We’ve been awfully quiet over here on the farm blog lately and that’s because in February, we became a family!

On February 5th 2020 at 4:59pm we welcomed our beautiful baby girl Wallace Anne Burch earthside. Weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz she was absolutely perfect. After 30 months of hoping and praying, 41 weeks of pregnancy and a quick 49 hours of labour she arrived and made us a family of three.

Since arriving home we have been busy navigating parenthood and figuring out what it means to have a baby in the house now. What a rewarding title it is to be a parent, but also an exhausting one. All the sleepless nights are worth it for the beautiful little miracle we get to call our little girl.

Dan returned to work shortly after we arrived home from the hospital but I am so thankful that my parents were able to come out and spend a couple weeks with us. Dad was quick to jump into helping out with the chores and quickly made a new friend in Hank. I love having my Dad out to the farm to help with all the animals, it fills my heart with so much joy getting to farm with him, even if it’s just funny farm style! And I have to say, Grandpa looks good on him too.

Having my Mom here by my side for those first weeks as I figured out Motherhood was the most special thing. I remember her saying to me “everything just seems a little brighter in the light of day” and those words couldn’t be more true. When I was alone everything just seemed a little more daunting when it got dark. I was terrified the first night I spent by myself after she flew home. There wouldn’t be that familiar face peeking into the nursery door during the 2 am diaper change. I’d find myself checking the spare bedroom door to see if it’s cracked open, but she wouldn’t be there coming to my rescue when I couldn’t stop the baby from crying. There wouldn’t be that comfort in the dark of the kitchen as I warmed up a bottle as a last resort because all the pacing and rocking hadn’t put her to sleep. There was no longer that 5 am saving grace of my Mom sleeping on the couch with baby just so I could have a couple extra hours sleep myself. I sat on that spare bed and cried a lot after she left, the room still smelled like her. If end up being half the Mom I had growing up and who I still have supporting me today, Wallace is going to turn out just fine!

Now, three months in, I think I have things figured out. We’ve established a routine, Dan has been an amazing partner and really steps in as a Dad. I still miss my parents dearly, and we chat daily on the phone or send little videos back and forth.

This has been a crazy time bringing a new baby into the world as we are also dealing with a world pandemic of the Coronavirus. Countries around the world are on lockdown; quarantines and self isolation are enforced by law and no one is leaving their homes. While the time has been nice to settle in and become a family unit without being inundated by visitors or trips here and there, I think we are ready for things to get back to “normal”, whatever that will end up looking like now. I miss some of my friends dearly, my heart breaks that my brother had to cancel his trip out here this Spring and he and his girlfriend have yet to meet their niece. I also wonder when flights will be back to normal so Grandma and Grandpa Neabel can come back out. There are so many unknowns and we are simply living this day by day.

With Dan home for Spring breakup we have really used this time to be a family. I love my husband, but seeing him become a Dad has really opened up my heart to a new level of love. Seeing the way this little girl already has him wrapped around her finger, he has a long road ahead of him being a girl Dad.

St. Patrick’s Day came and went, and with it Dan and I’s third wedding anniversary. I can’t believe we’ve been The Burches for three years already! We had a special little leprechaun to celebrate with this year.

We celebrated Easter together with a quiet little ham dinner at home. Of course it wouldn’t have been a first Easter without Mom making the baby dress up for ridiculous photo shoots. We decorated some of our farm eggs and found some little ears for our cute bunny.

Wallace has been slowly meeting all of the critters that are waiting for her outside in her zoo. Big brother Hank is in love and is the best protector a little girl could have. Add in Sophie and Lily and this little farm girl will never have to worry being outside with her bear dogs. I look forward to all the mornings of chores, collecting eggs, feeding everyone and afternoons spent in the gardens. I can’t wait to teach her all about this farm that has been waiting for her. I think we may just have a little crazy chicken lady in-training!

There is an old traditional custom in which bees are told of important events in their keeper’s lives; including births, deaths, arrivals and departures. The “goodwife” of the house would go out and knock gently on the hives, softly murmuring a tune to the hive of the news. So one sunny morning we snuck out before the warmth of the day brought the hives alive. We knocked gently on each hive, waiting for the buzzing reply, and then we told the bees this Summer, there was a new little beekeeper in the midst! I can’t wait to raise Wallace amongst the bees. To watch her grow and learn and to respect all the wonders of Mother Nature. Here she is bees, your newest little keeper in training!

Just this past weekend was a very special one for me. I celebrated my first Mother’s Day, as Mom, a title I fought so hard for. This amazing little human being has given me the best gift in life. I have found purpose and reason, and my heart is filled with so much light and love sometimes I think it may burst. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t remember what it took to get to this moment and part of me feels guilty for the happiness of finally getting here. But maybe that’s all the more reason to celebrate. Either way, I feel so blessed to have this little girl in my life, an amazing man by my side and these people I get to call my Family. She was definitely worth the wait!

I don’t know how Wallace is already three months old, the time really does fly. I already want to put a pause on life and slow down to enjoy these little moments more. She has been such a happy little babe, who loves bath time, morning snuggles and telling all the stories. Her best naps are in the stroller parked outside by her chickens under the watchful eye of Brother Hank. She loves dancing in the kitchen to Daddy’s 90’s country music before bed and laying on her play mat watching the aquarium channel.

I look forward to all the adventures here on the farm with our little wild farm girl!