Sweet Baby Andrew and Getting Back to Work
Hi everyone!! I know it’s been a ridiculously long time since I posted, but I have been enjoying my maternity leave and settling into life as a new mother. As an update, my sweet little man was born June 12th at 6:04pm weighing 9lbs, 3oz. That means he just turned one month old, which is super hard to believe. Here are a couple of cutie cute pics of him (just because every proud mama needs to share pics of her baby!).
Isn’t he the cutest?? I know I’m biased, but he really is a precious baby. (Oh, and please ignore the crazy mess in that last picture, lol. My house is a tornado zone right now!)
Learning how to balance life with a new baby, however, has been tough. I knew it was going to be a major life change, but nothing can really prepare you for just how all-consuming it will be. At the one month mark, I just now feel like I’m starting to get my head above water. He’s sleeping a little bit better at night (a whole 3 hours at a stretch sometimes, ha!) and we seem to be falling into a routine. Well, as much as you can with a one-month-old baby.
One thing that I have learned is that it can get kind of lonely being up all night nursing a newborn baby. The house is super quiet and dark and even though I have the little baby there in my arms, it isn’t like he can really carry on a meaningful conversation. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without my Kindle Fire these past few weeks. The backlit screen allows me to read even when the room is dark. (Okay, so I’ve watched some Netflix here and there too, but mostly I’ve been reading!) I’ve caught up on some books I desperately wanted to read. Like Megg Jensen’s Anathema and Karen Amanda Hooper’s new book, Grasping at Eternity. I’ve read RaShelle Workman’s new Blood and Snow novelettes. Oh, and I also just finished Wool by Hugh Howey. (OMG Brilliant!). I would recommend all of those books. They were all fantastic, so I feel really lucky to have found some amazing Indie books to read while I’m up at insane hours.
Lately, though, I’ve also caught my mind drifting toward Harper and Jackson. Their unfinished story haunts me. I honestly hadn’t planned on getting back to writing until at least 6 weeks after Andrew was born, but here I am at just 1 month and I’m already itching to get back to DEMONS FOREVER. I’ve started going back through my rough draft and picking out what I want to keep and trying to decide how to rewrite the parts that just don’t click yet. I’m so excited about what’s coming next!
Harper has grown so much throughout the course of the series, so I can’t wait to finish writing this next part of her story. To show how everything she’s been through has affected her. To let her finally come into her real power.
That being said, I have decided to officially put an end to my maternity leave a couple of weeks early and get back to work. Of course, I’m still a full-time new mom these days, so I won’t have quite as much time as before baby to write and work. That means I am still going to be a bit slow on responding to emails and tweets. I don’t expect to start churning out thousands of words a day. I’m starting back slowly, getting my mind back into the story.
The important thing is that I’m starting. Yay!! I still don’t have an official release date planned for DEMONS FOREVER. Let me get back into the writing groove and see how it goes. For now, I’m just going to be stealing moments at the computer when the baby is sleeping so I’m not sure how much time I’ll really have. My hope (fingers crossed) is to finish the book and have it published by Labor Day weekend. Please don’t hold me to that just yet, but I’ll do my best!!
Thank you for all the love and support you’ve given over the past few months. I really appreciate all the sweet comments and emails and tweets about the baby! I know you’re anxious to read the last part of Harper’s story, so I promise to do everything I can to make it the ending the story deserves. Here’s to getting back to work!!
He is so very cute!
That is one sweet, handsome little boy. My husband and I are going through the fertility mess still, after 2 years, and it is so nice to see that it does work. It gives me hope that one day soon, my husband and I will have our own little boy or girl. So, thank for all of the posting that you have done regarding your journey, and the unbeatable blessing at the end.
I cannot wait for Demons Forever, but I CAN because I know that if it was me in your shoes, the book would have to wait. Thanks for keeping us posted.
What a cutie! And yes life changes after a baby but you’ll do great!
Thanks for sharing your stories and letting us know about how you are doing being a new Mommy!! God Bless your little one, Andrew!! Yes, he’s so adorable!! Enjoy them when they are little, once they take there first step, watch out!! Lol. I have 3 of my own, and I still say my babies, and my oldest is 21 now. So Enjoy your little Andrew!! And great to hear from you and that you’ll get back on your feet any time soon! Enjoy being a Mommy!!
Lots of luv from S. Fl.. 🙂 Lourdes
You and baby Andrew look like you’re doing well. Love the smile! Glad you’re ready to get back to work because Demons Forever is going to be such a great book. I just know it.
Congrats on the beautiful baby! I have to say though…… I CANT WAIT FOR THAT BOOK!!!! 🙂
Oh goodness he is a cutie!! Congratz! Hope everything is well! I can’t wait for Demons Forever! But take care of little Andrew!
That’s crazy! I had my son Logan 7/12/12 at 9:37am! He was 10 weeks early and I had to leave him in the NICU and he’ll be there for probably around another month. Give or take. Congrats on your baby boy! Hope he is well and you are well. Enjoy him before he becomes a turd haha.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby!!! I just want to say thank u so much for the amazing books, I havent been able to put them down, and i cant wait for the next one! I will be counting the days im so excited for Harper and Jackson!! Thanks again!!
<3 Ria
You are so right he is sooo cute!!!!! 🙂 Go and enjoy being a mommy! Look after little baby Andrew!!! God, I can’t wait for Demons Forever to come out! It’s going to be good book! (Well it better be, cause you made us wait long enough! 🙂 LOL)
Send my love to your new family member!!!
Good luck:)!
the baby is so cute. I love the pic of him in a balck t-shirt the best.Have fun while he is young,they grow fast.I think boys are the best.
I love your books you can actually feel yourself getting nervis when she was training and watching the guards train, afraid she is gonna get caught. great job on keeping everything interesting right to the very end. can’t wait for the final one but I will be sad when it is over. congrats on becoming a mother and a awesome author.
Congrats on the beautiful baby boy. Can’t wait for the last book!
Your little boy is adorable!! My little boy just turned a year on June 14th!! I understand the joys of being up at late hours to nurse; I always had issues with not falling asleep!! lol I’ve loved the series & I know how hard it is to juggle being a new mom with work. Believe me, I’m active duty military, so I more than understand!! Enjoy him as much as you can while he’s still little, it will flash by in a heartbeat. I know when you finish the last book, it will be as amazing as the rest of the series has been! Best of Luck to you both!! 🙂
Sarra,
He looks so sweet and tender! I for sure know those long lonely Nights are tough, but there is this book called On Becoming Baby Wise. I don’t entirely
agree with the whole let them cry it out idea (at least at first) but there is a section on breast milk and its production and the babies nutritional needs as they grow.
It got my little girl to start sleeping 4-6 hour a night at about 2 months old
(that’s REALLY good) And my sweet little boy going through the night at about the same age.
Your books are amazing and I can’t wait to download the next one as soon as it is released. Way to go getting back to work so quick, and good luck!
To Sarra and baby Andrew -enjoy as it only gets better with age. Someday you,ll be a grandmom like me, then you will really enjoy. And to think it all started with you. What an amazing feeling! As for your last book in the series, I am anxiously awaiting Demons Forever.
Thankx for the journey!
Travis O’Leary
I just have to say that I love your Peachville High Demons series. I downloaded the first book for free from Amazon a year ago & fell in love with Harper & the story line. I love how you’ve developed the characters & can’t wait for Forever Demons. I just finished Rival Demons & I’m ready to keep going right into the next book.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy! Good luck with everything at home, it’s hard to raise kids and balance work, I admire you picking the writing back up so soon. I hope you find the perfect balance for you and your family.
Andrew is too cute for words. I love how it kind of looks like he’s waving at the camera in that first shot. Can’t wait for DF, but your new baby and your health are the most important. Take your time enjoying him because before you know it he’ll magically transform into a tornado. Speaking of that boy phenomenon, make sure you have a copy of “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. All mothers, of boys especially, should have that book in the bedtime stories stack. Congratulations on both the baby and the books. I’m sure Harper will be kicking Order of Shadows butt ASAP 🙂
First, I have to say ….. what a BIG baby!!!! Congratulations to the new parents!!!!!! Second, Barnes & Noble has the book “Beautiful Demons” listed as Book 1, when it is actually Book 2 (just FYI). This is one of the BEST book series I have ever read (and I have read A LOT of books like this)!!!!! I cannot wait for the next book in the series! I hope you continue writing … You are an absolutely amazing author! Thank you so much for sharing your “alternate worlds” with the rest of us!!!! Again, congrats on the new little one in your world!!! 🙂