He is here. And he is perfect. I never knew it was possible to be this happy. This feeling of pure, unconditional joy and adoration for something so small - but surprisingly heavy - is so far beyond what I thought those first moments of motherhood would be like.

Baby Cailean entered the world on the 1st of November. It wasn’t an easy journey - far from it. It makes our semi-dramatic exit from our home on the Isle of Rum a few weeks ago in anticipation of having our baby pale in comparison. I was taken into hospital last week for another check up, again because those strong kicks I’d become so accustomed to had lessened slightly as a chilly Tuesday afternoon progressed, and the decision to push forward with an induction just a few days before my due date was made.

It was an arduous process - prodding, pain, and nerves mixed with a healthy dosage of “this is it, we’re having a baby”. The midwives I was surrounded by were the most wonderfully supportive team I could ever have asked for. Extra precautions were taken for a comfortable birth setting in light of a skin........

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