Along with first snow arrived our baby boy Otso!
While the landscape turned from autumny browns and greens to the bright white of fresh snow, we had to stay for an extra week in the hospital as it seemed our lil one wasn't quite ready to come out yet but might have liked to stay in the womb for another month or so. For one week he got the most excellent care and supervision at the preemie ward and I got to catch up on sleep. I am so grateful for the healthcare we get here practically for free and I am extra appreciative for the understanding and support of the nursing staff towards me, a first-time mom who almost felt like I was losing it at times, not knowing what everything meant.
Apart from the care of the staff I also came to appreciate the fact that each baby at the preemie ward gets their own hand made blanket to stay warm underneath. As long as I've been a knitter I have heard of local and national knit-a-longs for preemies but I've never quite realized how important these pieces are until you sit there staring at a hospital bed yourself, missing home.
I don't have any pics from the hospital but this is a baby sleep sack I made from this great online pattern by Teresa Cole and we've worn it since the very first few days.
I strongly believe there is a different energy in something hand made as opposed to some factory produced piece of fleece. Apart from the hospital pajamas everyday I wore my own hand knits while staying there as I felt they offered irreplaceable comfort and a feeling of home. It's almost like yarn and fiber actually transports memories and feelings to you unlike store bough clothes.
After staring at walls for many hours the hand knits also become a very welcome aesthetic distraction from the neutral hospital colors and materials.
Otso (his name meaning bear in Finnish) is now 6 weeks old, we have settled in at home, and the temperatures are staying well below zero, which is very welcome, and we have made it our daily routine to go for a lunch time walk. I have also discovered that snow scooter tracks make an OK surface also for the baby pram to roll along given the weather conditions are just right (i.e. the snow is hard enough)!
I'm using a traditional Lappland shawl as cover when its really cold. This thing is actually one of the very first items I ever wove on the loom! It's a little too big and chunky to be worn as a shawl, but its perfect for this job.
Mittens are too hot for me even in winter so I made a handle cozy for the pram instead. It works!
For indoor activities we've already started using a baby wrap, and I can't wait to go baby-wearing also in the great outdoors!!
I will try to stya clear of all the common clichés regarding newborn parenting, but there are some things that we are already finding out to be true, mostly I now understand why people with kids have to plan so carefully ahead, how poop suddenly becomes a normal conversation topic ;) not to mention the amount of love you feel!
