Gifted

Something I never counted on when I decided to have a baby was the amazing tsumani of goodwill that comes from all corners at the arrival of a new life.

Since our little baby bird popped into the world I've been completely overwhelmed by all the gestures, gifts, emails, messages, phone calls and visits I've had from so, so many people. And not just from people close by, we've had gifts, cards and messages from all corners of the world and Australia - China, the UK, Pakistan, Sweden, Germany, Far North Queensland, Melbourne and also from those incredibly close by (even one of our neighbours turned up on the doorstep bearing a beautifully wrapped package one afternoon.)

Ivy, Ed and I have felt like celebrities as cards and flowers arrived at the hospital constantly, mysterious packages landed on our doorstep at home day after day from all kinds of interesting places and my mobile almost exploded from all the text messages. It's been a wonderful way to keep in contact with so many people I know on a positive level and even better it's allowed me to reconnect with some people I haven't seen or talked to in a long time. There is something so fresh and positive about a new baby that it's like it gives people the space to be sentimental and emotional without all the usual barriers we put up around ourselves in daily life. The birth of a new life completely disarms people emotionally.

I feel very lucky to have such gorgeous and thoughtful people in my life and so is young Ivy. Call me sentimental but I'll be keeping all those cards and keepsakes for her to have one day when she is grown up so she knows just how lucky she is.