** Obviously a little later than normal – besides finishing up work, our modem at home broke and I’ve been without the internet for the last two weeks. On top of that, Evs hadn’t finished uploading the photos and I just finally figured out how to tether my phone to the laptop – Mercury Retrograde at it’s finest. Expect a barrage of posts soon
Gah! Time is flying by and I’m pretty much over it. I’ve had to take a step back from the Interwebs because work has been crazy with a proposal I’ve been working on due in the next week, all the while trying to wrap up and handover my clients before I head off on maternity leave.
Seriously counting the days.
It’s been pretty exhausting – I am ready for a nap around mid-afternoon most days and struggle to keep up. Energy is definitely flagging. Despite that, I have been dragging myself on walks almost every day and the heat almost kills me. If it’s not that, then it’s the goddamn hills in my area. Evs is practically pushing me up and Dex just looks at me reproachfully because *I’M* slowing him down.
I had a bit of a tumble the other week – while walking the dogs, Dex saw another dog and started to pull to head over and say hi. Somehow the leash slipped from my hand (combination of heat, exhaustion and hill-induced slowness) caused him to pull me down onto the pavement and I fell on my side. The guy with the other dog just scooped his puppy up while I tried to get Dex off the road while hobbling around. Evs was a bit of a wreck – he was pretty insistent we go see a doctor, but I felt fine – take a few bruises and, sigh, me scraping off the skin on my knee AGAIN. That poor knee – it’s disfigured for life.
I was shaking a little bit due to the shock of falling, but I wasn’t angry at Dex, more angry at myself for being such a slow, lumbering elephant. The waddle is a permanent fixture now.
How I’m feeling? Slow. Tired. Slightly getting over it haha. I feel like I’ve doubled in size over the last few weeks and it’s pretty uncomfortable. I also feel so heavy (I seriously think twice about getting up in the middle of the night to pee, even when I’m busting because of the EFFORT it takes to roll over. Sometimes – not worth it) and feels ike my belly has dropped. Even Evs commented that my bump looked like a different shape. I’ve had it called “pointy”, which of course means I’m having a boy but I have no idea.
My appetite also feels like it’s ramping up – I’m ravenous half the time and have to make sure I pack extra snacks in my lunch bag otherwise you’ll see me prowling the halls of the office and dipping my hand into the lolly jar much too often. Braxton-Hicks contractions pop by every so often and it still takes me by surprise.
Time seems to be going so slow and yet flying by. Not sure what I’m going to do when I am finally on mat leave – it will dragggggg.
Fitness? Walking and the occasional swim. I can’t deal with the crowds at the pool due to this heatwave we have been having and so have not been as diligent in going. That being said, I did make it down and it felt glorious.
Weight? Do not fit into anything. I’ve pretty much given up on work-appropriate wear and have resorted to wearing tunics and leggings to work on some days. My stretchy pants that I had pre-pregnancy are even uncomfortably tight on me now. Ahh, they have served me well.
How I’m changing? I’m starting to crave solitude and being close to home more. My birthday is coming up and ignoring the fact I would have absolutely no fun going out and drinking in this state, I am very content to have things low-key. Low-key is good. It means I can have a nap when I feel tired and not feel bad for rocking up somewhere because I need to take my time in the bathroom. Yep, digestion “issues”.
What I miss? My old body. It wasn’t perfect…but it was MINE. Things that I took for granted – like getting up out of bed has now become cumbersome. I love being pregnant, but seriously, am ready for this baby to come out.
Symptoms? Um, how’s this? Heavy – also in the boobage area. They are like sandbags. If that baby cannot find my boobs, I have no idea what this kid is going to do.
Braxton-Hicks contractions. Waddling. Shortness of breath because baby is squishing my lungs. He/she is such an active little bugger and does not let me get any sleep.
Cravings? Is it weird to say Nutrigrain cereal – I’ve been going nuts on that stuff!
Aversions? Salmon still avoids me – still can’t stand the smell.
Highlights this week?
We had another ultrasound at 32 weeks and the docs were a lot more optimistic – we have a consultation with the paediatric surgeon soon as well which will give us a better idea of what to expect when baby is born. That being said, I also had an appointment with a cardiologist (for my heart) and she said I don’t need to take antibiotics for the birth – that’s really good news! (I’d normally have antibiotics because of my heart for any type of surgery or where there could be blood loss to reduce the risk of infection to my heart).
Holler for the weekend!! It’s an extra-special one because, yep, you guessed it – it’s my BIRTHDAY! (Well, yesterday but I’m celebrating all weekend long!). It’s a funny thing about birthdays, that no matter how old we get, there is always that tiny spark of excitement about it. And no amount of being blasé and tyring to act cool that it was “just another day” could stop that feeling.
I WAS meant to have a day off yesterday, but had to go into work which was made slightly better because my manager bought me cupcakes and Evs treated me to lunch. Dinner was low-key with the family at the local Thai restaurant and, OMG, more cake.
We’re hosting a low-key BBQ at our place on Sunday afternoon, perfect summer weather (maybe with a touch of summer thunderstorms) and lots of food, friends and laughter.
But, I’m also taking some time out this weekend for myself. I’m feeling exhausted, more mentally than physically to be honest (although sleeping in this heat has been terrible) and am desperate need of a break. So, in the spirit of me-time, here are some links for you too:
More so than ever, I’m turning into a fan of being ACTIVE, rather than dedicating time to exercise. These days, the ability to just keep moving is enough to satisfy my bones and I enjoy it a lot more. This post from Sarah Wilson explores the idea of the current message of “Exercising making us fat”.
I haven’t been on a huge chocolate bender for a while, but this sugar-free chocolate is tempting me back onto the wild side.
One of my favourite blogs I discovered about six months back was Vienda Maria. In fact, I’ve linked more often than not to her posts here because they resonate so much to me as I try and seek a more simple and authentic life. Part of that is figuring out what I want to do with this blog and sorting through my head to find the answers. As part of my birthday gift to myself, last week I bought her newly-launched ebook – “The Build Your Own Business Blog” (um, only $8! What can I say – I’m a easy person to shop for! ) and am already loving it. Don’t let the word business throw you off, it’s perfect for anyone wanting to grow their blog and perfect for newbies like me that have no clue when it comes to things like SEO haha.
“Success and likability are positively correlated for men and negatively correlated for women,” – Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. I am so guilty of this. Especially in the workplace where I have (now looking back, quite embarrassingly) sacrificed myself for likeability. I’ve let people walk all over me and convince me that things were MY FAULT and I’ve agreed with them, because I wanted them to like me. This article explores the truth about women and likeability.
While I can’t confess to fully feeling like this, I have many friends who live the life of an expat. Perhaps, it’s the same when I return to India and things feel nothing has changed and yet everything has. This post about finding the answer to Where Do I belong? is a great read.
Ohhh. I had to agree. I HAD to. Even when 4 out of the 6 shows listed here are some of my favourites – they really need to SHUT IT DOWN (Especially Glee *sob*).
This girl. Where do I start – besides having a banging blog and life (I mean who would NOT want to live on the beaches of Goa??)- she also has another food blog that makes me drool every time I wander over. These garlic-coriander pull apart rolls are something out of this world. You must try them.
Ok, I am off to get the house in some sort of order before people start arriving (I mean I have a DAY, but who can be bothered cleaning in this heat!) and think about the menu.
Sunshine and warm winds. Flowers in bloom, lazy Sundays and crisp, perfect weather to take a walk in the sun.
But, being Melbourne it’s also full of wet and windy days and not-quite-letting-go of the warm blankets and thick socks.
But, SPRING!!! (exclamation mark totally required )
I’ve had an interesting week. A little tiring with some travel here and there – our weekend away last week to Red Hill was wonderful and I wish I was rich enough to own a little place there, right near the beach and always be surrounded by the hills and the vineyards and the amazing local food.
I headed straight to Sydney after plonking my bags down from Red Hill and stayed a few days in the North-Western suburbs of Parramatta where I reacquainted myself with the gym, basked in the glorious sunshine, ate way too much, indulged in room service and drank fresh juice at the breakfast buffet every morning.
This weekend is full of birthdays – my father-in-law, a friend’s 30th and also a few days ago welcoming a new baby girl to my other friends. Funnily enough, another friend-couple are due this weekend so we might even have another baby in the group.
My nightstand is getting rather full with all the books I have started as I greedily get stuck into one, and then another and then abandon them all to read what the world is up to online.
Here is what caught my eye this week:
Spring is traditionally a time for renewal. And it feels like that more so this year. I’m slowly finding my feet but still find myself paralysed in moments of doubt. Rachael from In Spaces Between gets it right every time and in this post gives the most wonderful advice for some of the biggest challenges we face. (Also – in exciting news she has released her new FREE e-book aptly titled More Magic All The Time. It’s a fantastic read for those days when you need some inspiration)
There’s a highly touted myth that women cannot be friends with other women. That secretly we’re out to get each other and that we wouldn’t hesitate to bring each other down. I’m not saying there aren’t women like that, but I like to think that we do have each other’s backs and can forge long-lasting, meaningful relationships. If you do struggle though, or know someone who does this post from Jezebel on “How to be friends with another Woman” might just help.
Mothers for hire? This is the second article I’ve read in recent months about outsourcing surrogate mothers to India. Like many things, the trend has picked up and a lot of it is going unregulated. Women are often from poor families, getting into it to bring in some earnings and don’t know of their rights. It’s an interesting read of how women’s bodies and motherhood have been commoditised and it makes my heart a little sad.
Healthy eating surprisingly brings a lot of issues to some. Some people see it as an affront to them, others can’t wrap their minds around eating only vegetables, or even think there is something wrong with you. I’ve said it before – eating choices are personal and really shouldn’t be judged. Jess from the Wellness Warrior has a great article on how to deal with food judgement.
I’m a wishful list writer. I list out my goals, my visions and dreams and then somehow….they get swept away in the wind. This post from Brandy on throwing away your bucket list and just living life is a good one to read next time you think of those ill-fated resolutions. via Amy.
So if you’re REALLY stuck for things to do on this weekend – here’s a hilarious post from Thought Catalog on all those things you said you would do this weekend and never did. Haha, I’m so tempted to do all of them.
What are you up to this weekend? Are you a list-maker or a meh-let’s-see-what-happens kinda person?
My English teacher once told me “What one person could say in three words – you say in ten”. I’m not sure if that was a compliment or not, but I agree that my writing style can be a little long-winded. I can’t help it – I like to describe – I’m fascinated by words and their meanings and take much delight in stringing them together in different combinations to create some semblance of a piece of writing. Also – this blog – it brings out the rambler in me. Everything I would normally say, or more likely think, I just put it down in words.
I ramble at the best of times, babble when I’m nervous, murmur in my sleep and rant when I’m drunk or angry. So – it’s just me
So now that I’m 29, I’m meant to be all mature and wise and grown up yeah?
Fat chance of that.
It’s weird the amount of people that came up to me yesterday that when I told them I was 29, reacted in a way that was quite hilarious.
“You don’t LOOK 29!”
Um, ok.
I’m not sure if I’m meant to take that as a compliment to my youthful aging or an insult to my obvious immaturity.
I got the idea from this lovely blog, who has the wonderful notion of writing a letter to your one-year-younger self, explaining with your one-year-older wisdom what they would learn in the upcoming year.
I thought, I’d give this wisdom thing a crack.
So here goes.
Dear 28-year-old Sig,
So…this might get awkward. In fact, it’ll get so awkward that when Evs comes and joins you in your studio apartment in Hong Kong in a few months time, you’ll be cursing the convenience of the bathroom vicinity to the bed and breaking every marriage rule in the book (#54 – if you hear noises and smell smells – you don’t talk about them. Ever. Even after the night out eating spicy Japanese food).
Ok, wait. Let me rewind back – you’re looking horrified.
So, this three month secondment to a far-flung city/country/Special Administrative region will come and go in a blur of colours, food and friends. That moment when you step onto the plane, leaving Evs, your family, your DOGS behind – don’t be ashamed to admit that you might not want to come back.
This trip WILL be the highlight of your year. You will learn that people aren’t really what they seem and learn that you can’t be friends with everyone. Sometimes, you just have to grit your teeth and tolerate people.
However, you will also discover that friendship comes in the oddest of all places (By the way – good on you for reaching out to a (haha – literally) virtual stranger and getting out of your comfort zone. You won’t regret it.)
While HK’s dazzling lights and blindingly fun social life will ensure you have the best three months of your working life, I think there is a part of you that you will discover is happiest at home. Don’t lose that feeling. It’s what tells you what you love the most.
You will travel. And find a place that makes you fall in love with it as soon as the heat and the monsoon rain and the steaming, sweet coffees and delicious fresh food hits your senses. And don’t laugh at everyone’s mistake of thinking you’re on your honeymoon – take it all in – because this IS a second honeymoon.
Yep, think three times in ONE DAY. I know right?!! I couldn’t believe it either. Phew!
You will also learn more about Evs in those two weeks that will delight you and smile secretly inside (and not because he did that thing you like three times in ONE DAY).
You know what I’m talking about (Ohhh yeah).
And that seed of thought, it will get stronger and stronger. Don’t ignore it. Don’t worry about it – yet. You still have time.
That seed, will actually take two forms and you will make a firm decision on one of them. This year will see you pursue and get onto the path of living it. Don’t be afraid. THIS is what you have been waiting for.
It will be hard, and it won’t be easy. But, have faith – keep strong. BELIEVE in yourself.
You will nearly lose one of your closest friends – by the way – it IS your fault. Be a better friend, Sig.
You will renew your belief in living a healthy life. Have you noticed Sig? That as you get older, those nuggets of wisdom that your father used to say when you were a girl – it makes sense now?
“Early to bed, early to rise – makes you healthy, wealthy and wise”
Wise old Dad.
And yes, like Dad insists – yoga CAN cure everything (Just not your stupid leg – work on those calves coz you WILL keep fucking it up).
Sig, you’re at a point where you have a crossroads looming ahead of you. Only you know which path you will take, only you can make that decision. Think about it, think long and hard about the memories you want to create and the future you want to have.
(And Sig – please get rid of that fugly dress you INSIST is cool. It makes you look twelve. I’m being honest here. Sorry.)
A morning woken up by a kiss and a promise to be home early?
Check.
(And flowers!!! This from a man who hasn’t given me flowers for over 10 years! The boy listens!!! )
(It’s a SIGG bottle!!!! Bwahahaha – LOVE it.)
Lots of jibes about nearing 30, a truckload of Facebook messages, emails and sms’s?
Check.
Working from home on a beautiful summer’s day, with my doggies by my side?
Check.
A quiet dinner at home, with mum’s cooking and my closest family?
Check.
An epic fail of a sugar-free cheesecake (I didn’t let the cheesecake set properly before I poured the jelly over – it absorbed EVERYTHING. Although tasted it this morning and still tasted good – ain’t going to waste!!) that a proper chocolate Bavarian one had to step in?? (I had a bit and it was GOOD – minimal ill-feeling after)
)
