Tag: post-covid

#2488 Abundant birthday vibes

Tonight was a big, fun, birthday night.

And yet I have very little photos to show for it. 🤦‍♀️ (That’s OK, I have my sister the photographer 😉)

We had some fam and friends over for Hubbie’s birthday, and it was fun! It feels like this year we’ve been having heaps of people over to make up for the last couple isolating, non-sociable years.

Having people fill up our house has been great, laughter and voices and music filling the air… and it’s all a good kind of busy, a good kind of noisy, but soon there’ll be another good kind of noisy, that of an additional family member in the house!

I know the way we are now will be absolutely different to how we’ll be in 4 months time, but I embrace it all. I love it now, and I’ll love it then for whole other reasons.

It’s about appreciating, and living in the present moment.

And all of these reflections, from a birthday party. 🙏❤

More great, happy, fulfilling times are ahead.

Abundance. 🥰🥰🥰🥰

#2438 End-of-week ice cream

Baby girl and I did something today that we haven’t done in a LONG time.

We went and grabbed some ice cream. 🍦

This used to be a regular occurrence. Hell, during covid, we went out to grab takeaway ice cream and coffee more than we do now, out of lockdown.

It’s been a long cold Winter. So with the sun shining gloriously today, I picked her up from school, and she asked me “Muu-uuum. (You know when they drag out your name so much it becomes two syllables?)

Can we go to the Main Street and get ice cream?”

I was already half-prepared, half-expecting it.

“Ok!”

We weren’t the only ones with this after-school, end-of-week idea. We saw heaps of students, young and older, and a lot from her school too, including a boy from her class.

Despite this, the vibe on the Main Street was super calm. We got our ice creams, just small serves in cups, and sat down under some part-shade, part-sun.

And I discovered something… I really needed it. Just some down time, quiet time, time doing nothing, enjoying some ice cream (which I made sure was made with pasteurised milk! 😂🤰)

And I discovered something else… a really yum ice cream! Rock salt caramel, mmm hmmm! 😋

#2432 Shit’s getting real

Today things felt more real.

I had my first hospital appointment via phone, due to the new world, covid, all that.

Speaking to a midwife was interesting. We went through my medical history, my previous pregnancy, and things that had happened since, emotionally and physically.

It’s been a long time since I’ve gone through this. 9 years to be exact. Some processes are the same, same are different.

Being asked over the phone, “are you alone?” and then subsequently followed with “have you ever feared for your life?” is a question I can definitely say I wasn’t asked back then.

My answers to these deeply personal questions were a resounding no – and yet I felt a deep sadness that there are women out there who might pause, and whisper the affirmative.

There are still the breastfeeding consultants, of which I will try and take advantage of, all going well. Then there are the maternity classes, again which I will refresh with, because 9 years, and also, different hospital.

It’s nerve-wracking. It’s exciting. Scans and blood tests and appointments, it’s all starting to ramp up.

Tonight I saw my extended family for a birthday, and there was more rubbing of my tummy. I honestly don’t mind, as long as it’s not a total stranger, I love it. 🥰

People are guessing gender. People are guessing potential names. Soon I’ll do a proper spreadsheet and get people to guess the date of birth and gender so that they can win a prize. 😂🏆

I’m taking it all in, appreciating all the parts of pregnancy, even when I turn and then have to turn again in bed, again and again, swapping from side to side, but doing it so gingerly because my body is acting like it’s 7 months pregnant already. 🤦‍♀️😁

The most beautiful thing was the midwife confirming to me that yes, I am probably feeling baby’s movements already like I said I am, as you can feel them much earlier in subsequent pregnancies than you can in your first. She said it’s not the frequency of the flutters, but the pattern, when in the day you usually feel them.

When I’m sitting in a propped up position is when I feel it best, when I feel it most, and every morning when I wake and sip my water, it must send a jolt to baby, because I get a small thud.

And now as I type this in bed, propped up, guess what I can faintly feel?

👶💝

Tap, tap, tap.

#2405 Better here than there

Today was a great day. More birthday party prep, just going going going.

You know, the jobs don’t really end when you’re going to have people over. Especially when it’s a sizeable amount. We were tending to all those odd jobs today, writing up lists, making calls, tending to garden beds, washing, tidying, de-cluttering…

As the week goes on, it will be heavier cleaning, targeted grocery shopping, finalising orders, organising dinnerware, glassware, arranging games, presents, decorations, etc…

It is a busy time. Sometimes it hits me and I get tired, but today wasn’t that such day. I was able to go go go all day, and only now am feeling like, ahh, I’m glad I’m on the couch.

It feels like a bit of a nonsense post, but then I remember that for the past two years, we didn’t have any of this. Mine and baby girl’s birthdays came and went, it was just us three, and it was also very quiet, albeit my family and friends made up for it with their loud messages of love and support.

This year is sooo different, and despite the busy-ness and the craziness of it, I am so grateful for it also.

So much to still do, 5 full days left, BRING IT ON!

#2392 Kisses all around

Baby girl on my left.

Hubbie on my right.

Kisses on my left.

Kisses on my right.

I was sandwiched in kisses tonight!

We aren’t taking for granted the fact that we can safely be around each other again… sans masks, sans 1.5 metre social distancing. We can hug, we can kiss, and we can sit right up against each other, just as we did tonight on the couch.

Feeling the love. 💞💞

#2294 The benefits of home

I was working at my desk from home this morning, when baby girl ran into the room about 9:30, sleepy-eyed but satisfied, jumping onto my lap.

It’s a little thing she does when she is home and I’m working, and this has been a regular occurrence since she’s on school holidays.

She takes the day as she pleases. A bit of ipad here, some DVDs there, a spot of writing, arty stuff, and coming up to me a few times too to sit on my lap again and take one of my earbuds to see what I am listening to.

She is lucky. I remember back to my own childhood. My dad worked night shift, so it didn’t feel like I missed any time with him… he was working while I was asleep. Having said that, the mornings were spent in absolute silence, as he usually slept upon coming home, and I had to entertain myself during school holidays by working out my exciting plan of attack on home entertainment based off of the TV guide. 😆

Mum however did work during the day, and she was away all week. Sometimes she even worked Saturdays. I just remember this one time, being really small, but also really sad that it was Saturday and she wasn’t home.

These are the sacrifices we make. These are the sacrifices our parents made. These things still happen, day in and day out, but for some people like me, going through covid and home-learning/working has made a hell of a difference.

I looked at baby girl today, moving from room to room at whim, patting the cat, touching some keys on the piano, and then asking me for her second breakfast… 🤦‍♀️😆

She doesn’t need to go to childcare when I’m home like this. Nor does she need to be dropped off at family or friends houses. She doesn’t have to go into before or after school care when she is back at school, because she has the luxury of lounging around at home, in her comfort zone.

She is lucky, because I am lucky, and get to work from home.

She doesn’t get to miss me, and for that I am grateful. 🙏

#2265 Back to the backyard parties

One of the hardest things we experienced during covid lockdowns was the lack of social interaction.

Moments like these:

Being able to visit family or friends, have fun in their yard, stand in the sunshine, and eat cake and drink Prosecco. 🍹

And of course, chase chickens, as you do. 🤣💖

So grateful to get back to it. 🙏🙏

#2252 Time for camp

Today was baby girl’s first foray into school camp!

2 nights, 3 days. I gotta tell you, I was nervous as the months, then weeks approached, knowing I would be without my baby girl for two whole nights!

TWO WHOLE NIGHTS!!!!

Although Hubbie and I joked about ‘us time,’ the sickening feeling in my stomach grew, as she got more and more excited about going away with her school friends.

Then, some weeks ago, a message on the school app.

Camp was going ahead, for sure…

But, only as day camp.

🙏

I thanked ALL my lucky stars as I read the message. Good ol’ covid meant that keeping with certain restrictions while several people slept in a cabin would be made difficult if not impossible, so it was arranged that the kids would be bused to and from camp from their school base over those 3 days.

Did I say already?

🙏

I know at some point, I need to let go. I need to get over it.

But also, I am her mum. And I know, despite her excitement, her friends, the camp activities, that come night-time, she would have missed us SUPER SORELY.

And we would have whole-heartedly reciprocated.

Today, when I picked her up after day 1 of day camp? (tee hee hee 😁)

She ran to me and yelled “Mummy! I missed you!” And gave me a huge hug.

🥰🥰 And I hugged her right back. 💞💞

#2209 A better tide

As expected, the tide has turned.

I knew that the worst had to be behind us yesterday, and I was 100% correct. The tide turned, and with it we found ourselves at a different beach to our usual one.

We met up with some friends there, and the day was honestly spectacular. To the deeper waters, the expanse of water and sand and people as far as the eye can see, the kids playing, and then the extra catch-up which continued at our place after the beach… it was a really beautiful day.

Having been in lockdown for so long over the past few years, and then getting out and needing to self-isolate so much due to sickness, well you really come to realise how important and valuable good company is. Not just company, but good company. Company where you talk and talk, you keep finding out great things about each other, and the vibes just keep on rolling.

There is happiness, laughter and relatability. Life is good when you discover this, and we have realised recently, more than ever, that we want to have the right people around us, and having fun with them as much as we possibly can.

Grateful to have days like this, where the adults have as much fun as the kids do. 🙏💖