion pictures :) The little lady and I are doing great, she's now 12 days old - and really we spent the best of the last 12 days cuddling and resting in this very room I am showing you today.

We didn't want the nursery to feel to baby-ish, but still fun for her, and above all things we wanted to the room to feel relaxing, cosy and happy...you know, guessing it would help us get through those evil witching hours of the evening ;) I drew all the inspiration for the nursery from childhood memories of happy summers. Think ice cream cones, sunflowers, pink clouds and walks in the forest. Shake well and you get this room.
 

The room didn't have a lot of space for me to work with but we made it work for our need - and budget! We ditched the changing table altogether (We change her either in  the bathroom next door or on a pad on the bed). I never liked the look of changing tables anyway. We added this simple white crib, a very small rocker right by the little library I made for the girls with clear shelves (tutorial here).
 

Once the basics were in place, I had fun adding touches of colors here and there - oh the details, that's where all the fun is ! Some fun prints and photographs  like Max Wanger's Ice cream photograph- all prints framed by my lovely friends at Framed and Matted -, big yellow wall hooks that look like shining suns ($10 for all 3 from CB2!), and a gold mushroom lamp -because, duh, every babe needs one of these ;), a few little "doudous" in her bed. p.S:If you are a fan of Max Wanger like I am, Framed & Matted is offering this already framed print in partnership with Max until the end of May, hurry! Amazing friends and readers surprised me the most adorable things for the nursery and helped make this room even more personal - like the bunting above the library by A Moka A Day or the "Little girls with dreams because women with vision print" by Coco + Mingo. They are my favorite things about this room :) Some of my recent projects for the blog also ended up in the room, like the nesting bird hanging planters and a couple of the wallpapered stools.



Right now we also have a little bassinet right by the bed - it won't stay there long term, but it's helping me survive the first few weeks by not having to go all the way to the bed every night. It's all about the little things that make like with a newborn easier, right now :)
 

The big wooden dresser was already in the nook as our landlord asked us to keep it there, so I added a fake cross-stitch heart that I made out of contact paper (my best friend!) and attached some of the leftover wallpapers that I had from this project and that project to give it a bit more personality- it gives me the perfect storage space for Freia's clothes! I keep clothes of extra sizes, acessories etc in little boxes and suitcase - it makes the closet less cluttered and I love the extra pops of color they add!

We love this space as it is now, so far it's been working really well for us!

Three sisters

I'll take care of you....or I'll try :)

A new life

A week ago, we brought home a new life. A new piece of us. The end of life as we new it. A magical new chapter opened last week. The girls kept asking "Mama. It's been a LOOOONG time. When is Freia coming?!" I'd tell them that only she knew, only she could decide what her birth day would be, just like they chose them. They'd leave me huffing and puffing still - they just. could. not wait. They wanted their little sister already.

Last Thursday I started having stronger contractions than usual, and something told me that she was coming. And I thought she would come fast - because after all, her sisters did. I called my midwives, and we agree that we should go to the birth center sooner rather than later so we headed there late afternoon...to come back early evening. For some reason my contractions died down - it was so disappointing! That good old wisdom I gave the girls earlier just bit me in the butt ;) But an hour later they picked up again they picked up stronger than before. And I was happy again. I was going to meet my baby girl.
 

The delivery was longer (at least a bit longer than with Madeline and Olivia) and somehow more painful than I remembered with the girls - but that's what your brain does, right? It erases all memories of pain so you'll have children again. Tricky tricky brain. Anyway. It was tough, I won't lie, but I am so happy that I went all natural with this one again. Some people like to push their body to run a marathon. I can find no reason more beautiful to push your body to its limits than to bring another human body to this world. Freia was born at 3:28am on Friday, May 9th, and I think my first words to her where:"You are here! You're finally here!".

And then I looked at her little feet. These little feet that had been kicking me for month, these little feet that I'd get to move around the side of my belly when she was still in there. In the wee hours of Friday morning we came back home (the birth center doesn't keep you there, you get to go home), and the girls could meet their new sister before going to school.
 

Oh they were so happy. And so proud. And I just had a hard time keeping it together. So many little girls. So much love. And those damn hormones ;) I can't wait to see how this little girl changes the dynamics between all of them - but so far they have been so good to her.

Olivia sings to her, and not songs she knows - she makes up song for her baby sister. Kinda like Buddy in the movie Elf. "And you're going to sleeeep! And there will be hoooooooorses in your dreeeeaaams! And unicorns too!!!" It is so funny and so sweet. And Madeline is the best little helper like she always is. She wants to hold her sister, and help find clothes for her, and help change her diaper. Somehow she got so much bigger - and heavier too! - to me. I guess she is a big girl now. Even though I still see her as my little one :)
 

Troels is off work all week and helping out with the girls, so I am able to rest a whole lot. And Freia has been an amazing baby so far - she has already slept 5-hour stretches at home a couple of times! Granted, I know it won't last and tough ones are coming, but still. Last night as I was feeding Freia on the terrace after we put the girls to bed, everything was so peaceful, so serene and I thought to myself: "This has been the perfect first week with our baby girl." So hopefully, here's to more perfect weeks:)

 But regardless of the tougher times that I am sure are coming, I feel ready for the challenge of balancing life with 3 kids, and can't wait to us to figure out our new routine. To figure out our new "life as we know it". So bring it on!

love

Baby Freia

Our little Freia arrived in the early hours of the morning last Friday - and we couldn't be any happier! Our hearts are filled with love and happiness. She's the sweetest little thing and perfect in every way. I'll share more pictures and tell you more about her birth and our first days at home with her on Friday - for now I'll go get some rest though, if that's ok ;) In the weeks to come I'll still be around the blog sharing posts and reading all of your sweet comments, and I've also asked amazing blogger friends to help "fill the gap" so I can spend much needed time with sweet little Freia. You'll see a lot more guest posts while I am on "maternity leave" - but I have no doubt you're gonna love every single one of them! Thanks to all of you who have already been leaving lovely comments on my Instagram feed, sending sweet notes and pretty gifts for Freia's birth - it means so so much to me and my family to have this amazing, supportive community around us. Hugs, Audrey

Right before leaving for the birth center....

My little May flower

Today the loveliest of little girls turns 3. My littlel May flower, born in the first  hours of May. Three years today that the bright Spring sun rose in the Danish sky as I was holding her tight and kissing her red hair for the first time. Three incredible years getting to know her better.

 Some people don't like to find out the sex of the baby before the baby's born because they say, in these days of over information, it's the only thing that's left a surprise. But really, to me, knowing the sex of your baby is one of the only thing you can know before they come to this world. What they look like, their personality...it slowly unfolds in front of you as they get older. And it's  really one of the best thing about being a parent...watching them be their own little selves. I love you so much, my little Madeline. Happy birthday my darling girl!