#she just wants a colourful blanket in that specific pattern (which is essentially just one big solid granny square)

[fingertipsmp3]

So I got commissioned yesterday and I was kind of nervous because I haven’t crocheted in a long time and have never made anything for this person before, but she is apparently beside herself with happiness over the colours I picked & the fact that I agreed to the commission, so I think this is going to go well

[illyrianwingspans]

Do Not Go Gentle: Twenty Twelve

Link to song: Twenty Twelve by Matt Maeson (my babe)

Synopsis: Another dark and twisty bend in Feyre’s life.

TW: Mention of physical/emotional abuse, domestic abuse, self-harm and dark thoughts. If you're sensitive to these topics, please read with caution.

Ao3 Link

Chapter 12: Twenty Twelve

“You need to get off the couch.”

I dragged my eyes up to meet Lucien’s. (That movement alone was enough to tire me). He was staring at me, arms crossed, contempt making his muscles contract beneath his button down. I knew him being here was a sacrifice. Tamlin didn’t like him leaving the office. But he did so, most lunch times. I think it’d been Alis that sent him after me after she noticed I’d been docile for over two weeks now. The only fresh air I’d gotten was sips of it in the morning when I went to the balcony.

I never stayed long, though. Too tempting.

He’d cook for me and I wouldn’t eat it. He’d sit with me, talk into the open—it was fruitless, as I only had eyes for the TV, or for sleep. But he came every day, nonetheless.

“I’m tired.”

“Bullshit.” Lucien said, reaching his hand out for me to take it. “Get up.”

“I’m not in the mood, Lucien,” I meant to be forceful, but it sounded more like a defeated sigh than anything.

“Get up.”

“Lucien—”

“Get up,” he snapped, and my head finally whipped to meet his, a battle of wrath that had our gazes locked together.

“No,” I bit out. My chest heaved at the effort it took, the clenching of my teeth. “Stay out of this, Lucien.”

“I won’t stand idly by and watch you destroy yourself.”

Destroy myself. As if I had a say in any of this.

He must’ve seen the paradox of what he said, because his shoulders hunched and he said, “We both know how he can get. Everything is just getting too heated right now with Hybern—it’s taking a toll on him. On all of us. I’m trying to get him to let up.”

I stayed silent, unable to meet his gaze. Everything was always so focused on Tamlin—his stress, his business dealings, the pressure on him—and yet day in and day out, all I could picture him doing was sweet-talking clients, reading documents, making calls. Maybe it was my own selfishness that made me fail to see it, but I remained resentful, unable to respond to Lucien.

“Nothing will work, Lucien. I know him. You know him. I'm stuck.”

Trapped. I wanted to say trapped, because there may as well have been steel bars over the windows. But it was too blunt, too gory to equate my current lifestyle to a prisoner or a caged bird.

But that's exactly what it felt like.

“I'll talk to him,” he tried again, the hope draining from his face with each passing second.

“Don't stick your neck out just for me.”

“My loyalty is to Tamlin, Feyre,” Lucien said quietly, “but also to my friend.”

He left, and I burrowed deeper into the blankets, eyes closing from the burden of exhaustion a simple conversation now weighed down on me.

***

I didn’t know how I felt as Tamlin put his hand on my thigh, giving it a quick squeeze before we exited the car. New clothes always made my skin itch, and I fidgeted in the leather seat as the bright sun cast a glare in my eyes. A routine that’d been second nature to me felt as though I was walking in another person’s life. This morning, I’d brewed two coffees, one which I’d sipped and one that I’d packed in my bag, knowing that I’d definitely need all the caffeine I could get today.

And, the fact that I didn’t want to go back to that shop. I wouldn’t, couldn’t, go back into that shop. As it passed by in the lobby, I averted my eyes, refusing to relive the moment when the barrel of that gun pressed into my forehead.

We both waved to Alis on the way through reception. She took a double take as she saw me, clad in black pants and a checkered blazer, at Tamlin’s side on our way up to the last floor.

Lucien had pushed. He’d pushed, to his detriment, but Tamlin finally eased up. If I wouldn’t work in the coffee shop, and Tamlin wouldn’t allow me to go anywhere else, the best compromise would be to work with him.

Well, not exactly him. With Ianthe.

I wasn’t prepared emotionally nor physically with what today would involved. Not because I was exhausted—which I most definitely was—but because I hadn’t spoken directly to Ianthe in a month, since the wedding, and I liked it that way. Tamlin punched in the elevator code, the same one as our apartment, and I frowned.

“Did you change the codes at home yet?” I asked Tamlin. After Rhysand had waltzed in that day, I’d asked Tamlin to change them lest the dark-haired man would attempt to try again.

“Mhm,” he said, but his eyes were glued to his phone screen. I let out a silent sigh. Long day indeed.

As we got to the executive floor, Tamlin went directly to his office and gave me a kiss on the cheek before depositing me with Ianthe. She bade Tamlin a good morning, then her eyes turned to me. The look she gave me screamed that she was already frustrated, as though my presence alone were a burden.

“Alright, Feyre,” she said merrily. “Let me show you to your office.”

The elevator was two doored, so that Tamlin’s office was one wing and the board of directors and other chief officers were separate from him. This side of the wing was like a T, straight ahead being Tamlin’s office, a conference room to the left, and a very short, narrow hallway to the right. Ianthe diverged to the right and unlocked one of the creaky rooms, flicking the light switch with her long, brightly coloured fingernails.

“This is you,” she said brightly, though there was no way of making this situation any better: my ‘office’ was no more than a janitor’s closet. Long and narrow, with a small desk that barely fit a desktop a few files and a landline, with no windows. Beside the desk was a filing cabinet that Ianthe pulled open.

“In here are our old files that haven’t been digitized. For now you can start by entering these into our customer system and filing them with the information provided on the summary sheet stapled to the front.” She pulled one open and showed me the page, which was pretty standard. I nodded, and she pulled up the computer application for the filing data system they kept.

“That can probably keep you busy for a day or two, so we’ll start there for now. Lunch is at twelve,” and that was all before she sauntered out, closing the door loudly behind her.

I sighed, pressing my fingertips to my temples, staring back and forth between the files and the computer. This was going to be hell.

At least, I told myself as I began carefully, painstakingly reading the summary sheet, I’m not being gunned down.

***

It took me all week to finish all the files.

The words scrambled beneath my eyes, whether they be in the illegible hand-written notes or the glare of the computer screen. Every night I came home with a headache, and barely had time to force food down my mouth before I collapsed into bed. One night I woke up to pee and realized I hadn’t even taken off my work clothes.

From my desk, I could hear Tamlin and Ianthe chatting at her desk. Their laughter rang through my desolate office, making me cringe as I took another sip of my coffee, and tried to focus on the task before me. I thought it would be monotonous, repetitive, but each case and client had specificities that had me digging through the system—one I barely knew how to work—to ensure that I checked everything off. Names repeated themselves over and over again, and I always had to make sure that it wasn’t just a file I’d misplaced but actually already listed.

I think the worst part of it all was that this work wasn’t essential. They could’ve kept these files in the cabin for all they cared. They just wanted to give me something to do, like I felt important.

Every now and then, Tamlin would come and visit. For him, I’d put on a smile, pretend like this was the best idea we’d ever had, working together. I’d have lunch in his office with him if he wasn’t in a meeting.

One day he’d leaned over and kissed me, longingly, heatedly—it’d been a while since we’d been together like that. Every bone in my body was exhausted, but I’d kneeled before his chair. The day after, when Ianthe went to run an errand, he’d locked the door to his office and turned to me, eyes filled with lust. The wood felt cold against my cheek as he’d bent me over his desk.

In my office, though, the world felt obsolete. Every creak or flicker of shadow made me jump. One day, the lights flickered and I nearly broke into sobs. My chest tightened the moment I crossed the threshold, images of the trapped car filling my mind.

Friday night, we went home for the weekend, but Tamlin continued his work in his office. It left me back to my old patterns, holed up on the couch until I couldn’t tell the difference between the ends of my body and the beginnings of the plush leather.

Ianthe didn’t know what to give me the next week. She resorted to having me file through emails, which was more mind-numbing work of rifling through spam and sorting business inquiries. Whenever I got bored, though, I dug through the application. I had unrestricted access—Ianthe assumed Tamlin wouldn’t mind—so I read through current files. When my eyes fell onto a name, my heart jumped.

Hybern & Co.

Hesitantly, I looked over my shoulder to the door and went to slide the lock. Only I sighed as I realized that this was a fucking janitor’s closet, and the lock was on the outside.

Instead, I angled my chair to black the door’s way, and began skimming the file.

It was long. Pages and pages of notes, probably annotated by Tamlin, as well as deeds of sale, co-ownership declarations and contracts. None of the legal jargon language made sense. Nonetheless, I dug around through my measly desk until I found a portable hard drive, then saved the lengthy document.

I swallowed hard as I looked down at the USB key. It burned in my hand as I pulled it out of the computer and chucked it into the depths of my purse.

Just in case.

Ianthe’s laugh carried out through the short corridor, and I immediately exited the program and wiped my history. There could be no room for any doubts about me in either of their minds. Their laughter continued, and I creaked my door open amidst the raucous to see what was so goddamn hysterical as to disturb the entire floor.

As I approached Ianthe’s desk, their chuckles erupted once more. Ianthe said, “And then Jensyn looked to her and said—” Ianthe paused when she saw me, eyelash extensions batting together once. Smiling politely, she asked, “Is there something you needed?”

Mouth open in confusion, my eyes darted between her and Tamlin, who also seemed to think that I had a question.

My cheeks heated. It couldn’t have been any more clear that I’d intruded in on their conversation.

“Um, I just wanted to know if you want me to empty the junk file once I’m done sorting.”

“Of course, go ahead.” She said. Silence ensued once more as the three of us looked to one another. Without another word, I turned around and headed to my office, face and ears pounding with embarrassment. From behind my closed door, I could hear Tamlin’s laughter pick up once again.

Tears threatened to fall over. But they never came as I buried those feelings deep down inside me.

***

I sighed for what felt like the millionth time as I read through the file again. Sweat collected on my lower back, and I gulped down another sip of water. The room felt too hot. Too enclosed.

Ianthe had me working on filing current clients within the application, which was a completely different system than the older paper files. Every computation had me squinting my eyes, looking between the codes that Ianthe had scribbled for me which were a dozen numbers long and the ones that looked up at me on the screen. A dull throb sounded throughout my head, so bad that I had to close my eyes and look away from the screen.

Instead, I punched in the extension to Ianthe’s desk, and she picked up on the first ring. “Yes, Feyre?”

“Hi, uh sorry to bother you I just needed to know if you wanted me to sort by lot number or last name of the beneficiary.”

“Oh, lot number, definitely. And don’t forget to update all the deposit certificates if you see that a new payment’s been made.”

I swallowed hard, looking at the dozen or so files that I’d already ticked off the list she gave me. “Deposit certificates?”

“Yes, the receipts that clients get after they put a payment down on the property. If there was a new payment, come to my desk and look through the deposit cabinet and find the right one, scan it, then upload it to the file.”

“Oh, um, I think I might need help with that.”

Silence. Then, “Alright, just come up to the front desk and I’ll talk you through it.”

It took everything within me not to slam the phone down. Then everything within me not to break into sobs as Ianthe taught me the process, step by step—which was extremely, banally simple—as though I were an incompetent child who couldn’t do simple math. After a half hour, I finally got the hang of it and headed back to my office, not bothering to close the door behind me as I knew I’d be wandering in and out to scan the files.

She’d told me I should be able to finish the updates in a few days. Only a week later, I was still running back and forth between her desk and mine, still puzzled as I continued working out nooks and crannies of the filing software. The worst part, though, was that I could tell she was frustrated with me. She wasn’t even trying to hide her scowl of disappointment every time I interrupted her work, nor her sighs as I asked question after question.

Tamlin peaked through his office every now and then, all smiles and jokes as he saw the two of us working together. “My real wife and my work wife,” he’d say, and Ianthe would laugh. I didn’t have the energy to correct him. I didn’t have the energy, either, to tell him I wasn’t in the mood when we ate lunch together and his fingers ran too far up my thigh. He did the work anyways as he had me over his desk time after time.

As I walked back to my office and plopped down on my chair, still trying to fix my ruffled hair after he’d pulled on it a little too hard, I kept the door open, unable to stand the feeling of it enclosed on me anymore. Ianthe’s laughter carried through the floor once more, and I rolled my eyes as I listened in on their conversation.

“So you remember what I told you about Jensyn and Marcia? Well, anyway, the other day in the meeting, Marcia outright called him out in the meeting about denying her vacation days, and he looked her straight in the eye and told her that next time she calls in sick, she better delete her instagram pictures of her in the club the night before.”

Rich, booming laughter followed as Tamlin said, “I knew I hired that guy for a reason.”

There was more office talk that I tuned out while checking and emptying the junk mail before Ianthe dropped her voice an octave. With the door closed, I definitely wouldn’t have heard, but she may have been talking right to me as she said, “Tamlin, I need to talk to you about Feyre.”

Ice filled my limbs. My fingers paused, poised over the keyboard, waiting for his reply.

“What about her?” Tamlin wondered, voice equally low. I held my breath, ears straining.

“She’s slowing me down, Tam,” Ianthe said, and heat flooded my face. “I can’t keep doing this. Every five minutes she keeps asking questions I’ve answered dozens of times.”

My ears were hot with embarrassment, and I took deep, even breaths, trying not to break down then and there.

“I know,” Tamlin admitted quietly, “but there’s nothing else for her to do. She needs this.” Tamlin sighed. “Give her simpler things. Getting coffee and lunch, answering the phones.”

Not defending me. As always, putting his employee’s productivity, his company, before me.

I couldn’t listen to the rest of the conversation. I sat there, slouched in my chair, waiting for the tears to come. Waiting for the pain in my chest to leak throughout me, for the tears to pour down my cheeks.

But as I sat there, I realized, I couldn’t feel anything at all.

***

“Spring Corporations,” I answered dully. The person asked to be patched through to Tamlin, and I punched in his extension code, waiting until I heard my fiancees voice before setting the phone back in its holster. It was the second call I’d received all day. The first was Ianthe, teaching me how to answer and send the call to Tamlin’s extension.

Besides that I sorted through the emails. Ianthe had sent me to get her and Tamlin coffee as well, but I stared at her blankly when she told me her order from Hum’s. There was no way I was going into that shop for her. Ten minutes later, a pair of footsteps could be heard. I heard Alis’s voice wishing her a good day.

I was back to square one. Doing fuck-all, all day, mind wandering as I was stuck in the office chair. I felt like a child playing pretend to feel important. At this point, there was no point in me even being here anymore. The couch at home was definitely more comfortable, anyways.

The phone rang, snapping me away from my thoughts. I cleared my throat, picked up and said, “Spring Corporations.”

Silence. “Hello?” I demanded.

Then, “Feyre?”

All my muscles stiffened at the sound of that voice. That voice, and that face, the one I’d been blocking out of my memory and mind for the past month and a half. “Why are you calling Tamlin’s office, Rhys?”

“Why are you working in Tamlin’s office, Feyre?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll transfer you to Tamlin.”

“No, no Feyre wait.” Desperation had seized his voice, and it was enough to pause my fingers before they punched in Tamlin’s extension. “I need to talk to you. I found something this morning and I really just need you to listen to me. Please.”

“Didn’t you get the message when I blocked you? I don’t care anymore, Rhys,” I said, not caring that my voice was cold and unfeeling, not caring that all he wanted to do was help.

“Somebody hacked into your apartment's mainframe system today. They are trying to get to you and Tamlin, and they're very close.”

I blinked, once, twice, not understanding how the statement didn't jar me. “Do you know who it is?”

“No,” he said, and the way he said it made me know that it was killing him, “all I know is that you're in danger, Feyre. Real imminent danger. You need to protect yourself—”

Closing my eyes, the throb behind my forehead worsened as I drawled, “Why can't you just talk to Tamlin, Rhys? There's nothing I can do.”

“Just tell him yourself, Feyre,” he said like it was obvious, like telling my fiancee that I've been speaking to the man whom he told me never to see again wouldn't get me in a pile of steaming shit. “This is about your safety.”

“He won't believe me.”

“Leave him.”

Silence. Then cold, twisting fury in my gut. “Excuse me?”

“As a matter of fact, you're not safe anywhere near that man, Feyre. Leave him. Mor has a place you can stay at—”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Rhysand? Leave my fiancee? Leave my life?”

“At least you'll be less miserable than the way you're living in that prison.” My mouth was wide open, unable to answer. Rhys said frantically, his voice laced with pain, “It's killing you, Feyre. How can't you see that?”

“You don't know me, Rhys, and you sure as hell don't know what's good for me. Stop pretending like you have a say in any of this. I made your fucking coffee, that's it. So please, just—”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?”

The phone dropped from my hand.

Tamlin stood in the doorway, fists already clenched at his sides.

My fingers shook as they clenched the arms of my chair, pining my wrists down in his vice-like grip. His golden hair was hanging haphazardly around his face. He was a beast incarnate as the anger swelled within him, ready to explode.

“Tamlin,” I breathed. “I was just telling him to stop calling. He kept going on—”

“Why didn't you hang up?” he growled. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I flinched. “Tamlin—”

“And to top it off,” he smiled, and ugly gut-clenching smile, “he's telling you to leave me? Is that how it is? You want to leave me, Feyre?”

“No, Tamlin, I love you,” my voice trembled. “It wasn't—it's not—”

From the phone dangling in my lap, faintly I could hear, “Feyre—”

Tamlin's eyes widened with flames of rage. One moment he was towering in the doorway, the next he reached over and tore the phone from my desk and threw it across the room, the sound of plastic splitting and scattering all over the ground filling the small space. I wasn't breathing as his hands then slammed down on the arms of my chair and he slammed it back against the wall, my head hitting the cold hard cement as the wheels creaked and groaned beneath me. Pain bloomed across my scalp, and a sob squeezed out of me as his nose was up against mine.

“I told you never to speak to him again,” he spat, “and still, after everything you don't listen to me.”

“Tamlin,” I sobbed, “I'm sorry.”

“Downstairs. Now. Lucien's driving you home.”

***

I pulled the hood of my coat over my head. I'm pretty sure it was bleeding.

My arms were covered in sleeves of bruises. I hadn't realized until the adrenaline left my body how forceful he'd been. The coat covered them at least—I couldn't bare any stares right now. Not in the midst of the chaos threatening to consume me whole.

When I passed Alis, her face was one of devastation as she took me in. I only walked faster, but not before she called out, “Feyre!”

Despite everything screaming to run, to get out of this place, I turned and faced the gentle, kind woman who'd been an integral part of my life for the last two years. Her brown skin stood stark against the collar of her white blouse, the sleeves of which she clutched as she took me in, her mouth tightening into a scowl.

“What did he do?” she wondered quietly. Everyone else in the lobby milled about, without a care, not witnessing or paying mind to the horror amongst them.

“It's nothing, Alis,” I said quietly, unable to meet her eyes.

She stared at me—I could feel her piercing gaze burning through me—then quickly scribbled a number down. “My personal cellphone number,” she explained, tearing the page off and placing it in my hand. “Call it for any reason, any need.”

I nodded numbly, slipping the paper into my purse, then headed for the building's main exit. Wading through the crowd of people, my mind kept flashing back to Tamlin towering over me and—

How powerless. How seemingly insignificant I'd become, both to him and to myself.

Because if I cared even a little about myself, why couldn't I leave him?

My frown deepened as I saw Lucien, gaze full of pain and empathy as he stood in front of the car, hands braced against the hood. Immediately, his arms wrapped around me, and I stood there, unable to react. He was all I had, him and Alis. My final lifelines. My sole friends.

I couldn't remember the last time Tamlin had held me like this. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt loved. Not just told the words, not just promised a partnership, not just cohabiting the same living space, not just sex and niceties—but loved.

And yet, this was all I had. In a way, after all the stains I'd left on this world, maybe it was all I deserved.

In the car, we stayed silent. The elevator as well. I left for my room and changed into something more comfortable, checked my head to see the damage—I had been bleeding, but it was dry now, and easily covered by pulling my hair back in a ponytail.

It was only finally when we both sat on the couch, facing the silent, blank TV did Lucien say anything. In those moments of silence before he opened his mouth, I could feel my heart beating, slowly, lethargically, as though it had given up as well.

“You have to understand, Feyre,” Lucien said quietly, “the amount of stress he's under.”

My eyes closed. This was it.

There comes a point during a relapse, I realized, a breaking point. One when the obstacles become insurmountable, when hope within fingertips' reach disappears from view, when the little light left in your dark, fucked up world extinguishes completely.

As Lucien kept explaining how Tamlin was going through a phase, a rough patch, that things would eventually ease off and get better, I broke. The parts of me I'd tried to hold together for so long cleaved apart. I could feel myself exiting my body. I was disappearing before my very eyes, and there was nothing left to stop it.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

I hadn’t realized he’d finished speaking and a long pause of quiet stretched between us. Distantly, I shook my head. “Just go.”

His face fell. “Feyre—”

“I need to be alone right now. I need some silence, and I need space to breathe, and I need you to leave.” I was completely calm. There was nothing else within me to draw from, no anger or rage, no resentment, no sadness. Nothing.

Reluctantly, he pressed up off the couch and I heard the chime of the elevator and his heavy footsteps, signalling that he was on his way down and I was finally by myself.

I didn’t remember how it went.

It was a while after Lucien left, when I finally got the meagre strength and energy to get off the couch and wander to the ensuite where the bathtub awaited. A short time later when the water filled up to the brim, I shed my clothes and sank into the waters.

But not before pulling open the last drawer on the right, the one with my brushes and hairdryer, where at the very back lay a rectangular brown box. One I hadn’t opened in two years.

I remembered my fingers shaking. Clutching it for dear life. Sinking into the warm waters.

Drawing the first cut, not caring that the past scarred ones lay beneath them, screaming at me to put the box cutter down.

Everything after that was a blur. The water drained. I towelled myself down and put on some loose pants. Tamlin came home, released his wrath—another angry welt on my ribs, a glass shattering against the wall, shards that cut my hands as I picked them up, more words disgust and mistrust thrown my way.

But I didn’t care. I didn’t have the will to care anymore.

***

I almost stayed home. It was so tempting to lie in bed, to be alone, away from him. But I didn’t trust myself to stay sane in this cramped apartment for another day.

Tamlin kissed me deeply this morning as we were getting ready. It was full of remorse and apologies, I could tell by the way his fingers trailed gently down my cheek afterward as we stared at each other for a few long, quiet moments. I just hate that I flinched whenever his hands came near my face.

In the car, his hand sat on my thigh. Biting my lip, I screamed curse words in my head, bracing against the pain that licked up my thighs. They were a distraction, something I could focus on. The city was drenched with rain, and I wrapped my arms around myself, clad in a thin long-sleeve sweater. Cuts. Bruises. So many ugly parts of me I needed to cover up.

The day passed as usual. Upon arrival, Ianthe barely looked at me, probably from awkwardness and discomfort after hearing yesterday’s spat between Tamlin and I. Not that it mattered, really. I hold myself in my office as usual, sorted through the email, snooped around files. There was nothing else for me to do. Remnants of the landline still remained scattered across the floor. I didn’t have the energy to pick them up.

After lunch, I was scrolling through my nose when the elevator chimed. It wasn’t unusual—every now and then Tamlin had meetings with current or potential clients. But I had access to his schedule. He didn’t have an appointment at this time.

I wandered out into the hallway only to see a frantic Lucien shouting at Tamlin’s office door. Ianthe was standing behind the desk, mouth open in shock, and Tamlin finally appeared from his office, blonde hair slipping from where he had it tied at the nape of his neck. His eyes immediately found mine, and they were relieved when he saw I was fine.

“What’s going on?” I demanded Lucien with more force than I thought I had in me. “What is it?”

“Someone broke into your apartment. There’s a sniper reported in the area with eyes on your complex. The entire place is on lockdown and swarming with police.”

Rhys was right, was the first thought that clanged through me. The second was softer, fainter—fear. I hadn’t felt it in so long.

Lucien, exasperated, said, “We’ve gotta go now, Tam.” Tamlin nodded his head and ran back into his office to get his coat and keys.

“I’ll go with you,” Ianthe piped in.

Lucien reluctantly nodded then they both went for the elevator. I ran back to my office to fetch my purse and my phone, thinking this was definitely going to pre-occupy the rest of the day. Footsteps trudged down the hall until Tamlin was in the doorway, face hard and cold.

“Let’s go,” I said and made to walk out the door. Instead I walked right into his chest, which didn’t move as I tried to make my way around him. His broad frame blocked me in completely, and my brows furrowed.

“Tamlin, come on.”

“I need you to stay here.”

I blinked. His green eyes stared back into mine indifferently. “What?”

“You have to stay here. I can’t let you get hurt. Not again.”

“I’ll be fine. There’re police everywhere. They’re not going to let anyone hurt me. You won’t let anyone hurt me.”

“I thought that was the case before. But you keep nearly slipping away from me every time.” His hand reached out, just like this morning, and his fingers traced the side of my cheek. “I can’t lose you, Feyre. Stay where it’s safe. You can go in my office if you want.”

Contained. Confined. Caged. Safe. They were synonymous to him.

Trapped. Enclosed. Imprisoned. That’s how it felt, how the rest of my life would feel if I listened to this man for another minute.

“No.”

He turned for a moment, his feet ready to lead me to his office, and I took my opportunity to slip past him.

“Feyre—” he growled, hands frantically trying to grab onto me, but I tore away from his clutch and sprinted to the elevator. I needed to get out, I needed to get away, to run away—

The distance between the elevator and I closed, and I crashed into it, pressing the button repeatedly until the doors wrenched open. Gasping, I flung myself across the threshold—

He was stronger. Faster. He always was.

Hands gripped around my bruised wrist and I cried out as Tamlin pulled. Hard.

The ground slammed beneath me as I landed on my back, staring up at the doors that teased, open before me like a gateway to heaven. I dug my feet into the ground, trying with all my withered strength, all my might to resist. I screamed, struggling against him, trying to hit him with my other hand, but he grabbed that one just as quickly.

He dragged me back to the office. The carpet burned beneath me, and I shouted in pain as my thighs alit with the fire of the swollen cuts. Writhing and contorting were of no use, his grip was like iron as he let out a final grunt and I found myself back in my office. His hands dropped me and my head slammed into the floor once more. Stars scattered in my vision.

“Please,” I sobbed.

I felt him lean down in front of me and whisper, “I’m doing this for you. For us.”

He took two steps back, a dark shadow hovering in the dimming light of the doorway.

“Please.”

The door slammed shut behind him, with only the sound of a key and the lock sliding smoothly into place.

[elysiumwaits]

I was tagged by @novemberhush which is great because I love to talk about myself. It’s a problem sometimes at work, but it’s great for when I’m in therapy and doing memes on the internet!

Rules: answer 15 questions and then tag 15 people

1) Are you named after anyone?

Kind of. So my name is Emily. My mom had a cat named Emma - my biological father (who was not a good man) was jealous of the cat, and, long story short, Mom did not have a cat because of this asshole. So she named me Emily because she liked the name. I’m essentially named after her favorite pet. My middle name is Marie, it’s a family name - the last person who had it before me was my Great Aunt Marie, and she was, I’m told, the kind of woman who would take no shit and no prisoners. My mother told me it’s a very fitting middle name for me.

That said, please, please, please don’t call me Emily. Em is okay, I go by that in real life, but I actually prefer Eli or Ely most of the time. 

2) When was the last time you cried?

Shit, son, I cry at the drop of a hat. Probably a couple days ago? I’m a frustration crier and a happy crier and a oh-shit-I-dropped-my-fork-again crier, so it just... doesn’t really register anymore.

3) Do you have kids?

No. I work in a daycare, specifically the infant room. I love it, but personally, I don’t feel like kids are currently in the plan. This may change - I love children, but right now I don’t trust anyone enough to share a child with them, nor am I financially or mentally stable enough to raise one. 

I am, however, extremely maternal, so I will probably eventually have one. Just one.

4) Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Mmm, kind of? I don’t suffer fools gladly, which is sometimes a problem because my mouth moves before my brain catches up. I don’t use sarcasm in a mean or mocking way with people who don’t know any better - I will exaggerate it to use it with children so they know, without a doubt, that it’s sarcasm and a joke. Adults who should know better than to do ridiculous things, though, are fair game. 

Take, for example, the woman who told me I didn’t dress professionally enough in the infant room because I was wearing leggings and a comfortable t-shirt.

I used sarcasm with her. “Oh, I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right, I’m sure you put makeup and heels on for [child]’s 4 am feedings, too, right?” And then I pointed out the stains on my shirt from baby food and formula. 

With kids, though, who are old enough to understand what sarcasm is, I’ll do a really exaggerated, over the top eyeroll and be like “Oh, goodness, we never ever go outside, do we? We’ve never gone outside a single day you’ve been here!” or something like that, because they laugh and they know it’s a joke. It also helps them develop critical thinking and communication skills.

5) What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Okay, so, I am a hypervigilant person thanks to a lot of PTSD-inducing trauma, so the first thing I notice about a person is usually how they hold themselves and if they have anything in their hand. I notice body language religiously - someone with an aggressive, threatening stance is immediately labeled a threat, whereas a person walking with arms to the side, shoulders back, and a general open body language is labeled not-a-threat.

That’s how I live my life, day to day. Threat or not-a-threat. Every single place I go.

I don’t recommend it.

6) What’s your eye colour?

Blue - apparently a very striking blue, I’ve been asked multiple times if I wear contacts. I do not.

7) Scary movie or happy ending?

HAPPY ENDING. And honestly, I have to know that beforehand or I have too much anxiety to enjoy the book/film/show/game.

8) Any special talents?

Writing, though that’s less talent and more intense and obsessive devotion to a craft. 

I hesitate to add: I’m also very good with tarot cards. Give me enough time with a person, one of my decks, and I can pry deep into their lives and tell them things about themselves that they’ve never revealed to another soul. It’s honestly terrifying. I have stories.

9) Where were you born?

Missouri. Technically in a helicopter, not actually in a hospital. It was a very emergency C-section, I was a month early, and Mom had actually coded. She likes to tell people that I’ve tried to kill her at least once!

10) What are your hobbies?

Writing, gaming, reading, Youtube videos and shows, crochet (less so lately, I have trouble remembering patterns these days). I write a lot, I read mostly fanfiction right now, I game when I can (usually Skyrim, Dragon Age Inquisition, or Minecraft), I watch a lot of Rooster Teeth and Achievement Hunter, and occasionally I make blankets and washcloths when I get so stressed that I can’t function.

11) Do you have pets?

YES. Okay, so I have Boo, who actually might be my soulmate. I’ve never felt so close to an animal. He hopped in my car one day when I pulled into a parking lot, and I was like “Oh, okay, I have a cat now,” and he’s been mine ever since. In my defense, he was very, very skinny, declawed, and more than likely abandoned. I call him Seizure Cat sometimes because he always seems to know when I’m about to seize, and he’ll climb on me and purr so that I don’t wake up alone. It really helps. 

Then I have Piper, who is my princess. She is 16-17, and to be frank, I stole her. I say I rescued her, but essentially, I stole her. I saw my friend’s dad kick her hard enough she bounced off a wall, and when it was time to go, I just picked her up and took her with me. For a long time, I was the only person she would let near her. She’s mellowed out quite a bit, hangs out mostly in her basket next to the food bowl, and yells when she wants attention - if you try to pet her before she wants it, she gets super angry. So affection is always on her terms!

Last but not least is actually my parents’ dog, Kobe. He is a massive German Shepherd/Treeing Walker Hound mix that we got from a pound in St. Louis. Brought him home at 8 pounds, found out he had distemper (he was the only of his litter to survive it), and 95 pounds and roughly three years later, he sleeps at the end of my bed (or couch when I can’t sleep in the bed). He is insanely smart - he’s officially smart enough that he knows all the commands he’s supposed to, can understand sentences and respond to them. He just doesn’t listen, because he pretty much knows he doesn’t have to. Luckily he’s an only dog, and my parents and I adore him, because he’s pretty much untrainable, simply because he’s so damn stubborn.

12) What sport do you play/have you played?

I can tell you that there is not a single person in this world who has ever looked at me and said “oh yeah, she’s sporty.”

I broke my wrist in a junior high kickball game. I wasn’t even playing. I was walking around the gym, talking with my hands with my friend @artsake-dreams and someone kicked the ball. It was hard enough that it flew across the gym, bounced off my hand, and snapped my wrist. The gym teacher didn’t believe I was hurt, the substitute nurse thought I was faking, so I walked to the office and cried to the secretary (who was my mom’s friend, mom is a teacher in the same district). Mom brought the x-rays in and very quietly and intensely not-yelled at the nurse and the gym teacher.

Later, in senior year, I got banned from playing hockey in the gym because I was too aggressive and almost got a detention for swearing. The only reason I didn’t was because the PE teacher was honestly just glad I was showing an interest in something physical.

13) How tall are you?

5’3

14) Favourite subject at school?

English/Writing. I also really enjoyed the sciences, even if I wasn’t good at the math. I was excellent when it came to the theories, but the formulas were really difficult for me. I also really love philosophy.

15) Dream job

I want to say writer, but that’s a lie because I don’t like people giving me deadlines for writing. I think an editor with a publisher is my dream job. Possibly a college-level writing/English/literature teacher. I’m one of those people who believes that writing is a skill that can be taught (though some are born with an innate talent) and that it’s something that should be taught. But that’s a post for another day.

Uh, okay, tagging some people? @artsake-dreams @sophaoat @thepeacering @icarusthriving UUUH it’s 2 am I don’t know 15 people off the top of my head, sorry, BUT if you see this you’re welcome to do it and say I tagged you!!!

[xxsparksxx]

She put her hands under the leaves and began to pull and push them aside. Thick as the ivy hung, it nearly all was a loose and swinging curtain, though some had crept over wood and iron. Mary’s heart began to thump and her hands to shake a little in her delight and excitement. The robin kept singing and twittering away and tilting his head on one side, as if he were as excited as she was. What was this under her hands which was square and made of iron and which her fingers found a hole in?

It was the lock of the door which had been closed ten years and she put her hand in her pocket, drew out the key and found it fitted the keyhole. She put the key in and turned it. It took two hands to do it, but it did turn.

And then she took a long breath and looked behind her up the long walk to see if any one was coming. No one was coming. No one ever did come, it seemed, and she took another long breath, because she could not help it, and she held back the swinging curtain of ivy and pushed back the door which opened slowly—slowly.

Then she slipped through it, and shut it behind her, and stood with her back against it, looking about her and breathing quite fast with excitement, and wonder, and delight. She was standing inside the secret garden.

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

When I first had the idea for this blanket, I knew that the first thing I would need to do was re-read the book. Such a hardship!!

Although I have a paper copy, I decided to read it via my kindle, because then I could highlight and make notes – specifically, I could highlight every single time a plant or flower was mentioned.

Re-read and highlighting accomplished, I ended up with a nice list of flowers. A good start.

  I knew I couldn’t use all the flowers, so from my long list, I whittled it down to a smaller number. By and large, I went with flowers specifically mentioned as being in the secret garden (as opposed to on the moor or in Dickon’s garden). The only exception was the primroses; I just couldn’t resist those!

Next came layout and choosing colours.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

Colours for this one were pretty easy: I went with the flowers, most of which had colours specified in the novel. Yellows for primroses, crocuses, daffodils and roses. Blues for  delphiniums and columbines. Purples for crocuses and irises, white for snowdrops and lilies. Obviously I needed some greens in there as well, and I picked two that worked well with all of the other colours I chose. Thirteen colours in all.

The layout was a little trickier. I knew I wanted varying sizes of squares, and of course they had to all fit together well. Squared paper was essential. I started in the middle and worked my way out, with the layout/square sizes first, then initialling each flower into place.

In fact, one of the things I like most about the layout (the fact that it starts off with spring flowers in the centre, and moves outwards towards summer flowers) happened by accident. I didn’t deliberately aim to do it that way, but perhaps it was subconscious, because that’s certainly how it ended up.

  Layout done, I counted up how many of each square I needed, and noted down out what colours belonged to what flower. I also made sure I marked down the date I began, because I like keeping track of things like that 🙂

    When it comes to actually starting work on a pattern, I often sketch out some shapes to help me get a clearer idea in my mind of what it is I’m aiming to do. I don’t always do this, and I certainly don’t always stick to my sketch, but it can be really helpful, particularly in this case, where I needed each square to be very much recreating a flower in crochet, rather than just a more abstract floral form. I’ve done flower squares before, but rarely have I gone ‘right, snowdrops/daffodils/lilies/primroses, how do I get the sense and shape of that?’ in such a precise way. I wanted the squares to have not just the colours of the flowers, but the form of the flowers, as much as I possibly could. I wanted people to be able to look at the square and know what flower it represented. I wanted to keep the flower as vivid as possible.

So, there was some sketching out and some stitch ideas. I didn’t do this all at once, I did it square by square as I progressed and as I felt it was necessary:

Sometimes I stuck pretty closely to my initial sketch, and sometimes I didn’t, but I found it helpful to map out the shapes of some of the flowers. Still, despite the sketches, some of these flowers were a real headache. I think I tried the delphiniums three times before finally getting something I was happy with!

I always like to work up my designs in a neutral colour first, monochrome, so I can concentrate on the stitches, the shape, and the structure. So out came my ‘silver’, which is what I habitually use for pattern-drafting, and I proceeded to hook up every one of my flower squares – all ten of them.

Then, and only then, did I begin in colour – and I’ll tell you all about that tomorrow!

The yarn packs are currently sold out (!!) but you can sign up to be notified by email when they come back in stock.

The journey – part one She put her hands under the leaves and began to pull and push them aside. Thick as the ivy hung, it nearly all was a loose and swinging curtain, though some had crept over wood and iron.

[pipbabi]

baby clothes online

If you do not find any drawback on this, you'll be able to go for used child clothes additionally. There presents some extra explanation why on-line shopping for clothes is consider being one of the simplest ways to buy for all kinds of baby issues. So how much do it is advisable to spend on shopping for a snowsuit for a baby or a toddler? Designer baby clothes, child accessories, baby sneakers and toddler objects are not the one products out there in superstar style wear for infants. If you don't wish to get a one piece, then you can select to get separate snow pants and ski jackets to your baby or toddler. This is good news for these of you desirous to snag Depp’s type, as you will get your fingers by yourself Che Guevara dog tag with one fast Google search. You will get huge variety of kid’s t-shirts, sweaters, shorts, pants, hoodies and much more.

I will likely be off to find out. So, you should take a look at clothes which are made from bamboo, lycra, or natural cotton. Do you have to be trying to find 2016 New Arrivals Child Clothes Rompers Child Lady's Newborn Sleeveless O-Neck Vest Sort Climbing Cotton Vogue Clothes with probably essentially the most profitable worth. In case you're looking for 3pieces youngsters set zero-2y cotton newborn child boy clothes Kids's Set baby shirt jacket pants baby cotton set boys clothes set with in all probability probably the most profitable value. Bottles, bibs, blankets, cribs, and newborn baby clothes are only a few necessary articles. You'll be able to obviously attempt the clothes you might have ordered in your kids and if there is an issue related to measurement or such, most stores have the provision of changing your order with one which better suits your needs. Humorous thing to we are in WA it tends to be wet and partly chilly durring the vacations yet within the stores arround here most are short sleave and what not ..

When that is completed I will post the pattern and put it on right here. You can even request different people for reference some dependable online put which promote nice clothes for infants. Caterer - Heaps of people want food for their occasions. I simply need more to do. Whereas Gymboree clothes are typically slightly more expensive, their quality and design are totally worth the buy! There are so many choices as of late in fashionable baby clothing. Sara Dresses is ranked amongst the very best in women fashion clothing and the voguish dresses they make seems exquisite. The comfort of the little one needs to be of utmost priority and SARA DRESSES makes sure that they do not compromise even a tad bit on the consolation issue. From yummy smelling baby physique care products, gorgeous bicycle bells for your toddler's bike and story books to maintain your youngster entertained, designer little one and baby products have all of it. The mother also needs to see to it that the products are durable and might last long and will also fulfil the wants of the baby and wont change into pointless. The sizes- Babies can develop quick in the blink of a watch, so buying in bulk is probably not the correct possibility typically as they are going to outgrow.

One other great advantage of shopping for cute newborn baby clothes products from baby shops is that you could choose branded products for a similar at discounted costs which would make your purchase an affordable and luxurious experience. One of the dependable wholesale child cloth sellers really useful shopping for low-cost child clothes online is Tender Bebe. Lollipopmoon is the perfect alternative to inventory on adorable trendy kid clothes and on-line baby clothes at a discounted price. FREE 3D SCAN WITH Every PRAM Package Top Brands Low Costs, Come and see us we are just off the A470 to Nelson, Top quality Prams at Discounted Costs Makes Like Icandy, Silver cross, Quinny, Baby January Sale Start Now! If you're looking to buy child boy clothes, the internet is a superb place to start. Banbyno is the best place to purchase child clothes with out breaking the financial institution. The unique clothes properties, that are made by Pinocchio, allow the product to look excellent even after quite a few washings. Some of these stores specialize in baby clothes.

For example, the baby boy seems really cute in a checker shirt and so does a girl in a lovely checker skirt. For child boys, apart from the conventional blue shade colours, you'll be able to go for earthy tones, grey, green and beige colours. David Jones offers quite a few products for Australian customers together with a very vital baby section! Notonthehighstreet is a singular online marketplace which brings collectively quality merchandise from smaller artistic businesses. Providing music classes for others could make a terrific home based mostly enterprise. Music Lessons - Did you are taking years of piano, guitar, or violin? This can be a enjoyable seashore accessory or it can be given as a gift at the next birthday social gathering you attend. You're welcome. I am completely satisfied you should use the free patterns. Meladora's site is a newer site, however she has various free patterns already and she is including new ones all the time. They should leave their home and wander about different types of stores, which can waste lots of time and power. It will provide her some stage of confidence to look stylish on day outs with you. Moreover, without going out, you is not going to be trapped into site visitors jams and parking problems. Footed Pajamas Make for Practical and Adorable Sleepwear How can someone so very small require those pieces of clothing, toys, bottles, and blankets? Before the baby comes we grab our car keys, a jacket or sweater, a wallet, maybe our cellphone, and set off to wherever without worrying about employing a truck to bring along the whole things! Once that baby comes into the world however, we find a necessity to bring along far more! Baby needs include feeding and clothing them just for a few hours yet we usually are prepared for Armageddon as we take them to check out a relative in the next town over. Some of those items we feel necessary to carry may include but are not necessarily tied to the subsequent: While adults ought to be worried about clothing safety, infants and children are of more concern given their greater health vulnerabilities and better possibility of long lasting issues due to early exposure to chemicals and toxins. First you will find physiological conditions that make children more susceptible to issues. Specifically infants, the masai have a higher skin area to body mass ratio than adults. This means that absorption of toxins to the skin is potentially more damaging and irritating. Children also inhale more air in accordance with their body weight than adults. Many non-organic fabrics exhaust harmful fumes that after inhaled, it can be particularly unhealthy for developing immune and central nervous systems. Infant body suits are the most desired by parents as they are so simple to utilize. These pieces tend to be referred to as an extended t-shirt held together by snap buttons. The snap buttons get them to quite simple to switch the infant's clothes and change their diaper because there are separate bottom snaps. For the parents who're with limited funds, you'll find the generic styles of body suits called snapsuits, babygrow, babygro, mameluco, diaper shirts, and creepers. To be certified organic, area of producing guarana have to be clear of pesticides for at least 36 months plus it should be processed by organic standards, too. In the US, the USDA regulates what can be defined as organic over the National Organic Program. This means that not only does the product have to be grown organically, however the fabric itself can not be treated with chemical finishes or dyed with colours created using heavy metals or other potentially toxic substances. Aside from the obvious environmental benefits, organic baby clothing is significantly safer for any baby's health. Newborn skin is very sensitive and quite a few fabric is addressed with chemicals that aren't completely removed even by thorough washing. In addition to skin irritation, residue from treated fabric can remain on the skin. Synthetic fabrics and treated natural fibers also radiate lower levels from the chemicals since they're treated in their life.

[kaliiwashere]

buy baby clothes online

If you don't discover any problem in this, you can go for used baby clothes also. There presents some extra the reason why on-line buying clothes is consider being the easiest way to buy for all sorts of baby things. So how much do you have to spend on buying a snowsuit for a child or a toddler? Designer baby clothes, child accessories, child shoes and toddler objects usually are not the only products accessible in celeb vogue wear for infants. If you don't need to get a one piece, then you can select to get separate snow pants and ski jackets on your child or toddler. That is good news for those of you eager to snag Depp’s type, as you can get your arms on your own Che Guevara canine tag with one quick Google search. You'll get extensive number of kid’s t-shirts, sweaters, shorts, pants, hoodies and far more.

I shall be off to search out out. So, it is best to take a look at clothes which are made from bamboo, lycra, or natural cotton. Must you be looking for 2016 New Arrivals Baby Clothes Rompers Child Woman's Newborn Sleeveless O-Neck Vest Type Climbing Cotton Fashion Clothes with most likely essentially the most successful value. In case you're trying to find 3pieces youngsters set zero-2y cotton newborn baby boy clothes Children's Set baby shirt jacket pants baby cotton set boys clothing set with in all probability essentially the most profitable value. Bottles, bibs, blankets, cribs, and newborn baby clothes are just a few important articles. You may clearly try the clothes you could have ordered on your children and if there is a matter related to dimension or such, most shops have the provision of replacing your order with one which better suits your wants. Humorous factor to we are in WA it tends to be wet and partly cold durring the holidays yet in the stores arround right here most are quick sleave and what not ..

When that is completed I will put up the sample and put it on here. It's also possible to request different folks for reference some reliable online put which advertise good clothes for infants. Caterer - Lots of individuals want meals for their events. I just want more to do. Whereas Gymboree clothes tend to be slightly dearer, their quality and design are completely definitely worth the buy! There are such a lot of options today in fashionable child clothing. Sara Dresses is ranked amongst the highest in women fashion clothes and the voguish dresses they make looks exquisite. The comfort of the youngster needs to be of utmost priority and SARA DRESSES makes sure that they do not compromise even a tad bit on the comfort factor. From yummy smelling child body care products, gorgeous bicycle bells on your toddler's bike and story books to keep your child entertained, designer youngster and child merchandise have it all. The mother also needs to see to it that the products are durable and can final long and also will fulfil the needs of the baby and wont grow to be unnecessary. The sizes- Infants can develop quick within the blink of a watch, so shopping for in bulk may not be the suitable option sometimes as they'll outgrow.

Another nice advantage of shopping for merchandise from baby stores is you could select branded products for a similar at discounted costs which would make your buy an inexpensive and luxurious experience. One of many dependable wholesale child cloth sellers really useful buying low cost child clothes on-line is Comfortable Bebe. Lollipopmoon is the baby bodysuits right selection to stock on adorable trendy kid clothes and on-line child clothes at a discounted price. FREE 3D SCAN WITH Every PRAM Package Prime Brands Low Prices, Come and see us we're simply off the A470 to Nelson, High-quality Prams at Discounted Prices Makes Like Icandy, Silver cross, Quinny, Baby January Sale Start Now! If you're looking to buy baby boy clothes, the internet is a great place to start out. Banbyno is the best place to purchase baby clothes without breaking the financial institution. The unique clothes properties, that are made by Pinocchio, enable the product to look excellent even after quite a few washings. A few of these stores concentrate on child clothes.

As an example, the child boy seems to be actually cute in a checker shirt and so does a woman in a lovely checker skirt. For child boys, in addition to the standard blue shade colours, you can go for earthy tones, grey, green and beige colours. David Jones supplies a variety of merchandise for Australian buyers including a really important baby section! Notonthehighstreet is a singular on-line market which brings together high quality merchandise from smaller creative businesses. Providing music classes for others can make a terrific home based business. Music Classes - Did you're taking years of piano, guitar, or violin? This can be a fun beach accessory or it may be given as a reward at the subsequent birthday party you attend. You are welcome. I'm completely happy you need to use the free patterns. Meladora's site is a newer site, however she has numerous free patterns already and she is including new ones all the time. They should leave their residence and wander about different types of stores, which will waste lots of time and energy. This can supply her some degree of confidence to look trendy on day outs with you. Besides, without going out, you won't be trapped into traffic jams and parking problems. How to Make Your Little Baby Girl Stand Out? One thing you can count on is your baby will quickly outgrow their entire wardrobe and require more! Babies need diapers, nightgowns, pajamas (using the feet in them please), blankets, undershirts, socks, booties, mittens, bonnets, romper suits, and some type of bag to tote about all of their belongings whenever you get them. They require softness, resilience, and warmth inside their wardrobe and you also, the parent, must insure they're comfortable constantly. Buying this all plus much more is usually a trying task but parents typically count on the aid of friends, often with the shower that is certainly thrown for mom at her place of work or perhaps a relative's home. Gifting coming from all that a baby requires is well appreciated because very often the costs associated with a newborn could be overwhelming to your budget. Historically wholesaling was an exceptionally personal business, heavy on relationships and in-person contact. The internet has changed much of this dynamic as business priorities shift to real-time supply and 24/7 availability. A successful online wholesaler requires a sharp business sense, organizational skill, and intuition to achieve success. Here are the true secret activities for setting up a successful venture. One: Product and industry choice. This may appear to be an understandable starting point, but one must decide on which they want to wholesale. Many successful wholesalers started wholesaling goods and service they knew well, or had good connections in the specific industry. Another approach is to research upcoming products or materials and search to go into early. A fun project that I assembled with all the baby bodysuits was creating matching monthly iron-on designs that I could take progressive photos of the person in. I found a lovely image and added her name higher than the image and her age in months below the look. I printed one for every month around the iron-on paper that work well using your standard ink jet printer. They used in the child bodysuits effortlessly which is so fun looking back on the photos to see how she gets grown. One little tip though, wait to transfer the photos on the bodysuit until closer for the time for each photo. That way you know what size baby bodysuit will fit your baby best. Step Three: Locate suppliers. The internet has transformed the wholesaling business there a wide range of sites, both general and specific, that match suppliers and wholesalers. These are beneficial to initial research, yet it's vital that you speak in greater detail to potential suppliers to make certain they are able to deliver.

[cuteyute-blog1]

Handmade Baby Blankets

Hand crafted issues are a lot in demand. They're specifically ordered and infrequently have a ready checklist of weeks! But the customers who demand this service are absolutely answerable for what they want. And are almost one hundred percent positive of the truth that their items will likely be unique and different from every body else.

Each mum or dad desires the best for their child. They wish to present them with all of the facilities. When a child is born, each dad or mum takes their time in deciding the name, the colour of the nursery and so on. They sew desires for the baby's future, about his faculty life, school life, dates and his or her aspirations and so forth. They pick every thing that the baby will use with a lot care and conserving their choices in thoughts. From shampoo to grease to diapers to clothes to cradle, all the pieces is matched and ought to be delicate. It should please the newborn. And look good in photos!

So, why should your baby's blanket take a again seat in all these preparations? A blanket will cover your little one when she or he is chilly. It will likely be a part of their earliest memories! It is going to protect them from mosquitoes and it's the last thing they are going to snuggle to at night time. A blanket ought to be suited to a child's needs. If a child has asthma, will the blanket that you brought from the closest store be ok? Are you positive, that just because the blanket felt smooth to touch, it won't carry any germs? Will it be washable in automated washing machines?

The reply to all these questions is a Handmade Child Blankets. These blankets are special made to order to fit your little ones needs! check over here Blankets make a superb present idea as well and as many experiences inform us, they are successful at the child showers.

Why did the necessity for Handmade Child Blankets come about? Handmade child blankets were first utilized by the individuals who could not afford to buy a prepared-made blanket from the market. They might use previous cloth and sew it to their baby's wants. Since the blankets had been being made at dwelling, they have been personalized to the child's wants together with her or his health requirements. If a child had allergy symptoms, certain form if materials was eradicated from being used. Just because lace appeared modern, it didn't serve the purpose of a blanket.

A handmade baby blanket is produced from softer fibers. Let's face it; a cloth that has undergone harsh therapies isn't good for your child. Give her a blanket and she is going to completely love you for it. Not solely will she stand out, her child blanket will likely be snug too! So choose a home made blanket at the moment! A hand-crafted baby blanket will are available in any colour and since it is a handmade baby blanket, its dimension could be altered to fit you baby completely. And as already mentioned, it would make a wonderful reward idea.

A standard gift for many years, handmade baby blankets could be a great way to point out mom and child how a lot you care. There are so many various kinds of cute blankets you may make, allowing you to place your individual fashion into this personal present. You'll be able to even discover one that might be an acceptable match to the d?cor of the newborn's nursery.

With many different ways to make handmade child blankets, you'll find one to fit your particular person talent stage. For extra expert craftspeople, there is quilting or knitting. Quilts are sophisticated and time consuming, however make a wonderful reward that Social Profile for Cute Yute shall be cherished for many years to come. If quilting is just too complicate for you, there may be all the time knitting or crocheting. While they can be quite difficult relying on the pattern, there are also many patterns that will be just a little easier.

For those that want a neater handmade baby blanket, there are lots of straightforward patterns of fleece blankets, some of which do not even require stitching. That makes it doable for anyone to provide a personal gift they frolicked making. There are additionally an infinite array of colors, patterns, and types to choose when making your blanket. Whether you wish to select one thing to match the nursery, or something to mirror that child's gender, or maybe one thing that reflects something you like so as to add a private touch, these can be fantastic items.

From trendy styles to traditional patterns, there are various styles of handmade baby blankets. If you want a particular gift that has a personal touch, it is a great method to go. It is sure to indicate mom and child how special they are. Spending time making one thing just for the brand new bundle of joy is a superb option to present you care a lot.

If you're out there for a gift for a child shower or baby present I've a suggestion. Take into account buying the fortunate mother and child one of many lovely handmade child blankets that are available on the market. No matter what sort of decor the infant's room is or might be, there is something that may improve the look of the room.

If you know the name of the child forward of time, think about making or shopping for one and stitching the identify in the middle of the blanket. If the infant is a woman, get the blanket in white and add the identify in either pink of a rose colored. Whether it is for babies skirts a boy, then do the white background and the name in blue or even brown would be cute. The extra plain the background, the extra the title will stand out. If the newborn has already been born, then you may add the birthday and date, the weight and length to the blanket.

Are you a critical knitter? Knit a gentle and cozy blanket and match your wool colors to the nursery colours if possible. original blog If you are undecided of the colors, white is all the time an excellent choice and matches both a lady or a boy baby.

Handmade child blankets are one thing that can be treasured and saved. Make or give a special present to that new child within the form of one among extra handmade baby blankets. Personalize it for much more which means.

Probably the most beautifully designed blankets for babies is the crocheted child afghan. They're handmade child blanket that comes with numerous sorts of designs and pastel colours. Child presents that are handmade are surely an awesome choice for baby items and for easy keepsakes that the infant can truly make use of. Blankets which can be customized add extra to the worth of the gift and the intention of the present giver.

Blankets created from crocheted supplies are indeed very fantastic gifts for infants. They're a very priceless piece of clothes as they tackle the necessity of infants which is to really feel comfortable, warm, secured, and beloved. Keeping them inside a blanket will give a baby one thing to cuddle, caress, play with, touch, and grasp. That is why it is extremely necessary that the handmade child blanket that you'll give shall be constituted of prime quality supplies which are comfortable to the child's touch.

You'll be able to actually find many shops that promote custom made or handmade clothes for babies. There are so completely different kinds of designs obtainable that you will see one to be essentially the most suitable in your baby. Visit at online shops if you want to have limitless decisions of handmade blankets as options. There are child shops that supply discounted child items with free shipping or freebies. The price of the handmade child blanket often depends upon the standard of the fabric of the material used for making the blanket as well as the designs that you choose. Not solely can you find handmade blankets for babies but there are also many different present objects that you can choose like custom-made caps, booties, hats, bibs, sweater, coats, gloves, and plenty of others. The alternatives are literally limitless when you purchase on-line.

Knitted and crocheted child blankets are the most popular present sets for all child events. They're a favourite merchandise to offer to infants as it's a method for people to precise their love and care for the baby. It's one thing that might show how much everyone loves the newborn. As a result of a child must feel secured and secure, a blanket will give the newborn the most effective consolation of feeling secured and cozy.

You possibly can pair the reward set of handmade baby blanket with custom made clothes items like a set of clothes and bib or some feeding bottle set. You'll be able to then pull them all collectively inside a child present basket to make your gift uniquely presentable. Add more ribbons or lace and you are certain to give an excellent child reward.

[mama-forum-ch-blog]

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

New Post has been published on http://mama-forum.ch/newborn-baby-first-month-growth-development-and-babycare-basics/

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

After the baby is born and taken home from the hospital, many new moms are facing the same common problem of what to do next. The first month of the newborn’s life is always like a difficult test for young parents that they have to pass, and very often they don’t have any previous babycare experience.

Coming home: The first initial days with your baby

In the first few days at home, it’s very important that the family is calm – as this time should be spent in harmony and peace. It’s also highly recommended to avoid any kind of stress during this period, and to help with that, here’s some hints on how to do it:

The most important thing now is focusing on baby care and your new family life. Since caring for the newborn baby is the top priority at this stage, any other personal or professional responsibilities need to be put on hold until after these first vital days. It’s completely necessary for the mother and her baby to make sure these first memories are positive together, after everything they went through at the hospital. Giving birth is a rollercoaster of feelings, experiences and emotions so now she needs to get the time she deserves to care, attend and love her new child at home.

Make sure sleeping and feeding patterns of your baby stay as they were developed at the hospital, if you had a routine, it’s crucial to stick with this after arriving home.

  It’s probably for the best that you not have any visitors in these early days, even if it’s your close friends or neighbours.

Babycare procedures

The first month for the new-born baby and family is the month of adapting and getting their life on the right track. Adjusting to this new lifestyle and new responsibilities will be a learning curve for the parents, especially if this is your first child. It’s expected that there will be many changes to the routines of the parents, as they discover a new schedule that accommodates to their baby’s daily needs. The top priorities your baby needs now is loving care, which includes a list of essential procedures:

Feeding

Awakening and sleeping

Hygiene

Going for walks outside

Massage and cold tempering

  Newborn baby routine

Each baby’s biological cycle is unique – and may differ greatly to other babies. You must remember that these natural biorhythms are nothing like of an adult’s, so you should avoid making these comparisons. This is because an infant’s daily mode usually consists of only around 2 or 3 hours’ sleep during the day and 30 to 60 minutes of awakening in between.

Sometimes parents think that their baby doesn’t sleep enough, and others might perceive that they sleep for too long. In both of these cases don’t worry; this is all completely natural, as newborns need some time to adjust their own individual patterns.

At this early stage, parents can try to observe and learn more about their baby’s developing needs to maintain their behavior. You will notice how your baby will get into own daily routine by the end of the second month naturally and by this time you will know what to expect in terms of the sleeping, awakened, and feeding cycles.

Bathing your baby for the first time

Most of babies can enjoy having their bath taken from the start, whereas others might find this new experience difficult to adjust to. It’s generally recommended that you wait until after the baby’s umbilical stump has naturally fallen off before you attempt a bathing session.

Newborns don’t need to be bathed every day; normally 2 to 3 times a week is good enough. Depending on the baby’s skin sensitivity you can decide how much soap to use and try to do herbal baths to see how much they enjoy it.

If your baby’s umbilical stump has not yet fallen, you can instead top and tail your baby (daily). For this, you should use a warm sponge, wet wipes and pieces of moistened cotton wool to improve the experience. For extra comfort, you can apply some baby cream and powder.

Necessary daily hygiene procedures:

Washing face (eyes, nose and ear care)

Combing hair and removal seborrheic crusts on the head

Skin check (cutting nails on hands and toes)

Genital care

Treatment of the belly button (when needed)

  Cold tempering and walks

Keep in mind that up until this point being in the hospital, the baby has had no exposure to fresh or conditioned air, and it’s important to start this exposure early in a safe, healthy and controlled manner.

In their infancy, especially during the first few weeks, it’s important to note that newborn’s thermoregulation is imperfect so be extra careful with taking your baby for a walk (especially if it’s a cold time of the year). Make sure to dress your little one according to the weather and remember that babies need one extra layer of clothes for extra defence against the elements.

You can dress them just like you dress yourself but also cover with a little blanket or put one more jacket on. If it’s too windy or chilly outside, bring your baby to the balcony or open the window for a few minutes to help them adjust and get used to the outside environment. You can also keep the window open while baby is asleep but nearing the expecting waking up time of the child, the room should be warm again.

When your baby reaches his second week of life it’s good to add light massaging and cold tempering to the daily routine. Leave him in his loose jacket for a minute or so while gently massaging his body and watch your baby’s reaction – if it’s pleasant, do it next time again.

Baby symptoms not to worry about

During the first month newborns are still adapting to their new life outside the womb.  As a consequence of this, your baby may have some temporary natural symptoms. For example, you may notice that their head has a slightly deformed shape which usually happens while babies are going through birth channels. If this is the case, please don’t worry – it will come back to normal soon. Though turning him from one side to another while asleep could prove helpful.

Another thing that many parents can be disturbed about is that their babies are slightly crossed-eyed their first days. Apart from that – occasionally little spots (red/yellow colour of face or peeling skin) may be noticeable.

Sometimes newborns are crying without any tears, but this is also normal for the first weeks of life. If your baby is crying, it’s not a sign of him not being well- he just wants to get some attention. Many mothers can figure out through crying when their babies are asking for food or simply just willing to go to sleep.

Newborn reflexes

Healthy babies have reflexes that are only occurring to them only during specific periods of life. You can check yourself if your baby has them to be sure they are developing in a healthy manner. Here is a list of those naturally developed newborn reflexes:

Sucking reflex (rooting reflex). If you stroke your baby’s cheek you will see how he turns the head toward your hand looking for a nipple. This is caused by a ‘’sucking” reflex that babies have even before birth.

Grasp reflex. Touching your baby’s hand will instantly make him contract the muscles in his fingers, essentially grasping his hand round your finger

Moro reflex. This reflex is usually a startled reaction to a loud sound. The baby may extend his arms, head and legs then pull his body back inwards.

Babinski reflex. If your newborn’s foot is gently stroked, his toes will stretch back toward the top of the foot, delayed by the other toes echoing the same movement.

Step reflex. The baby will be imitating walking when he is held vertically with his feet on the surface.

Swimming reflex. Babies this young can’t actually swim, but they can demonstrate a “swimming reflex” reflex. If you put your baby on his stomach, he will start making movements alike to swimming.

Skill development in babies

At this stage, it’s not been so long since your baby was born but so many powerful changes are happening in his development. After a very short period of time, newborns can recognize their mom as somebody they can trust. Babies learn voice of their mothers and start reacting to it. Even though growth of the unborn may seem unnoticeable, but it’s happening all the time: during his naps, communicating to parents, feeding, bathing and playing.  If you observe your baby’s behavior, you may notice what amazing things he can do already:

Learning how to focus on the particular object

Trying to follow movements with the rattles with his eyes

Beginning to make his first sounds

Trying to hold his head up while lying on his stomach

Reacting to loud sounds and shuddering or freezing

Recognising the voice of his mother and trying to better listen when he hears a familiar voice

  There is nothing more exciting for a mother than watching her own child happily growing up. It’s absolutely spectacular how our clever little newborns are and how fast they are learning about the world. At some moments it can be pretty overwhelming for you, while other special moments can leave you impatient as you wish nothing more than to have them grown even sooner – but don’t rush it! These early bonding experiences with your newborn child should be cherished and you should enjoy every step of your baby’s development as it comes.

Just remember that each baby is unique and grows at his own pace. What have your little ones learned so far? Let’s share their little achievements that make us so proud of them!

[mama-forum-ch-blog]

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

New Post has been published on http://mama-forum.ch/newborn-baby-first-month-growth-development-and-babycare-basics/

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

After the baby is born and taken home from the hospital, many new moms are facing the same common problem of what to do next. The first month of the newborn’s life is always like a difficult test for young parents that they have to pass, and very often they don’t have any previous babycare experience.

Coming home: The first initial days with your baby

In the first few days at home, it’s very important that the family is calm – as this time should be spent in harmony and peace. It’s also highly recommended to avoid any kind of stress during this period, and to help with that, here’s some hints on how to do it:

The most important thing now is focusing on baby care and your new family life. Since caring for the newborn baby is the top priority at this stage, any other personal or professional responsibilities need to be put on hold until after these first vital days. It’s completely necessary for the mother and her baby to make sure these first memories are positive together, after everything they went through at the hospital. Giving birth is a rollercoaster of feelings, experiences and emotions so now she needs to get the time she deserves to care, attend and love her new child at home.

Make sure sleeping and feeding patterns of your baby stay as they were developed at the hospital, if you had a routine, it’s crucial to stick with this after arriving home.

  It’s probably for the best that you not have any visitors in these early days, even if it’s your close friends or neighbours.

Babycare procedures

The first month for the new-born baby and family is the month of adapting and getting their life on the right track. Adjusting to this new lifestyle and new responsibilities will be a learning curve for the parents, especially if this is your first child. It’s expected that there will be many changes to the routines of the parents, as they discover a new schedule that accommodates to their baby’s daily needs. The top priorities your baby needs now is loving care, which includes a list of essential procedures:

Feeding

Awakening and sleeping

Hygiene

Going for walks outside

Massage and cold tempering

  Newborn baby routine

Each baby’s biological cycle is unique – and may differ greatly to other babies. You must remember that these natural biorhythms are nothing like of an adult’s, so you should avoid making these comparisons. This is because an infant’s daily mode usually consists of only around 2 or 3 hours’ sleep during the day and 30 to 60 minutes of awakening in between.

Sometimes parents think that their baby doesn’t sleep enough, and others might perceive that they sleep for too long. In both of these cases don’t worry; this is all completely natural, as newborns need some time to adjust their own individual patterns.

At this early stage, parents can try to observe and learn more about their baby’s developing needs to maintain their behavior. You will notice how your baby will get into own daily routine by the end of the second month naturally and by this time you will know what to expect in terms of the sleeping, awakened, and feeding cycles.

Bathing your baby for the first time

Most of babies can enjoy having their bath taken from the start, whereas others might find this new experience difficult to adjust to. It’s generally recommended that you wait until after the baby’s umbilical stump has naturally fallen off before you attempt a bathing session.

Newborns don’t need to be bathed every day; normally 2 to 3 times a week is good enough. Depending on the baby’s skin sensitivity you can decide how much soap to use and try to do herbal baths to see how much they enjoy it.

If your baby’s umbilical stump has not yet fallen, you can instead top and tail your baby (daily). For this, you should use a warm sponge, wet wipes and pieces of moistened cotton wool to improve the experience. For extra comfort, you can apply some baby cream and powder.

Necessary daily hygiene procedures:

Washing face (eyes, nose and ear care)

Combing hair and removal seborrheic crusts on the head

Skin check (cutting nails on hands and toes)

Genital care

Treatment of the belly button (when needed)

  Cold tempering and walks

Keep in mind that up until this point being in the hospital, the baby has had no exposure to fresh or conditioned air, and it’s important to start this exposure early in a safe, healthy and controlled manner.

In their infancy, especially during the first few weeks, it’s important to note that newborn’s thermoregulation is imperfect so be extra careful with taking your baby for a walk (especially if it’s a cold time of the year). Make sure to dress your little one according to the weather and remember that babies need one extra layer of clothes for extra defence against the elements.

You can dress them just like you dress yourself but also cover with a little blanket or put one more jacket on. If it’s too windy or chilly outside, bring your baby to the balcony or open the window for a few minutes to help them adjust and get used to the outside environment. You can also keep the window open while baby is asleep but nearing the expecting waking up time of the child, the room should be warm again.

When your baby reaches his second week of life it’s good to add light massaging and cold tempering to the daily routine. Leave him in his loose jacket for a minute or so while gently massaging his body and watch your baby’s reaction – if it’s pleasant, do it next time again.

Baby symptoms not to worry about

During the first month newborns are still adapting to their new life outside the womb.  As a consequence of this, your baby may have some temporary natural symptoms. For example, you may notice that their head has a slightly deformed shape which usually happens while babies are going through birth channels. If this is the case, please don’t worry – it will come back to normal soon. Though turning him from one side to another while asleep could prove helpful.

Another thing that many parents can be disturbed about is that their babies are slightly crossed-eyed their first days. Apart from that – occasionally little spots (red/yellow colour of face or peeling skin) may be noticeable.

Sometimes newborns are crying without any tears, but this is also normal for the first weeks of life. If your baby is crying, it’s not a sign of him not being well- he just wants to get some attention. Many mothers can figure out through crying when their babies are asking for food or simply just willing to go to sleep.

Newborn reflexes

Healthy babies have reflexes that are only occurring to them only during specific periods of life. You can check yourself if your baby has them to be sure they are developing in a healthy manner. Here is a list of those naturally developed newborn reflexes:

Sucking reflex (rooting reflex). If you stroke your baby’s cheek you will see how he turns the head toward your hand looking for a nipple. This is caused by a ‘’sucking” reflex that babies have even before birth.

Grasp reflex. Touching your baby’s hand will instantly make him contract the muscles in his fingers, essentially grasping his hand round your finger

Moro reflex. This reflex is usually a startled reaction to a loud sound. The baby may extend his arms, head and legs then pull his body back inwards.

Babinski reflex. If your newborn’s foot is gently stroked, his toes will stretch back toward the top of the foot, delayed by the other toes echoing the same movement.

Step reflex. The baby will be imitating walking when he is held vertically with his feet on the surface.

Swimming reflex. Babies this young can’t actually swim, but they can demonstrate a “swimming reflex” reflex. If you put your baby on his stomach, he will start making movements alike to swimming.

Skill development in babies

At this stage, it’s not been so long since your baby was born but so many powerful changes are happening in his development. After a very short period of time, newborns can recognize their mom as somebody they can trust. Babies learn voice of their mothers and start reacting to it. Even though growth of the unborn may seem unnoticeable, but it’s happening all the time: during his naps, communicating to parents, feeding, bathing and playing.  If you observe your baby’s behavior, you may notice what amazing things he can do already:

Learning how to focus on the particular object

Trying to follow movements with the rattles with his eyes

Beginning to make his first sounds

Trying to hold his head up while lying on his stomach

Reacting to loud sounds and shuddering or freezing

Recognising the voice of his mother and trying to better listen when he hears a familiar voice

  There is nothing more exciting for a mother than watching her own child happily growing up. It’s absolutely spectacular how our clever little newborns are and how fast they are learning about the world. At some moments it can be pretty overwhelming for you, while other special moments can leave you impatient as you wish nothing more than to have them grown even sooner – but don’t rush it! These early bonding experiences with your newborn child should be cherished and you should enjoy every step of your baby’s development as it comes.

Just remember that each baby is unique and grows at his own pace. What have your little ones learned so far? Let’s share their little achievements that make us so proud of them!

[mama-forum-ch-blog]

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

New Post has been published on http://mama-forum.ch/newborn-baby-first-month-growth-development-and-babycare-basics/

Newborn  baby first month. Growth & development and babycare basics.

After the baby is born and taken home from the hospital, many new moms are facing the same common problem of what to do next. The first month of the newborn’s life is always like a difficult test for young parents that they have to pass, and very often they don’t have any previous babycare experience.

Coming home: The first initial days with your baby

In the first few days at home, it’s very important that the family is calm – as this time should be spent in harmony and peace. It’s also highly recommended to avoid any kind of stress during this period, and to help with that, here’s some hints on how to do it:

The most important thing now is focusing on baby care and your new family life. Since caring for the newborn baby is the top priority at this stage, any other personal or professional responsibilities need to be put on hold until after these first vital days. It’s completely necessary for the mother and her baby to make sure these first memories are positive together, after everything they went through at the hospital. Giving birth is a rollercoaster of feelings, experiences and emotions so now she needs to get the time she deserves to care, attend and love her new child at home.

Make sure sleeping and feeding patterns of your baby stay as they were developed at the hospital, if you had a routine, it’s crucial to stick with this after arriving home.

  It’s probably for the best that you not have any visitors in these early days, even if it’s your close friends or neighbours.

Babycare procedures

The first month for the new-born baby and family is the month of adapting and getting their life on the right track. Adjusting to this new lifestyle and new responsibilities will be a learning curve for the parents, especially if this is your first child. It’s expected that there will be many changes to the routines of the parents, as they discover a new schedule that accommodates to their baby’s daily needs. The top priorities your baby needs now is loving care, which includes a list of essential procedures:

Feeding

Awakening and sleeping

Hygiene

Going for walks outside

Massage and cold tempering

  Newborn baby routine

Each baby’s biological cycle is unique – and may differ greatly to other babies. You must remember that these natural biorhythms are nothing like of an adult’s, so you should avoid making these comparisons. This is because an infant’s daily mode usually consists of only around 2 or 3 hours’ sleep during the day and 30 to 60 minutes of awakening in between.

Sometimes parents think that their baby doesn’t sleep enough, and others might perceive that they sleep for too long. In both of these cases don’t worry; this is all completely natural, as newborns need some time to adjust their own individual patterns.

At this early stage, parents can try to observe and learn more about their baby’s developing needs to maintain their behavior. You will notice how your baby will get into own daily routine by the end of the second month naturally and by this time you will know what to expect in terms of the sleeping, awakened, and feeding cycles.

Bathing your baby for the first time

Most of babies can enjoy having their bath taken from the start, whereas others might find this new experience difficult to adjust to. It’s generally recommended that you wait until after the baby’s umbilical stump has naturally fallen off before you attempt a bathing session.

Newborns don’t need to be bathed every day; normally 2 to 3 times a week is good enough. Depending on the baby’s skin sensitivity you can decide how much soap to use and try to do herbal baths to see how much they enjoy it.

If your baby’s umbilical stump has not yet fallen, you can instead top and tail your baby (daily). For this, you should use a warm sponge, wet wipes and pieces of moistened cotton wool to improve the experience. For extra comfort, you can apply some baby cream and powder.

Necessary daily hygiene procedures:

Washing face (eyes, nose and ear care)

Combing hair and removal seborrheic crusts on the head

Skin check (cutting nails on hands and toes)

Genital care

Treatment of the belly button (when needed)

  Cold tempering and walks

Keep in mind that up until this point being in the hospital, the baby has had no exposure to fresh or conditioned air, and it’s important to start this exposure early in a safe, healthy and controlled manner.

In their infancy, especially during the first few weeks, it’s important to note that newborn’s thermoregulation is imperfect so be extra careful with taking your baby for a walk (especially if it’s a cold time of the year). Make sure to dress your little one according to the weather and remember that babies need one extra layer of clothes for extra defence against the elements.

You can dress them just like you dress yourself but also cover with a little blanket or put one more jacket on. If it’s too windy or chilly outside, bring your baby to the balcony or open the window for a few minutes to help them adjust and get used to the outside environment. You can also keep the window open while baby is asleep but nearing the expecting waking up time of the child, the room should be warm again.

When your baby reaches his second week of life it’s good to add light massaging and cold tempering to the daily routine. Leave him in his loose jacket for a minute or so while gently massaging his body and watch your baby’s reaction – if it’s pleasant, do it next time again.

Baby symptoms not to worry about

During the first month newborns are still adapting to their new life outside the womb.  As a consequence of this, your baby may have some temporary natural symptoms. For example, you may notice that their head has a slightly deformed shape which usually happens while babies are going through birth channels. If this is the case, please don’t worry – it will come back to normal soon. Though turning him from one side to another while asleep could prove helpful.

Another thing that many parents can be disturbed about is that their babies are slightly crossed-eyed their first days. Apart from that – occasionally little spots (red/yellow colour of face or peeling skin) may be noticeable.

Sometimes newborns are crying without any tears, but this is also normal for the first weeks of life. If your baby is crying, it’s not a sign of him not being well- he just wants to get some attention. Many mothers can figure out through crying when their babies are asking for food or simply just willing to go to sleep.

Newborn reflexes

Healthy babies have reflexes that are only occurring to them only during specific periods of life. You can check yourself if your baby has them to be sure they are developing in a healthy manner. Here is a list of those naturally developed newborn reflexes:

Sucking reflex (rooting reflex). If you stroke your baby’s cheek you will see how he turns the head toward your hand looking for a nipple. This is caused by a ‘’sucking” reflex that babies have even before birth.

Grasp reflex. Touching your baby’s hand will instantly make him contract the muscles in his fingers, essentially grasping his hand round your finger

Moro reflex. This reflex is usually a startled reaction to a loud sound. The baby may extend his arms, head and legs then pull his body back inwards.

Babinski reflex. If your newborn’s foot is gently stroked, his toes will stretch back toward the top of the foot, delayed by the other toes echoing the same movement.

Step reflex. The baby will be imitating walking when he is held vertically with his feet on the surface.

Swimming reflex. Babies this young can’t actually swim, but they can demonstrate a “swimming reflex” reflex. If you put your baby on his stomach, he will start making movements alike to swimming.

Skill development in babies

At this stage, it’s not been so long since your baby was born but so many powerful changes are happening in his development. After a very short period of time, newborns can recognize their mom as somebody they can trust. Babies learn voice of their mothers and start reacting to it. Even though growth of the unborn may seem unnoticeable, but it’s happening all the time: during his naps, communicating to parents, feeding, bathing and playing.  If you observe your baby’s behavior, you may notice what amazing things he can do already:

Learning how to focus on the particular object

Trying to follow movements with the rattles with his eyes

Beginning to make his first sounds

Trying to hold his head up while lying on his stomach

Reacting to loud sounds and shuddering or freezing

Recognising the voice of his mother and trying to better listen when he hears a familiar voice

  There is nothing more exciting for a mother than watching her own child happily growing up. It’s absolutely spectacular how our clever little newborns are and how fast they are learning about the world. At some moments it can be pretty overwhelming for you, while other special moments can leave you impatient as you wish nothing more than to have them grown even sooner – but don’t rush it! These early bonding experiences with your newborn child should be cherished and you should enjoy every step of your baby’s development as it comes.

Just remember that each baby is unique and grows at his own pace. What have your little ones learned so far? Let’s share their little achievements that make us so proud of them!