A man, eating the perfect diet and lifting as much as possible, resting well, ideal circumstances, blah, blah, blah, can only expect to put on 1-2lb of muscle per month, per month. Halve that figure for women. It's properly hard and gains don't just creep up on you. You are going to notice a few extra kilos of muscle has been gained. This idea that weights = massive instant gains is infuriating. It stops so many people from reaping the benefits of regular strength training.