Now I had already been warned by friends that it is a shame to buy too much baby clothes in small sizes. I really held back, but the shock was still there when I couldn't fit Otis into size 50 after four weeks. So off to my favorite children's brand for some essential baby shopping. The result: two full bags of the new fall collection from Gray Label, so much for the warning... Luckily, they use soft stretch, which lasts a bit longer. But when I dressed him yesterday, I really consciously saw the size 3-6 months. Huh, he was just born yesterday?! Now I understand why all parents say you have to enjoy every second intensely. For now, we are luckily still facing enough diapers full of explosive poop and sleepless nights ahead.

Jon and I are suckers for traditions. For example, he officially asked my father for my hand, we both wear a signet ring, and we have been cooking the same dishes for Mother's Day, Halloween, and Christmas for years. So when my stepfather suggested a traditional ‘Kandeel party’ to celebrate the birth of Otis, our ears perked up immediately. This Kraamfeest dates back to the 17th century and Kandeel is served to drive away evil spirits from mother and child. Last Sunday, Jon was stirring some yellowish substance with a cinnamon stick in front of our friends and family, which resulted in hilarious photos. And the drink was actually quite tasty too.

A month before my delivery, I was already trying to set a date with my best girlfriends for a summer high tea at the Waldorf Astoria. But due to all the busy schedules and then little Otis, we could finally join yesterday for the extremely sweet feast. The entire high tea was themed around ice cream, and all the desserts were presented in this form. Three hours later, the platter still seemed half full, but I really couldn't eat another bite. My ultimate favorite of the afternoon: the rose-white chocolate dessert in the shape of a magnum.

We had to be patient for a while, but man-oh-man was this worth the wait. I had the honor of creating a limited edition stroller for Otis together with Bugaboo and immediately let my imagination run wild. My thoughts immediately drifted to an army print stroller with dark brown leather trims. And to my great surprise, the answer was: great, let’s do this. Of course, such a customized stroller takes a bit more time, but two weeks ago I received a call. I didn't know how quickly I had to load the family to race to the Bugaboo store. Glad I acted so quickly, because there were already several customers who had their eyes on my stroller. Who knows, they might include it in the collection someday.