You know when there are a lot of tricky things happening, and you’re counting them down to the end of the day?
Both Hubbie and I had those today, work, car related, and then there were issues with our cat thrown into the mix by the end of day… and that’s not even including the daily care that comes with having kids, and all of THAT STUFF.
But we got there. Takeaway dinner it was, stack the dishwasher, do the bare minimum, and now we are sitting on the couch just letting the day wash away as we get closer to sleepy-land.
I was holding him and reminiscing as the time ticked by in the early afternoon to the time he was born, and I remember giving that final push, and then the obstetrician, who had told me all along “you’re gonna tell us what the baby is” (because we were keeping the gender a surprise) asked me “SmikG, SmikG, what is it? What is it?”
And he had to repeat himself because I was over it! I wanted baby to come out, and I was tired, so tired from everything, and I was almost squinting as he was asking me…
With a question mark, because, was I really seeing what I was seeing? 🤣
And the obstet went “Yes!”
And I was reliving all of this in my mind today, smiling and holding baby boy, breaking out into tears from time to time, hugging and kissing him every chance I got, just so grateful to have reached the 1 year mark.
1 year! I can hardly believe it. With the constant challenges we’ve faced the last year, it felt like the longest time, every time I imagined him turning 1…
And yet here we are. I’ve made it, we’ve made it, and I know that this doesn’t mean the journey is over… why, it’s only just begun! But the hardest year, in many ways, has passed us by. 🙏
We celebrated simply at home. Hugs, walks around the house. A rose has recently sprung up in the front yard, and it’s timely to have done so at this point in time… so beautiful and sweet, a signifier of the most beautiful things in our life.
And then in the evening we went out for dinner. It was quick, it was yum, and we had a beautiful view to match.
Our outlook is bright, and I am so very grateful. 🙏💖
May our baby boy be forever happy and healthy. Thank you for choosing us sweetheart, and in your Dad’s words…
I’ve had one of those days again. I was lamenting how I felt like my soul needed a beach walk, in amongst physical pain, frustration, tears… the lot.
I was telling all this to Hubbie, and he suggested we go out for a walk, or “you go” as he said.
“I can’t.” There was washing up, jobs to do, I couldn’t just desert them and go at the busiest time of the day…
But then it occurred to me. This coincided with one of my three resolutions. I don’t like to call them New Year’s resolutions, because I believe you can make a change for the better whenever you want, but these kinda just popped into my head one day, and I immediately held onto them.
They are simple, short, and sweet. All with S’s, easy to remember, like the first initial of my name.
Speak Up.
Stand Straight.
Think of Self (or be Selfish, which doesn’t sound as lovely as Self).
I am never selfish. The whole reason I believe my physical body is suffering is because I’m always putting everyone else before me, and my body is rebelling drastically because of it. It isn’t being heard, it’s being ignored, and it’s not happy.
This was the time to put my foot down and be selfish.
So I said, “you know what? Let’s go.”
And we went.
There were quite a few people about, being a warm Friday evening during holiday season. We simply walked through the sand and water some distance, before walking back to the car park.
Yesterday baby girl and Hubbie were with baby boy upstairs, and they were making him LAUGH. It was apparently a laugh like they had never heard before, and what started it off was a simple, funny phrase: “let’s do a push up for Dad.” Baby girl often tries to get baby boy to do push ups (part of his tummy time) and they had both been lying on our bed, when Hubbie came in and she said this simple phrase to her baby brother, and he CRACKED UP. So they repeated it and repeated it, of course. 🤣
By the time Hubbie found me in the house (in the laundry doing washing of course) and I came up, it was already dwindling, so I didn’t get the full effect.
Today though, it came back. Hubbie was holding baby boy in his lap, and baby girl was throwing one of those super soft medium-sized bouncy balls you get for like $5 at Kmart up to him. It was bouncing off his lap/legs, so Hubbie was saying “baby boy kick!” as if he was doing it. Then baby girl decided to start repeating yesterday’s phrase too.
It set him off!
I was closer this time, and heard baby boy’s laugh, Hubbie and baby girl cracking up at him. I got my phone camera out to record it, peering around the corner.
Not only did I get to see it, but I recorded it! It was the most sweetest, gorgeous, infectious, hilarious thing. This baby boy, losing it, cracking it up with the most funniest of laughs, over a ball bouncing off his legs/lap, and baby girl revving him up more with yesterday’s funny phrase.
It was Valentine’s Day, the due date of our sweet boy, who we got to enjoy as he’s been with us already for 6 days. 🙏
But Hubbie did a tiny special thing for me today, that actually meant the world.
He got us some sweets to enjoy on this love-filled day, including nutella doughnuts, something I haven’t been able to enjoy during pregnancy… but now I’m on the other side!
He called me into the kitchen to show me – including the 4 roses he’d cut from our garden and arranged so beautifully.
4, for each member of our family now. 🥲🥰
Oh, I cried. It was the sweetest sentiment, so thoughtful and full of love, and it gave me all the feels.
Such a special Valentine’s Day for us. I think, the best so far. No fancy dinners, expensive presents or overpriced bouquets.
There are many types of beach visits, and you learn all of them once you start to fully embrace and live the beach life.
There is the ‘bring everything including the kitchen sink’ beach visit, where you have the beach trolley, umbrellas, chairs, the tent, boogie boards, sand castle accessories, towels and food and drinks and basically, most of your house.
This is when you’re going to enjoy most of the day there, and go through at least 2 meal sessions. 🤣
Then there is the ‘in-between’ visit. You’ll probably be there a few hours, and you probably won’t bring the beach trolley, but you’ll still have some chairs, some beach toy accessories, and then of course snacks and water because you still need to be hydrated and all that jazz.
Then there is the quick, ‘dip in/dip out,’ or talk a walk along the beach visit.
These are timed, and involved the bare minimum to aid in the ease and simplicity of getting there and back.
We did this, the latter today.
Sure it was a hot day, but we were still getting over last night’s New Year’s Eve. Also, the thought of taking many things to the beach (even an ‘in-between’ visit) felt hard, especially when it was over 30.
So I struck a deal with a tired Hubbie.
(I gotta admit, the deal suited me too because this pregnancy is making me really S-L-O-W).
I said “let’s head down, everyone carries their own minimal stuff, go in, 30 minutes, go out.”
🤝
And so it was. Here’s how you do a simple, timed, quick and refreshing beach visit.
Bikinis on at home, dresses on top (for Hubbie shorts and singlet).
Sunscreen is applied at home too.
Everyone carries their own towel, hat, and sunnies. Water bottles remain in the car (sip before you leave!) And personal belongings, phones and keys, are in the tiniest little carry bag.
Drive to the beach. Drop stuff on the sand nearest water (belongings hidden in towel).
And go! 30 minutes begins!
30 minutes go by so quick though. Don’t be surprised if you want more. 🙏
Despite how busy today was at our local, we sat in the shallow waters and found so much peace in just watching the water wash over our legs, splashing against our bodies.
Go home, shower… and then order takeaway, because nobody got time for cooking when humidity is killing you in the house. 🤣
carcrashgratitude 