Joining the fair was a last minute decision as I did not make major plans for Milky Way this year in anticipation that I'd be tied up with the arrival of the new baby. As it turned out, Deb was such an easy-going baby that I found myself taking up on an invitation to share a store space with another mummy-entrepreneur.
I had everything planned out: I'd get help from my mother-in-law with the baby and express milk during the fair for baby. Everything was going as hoped until just a few days before the fair.
Baby Deb suddenly started rejecting the bottle.
No matter what I did, Deb either pushed away the bottle, played with the plastic teat, or, stared ahead of her with the teat inside her mouth but stubbornly refusing to suck.
This left me with no choice but to to bundle her along with me to the fair. Thankfully, the nursing rooms at the fair were very thoughtfully set up. There were six cubicles, each one featuring a comfortable armchair and with a free supply of wet wipes. It's the little things like this that make all the difference.
So Baby Deb, all two months of her, attended the fair throughout all four days.
I'd be bustling, attending to customers, and then making a beeline for the nursing room every few hours to breastfeed. The time spent in the nursing room turned out to be much needed respite for me --- feeding Deb in the room, resting my back, evaluating the day's work. It was all pretty surreal.
My mum sent her encouragement in the form of this homemade flower arrangement. I just had to smile each time I looked at the two little plush-toys. Was my mum thinking of me and my sister, working hard at the fair?
The highlight for me was naturally the visit of my two older kids at the booth. All bundled up in their sweaters by their doting grandma, the two burst into the scene with squeals of delight. Even in the small space they found their fun by exploring the changing room, and under the table for scraps of tidbits. Ah. They are the much-needed reminder of why I am doing what I am doing.
