Hello baby!

Throughout my pregnancy I read to my baby.  I had three books - The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the story of a naughty tiger who invited himself to tea and ate ALL the food and drank ALL the drinks; The Very Hungry Caterpillarabout an appetite which couldn't be satisfied; and Huwi's Huhu Hunt, the most delightful story about a baby Kiwi who wouldn't eat anything his Mum found for him.  Inadvertently, three stories about going hungry.

On August 29 our son Racer was born, the cutest, most amazing little guy ... no bias at all ;)

We quickly discovered he was born with Tracheo-Oesphageal Fistula (TOFS).  Rather than a long tube connecting mouth to stomach, his oesphagus was in 2 parts.  The top piece from his mouth ended as a closed loop dangling in the centre of his chest.  The bottom piece, running from his stomach, had attached to his trachea.  There was no means of getting food from his mouth to his tummy. 

Here began our new story of going hungry.  Three weeks in NICU (newborn ICU) in the Grace Ward at Westmead Children's Hospital, a 7 hour operation at two days old, a very long list of possible short and long term TOFS associated issues and more tests than you could ever imagine.  It was an incredibly intense time. 

Thankfully, like the books, it's a hungry story with a happy ending.

Every day we thank our lucky stars that Racer's oesphagus was able to be successfully connected in one operation and to date there's no sign of associated issues.  We are FOREVER grateful to the amazing nurses, surgeon's, specialists, doctors and staff at Westmead. 

We're now six months in and life is rich with love, laughter, delight, dark circles under the eyes and a list as long as my arm of stuff which should have been done days, weeks, months ago.

So to this post.  And my other baby bon, which, despite best intentions, I neglected. 

The long, bumpy road to a successful pregnancy, the complications and bed rest throughout my pregnancy, and the shock and stress of Racer's TOFS at birth all shifted my focus and permanently changed my perspective.  For a long while I actually resented my other baby bon and it's demands on my time.  For my own sanity, and for the love of my child I totally stepped away from bon.  For the past six months it's been all about my beautiful little family -  Racer, my husband Cam, our cat Rupert and me.

But bon is my baby too, and while nothing compares to the love I have for Racer,  I love bon and I'm back baby! 

We've got some really good things in the pipeline, a few months away, and for right now, we have a new delivery of our best selling Sweaters for Autumn and Winter (hoooray!).

So thank you all for your love and continued support, I'm excited about this new journey of motherhood and bon. 

Thank you also to awesome, patient, stylish and all round beautiful person Libby who has been keeping bon running in my absence; to legend woman Tricia for saving the day so many times in those early days of hospital; and to the awesome women at NBBB, our collective of female business owners who have each others backs and make sure the right stuff happens!  Onwards and upwards good women!

Love, Linda & Racer xxx

Photo Credit @coteinteriors cote interiors @the.palm.co