Hello! I’ve missed you so much. I enjoyed stepping back from being constantly active on the blog and social media to spend time with my new baby—feeding her, holding her, and smothering her with kisses. I’m happy to be back and ready to continue creating content here on the blog.
Let me say it again: newborn baby smell is unbeatable. I may have mentioned it before, but I can’t help repeating how soothing that fresh, gentle scent is. I’ve breathed in baby Essie’s scent more times than I can count.
Becoming a mother of four has given me a lot to reflect on. How did that happen? My love for each of my little ones is deep and hard to put into words. There’s a special kind of joy in having a quiver full of children.
During my break I followed the classic advice to sleep when the baby sleeps so I could be rested enough to snuggle and feed her when she was awake. It helped me keep up with the long nights and frequent feeds.
I also enjoyed many delicious meals prepared by Mr. N. One standout was his incredible groundnut soup, which I kept going back for. Many breakfasts were served in bed, usually featuring a homemade-style bread from a local bakery nearby. I treated myself to lots of hot chocolate, too.
Eating a lot has been part of this season—nursing requires extra calories, so I’ve embraced the perfect excuse to keep enjoying good food. And baby Essie? She’s a little foodie already. She takes her breastmilk seriously, and I hope that enthusiasm carries over when she starts solids.
Unfortunately, I fell ill during my break and spent three days in the hospital. I’m feeling much better now, and I’m thankful for that.
One silver lining from my hospital stay was seeing Mr. N step up to care for baby Essie. It was his first time looking after a newborn on his own. He fed her pumped breastmilk and kept everything running smoothly—he did an excellent job.
Life has a way of revealing strengths you didn’t know you had. We both discovered new capabilities: I learned how resilient I can be, and he realized he’s a very capable caregiver. Sometimes challenges turn out to be blessings in disguise.
My baby is already one month old—how quickly time passes!
I’m back and excited to continue sharing food stories and life updates here on the blog. I’m also looking forward to creating more videos for my YouTube channel.
What recipes would you like me to share this year?