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Life can get a little overwhelming and exhausting in these parts right now. I’m still trying to get a feel for being a family of 4 (just because I love it does not mean I am nailing it haha). I need to get more organised and find a rhythm that works for us. Stuff like easy but healthy dinners, ways to prep lunches, making online shopping work for me, getting better at handling the evening routine in a more timely manner, knocking off to-do lists more efficiently etc. Basically, time and energy saving ‘hacks’ (I hate how everything is called a ‘hack’ these days). Things I can achieve with a 16 week old baby (whose needs evolve constantly) for a housemate. I have faith that I will get a handle on things eventually! It’s great having had a 6 year preview of how quickly a baby grows up and how life gets a little easier day to day. Knowing this too shall pass keeps me sane! In saying that, I also focus on the good stuff because, well…this too shall pass!!!
Which brings me to this happy list. I am trying to start this week full of optimism (and yes I am well aware that it’s Tuesday Wednesday haha), despite my fear that by Friday we will all be a collective blubbering mess in the Unprepared household!
Here are the things that have made me happy lately…
Watching Veronica Mars every night
I mentioned in my last post that I’d started watching Veronica Mars, right? Well, I had no idea how much I’d get sucked in and enjoy it. Which was lucky because I was sorely in need of a new show to binge watch and I was being VERY picky. Of course I thought I might be pretty happy because of the whole Kristen Bell thing – hello, girl crush! Also, I figured it would have just the right balance of mystery and darkness, combined with humour, combined with all the nostalgia of the early 2000s. I was right. It totally hits the spot! Only mistake I made was watching it with Mr Unprepared, who now won’t let me watch it without him because even though I’m sure he’s a little lukewarm on the whole ‘mystery solving high schooler’ premise, has now been sucked in juuuuust enough that he doesn’t want to have wasted his time if I skip ahead!! Which is frustrating when he falls asleep before me! Still, it’s nice to know he’s willing to share in it – totally counts as ‘fucking tired parents quality time’. I enjoy catching up on shows I never watched when they actually came out. I feel like I appreciate them more now than I would have back then!
Getting back on my treadmill
Yesterday I finally got back on my treadmill while the Little Miss was asleep. I put on a podcast (Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert – shut up – he and Kristen Bell are the cutest couple ever and I love both of them) and I got strolling. Yes, strolling. I really wasn’t going very hard, but it felt good. I even smashed my step goal for the day, thanks to my extra work! I know I won’t be able to achieve that daily just yet, but it’s awesome to get started bit by bit.
The Little Miss’ love of trees
I absolutely love the way the Little Miss enjoys looking up at the leaves blowing in the breeze. She will stare at flowers too. When I take her to the Little Mister’s school, we have to walk underneath some lovely trees and she will arch her back to look at them with absolute wonder in her eyes. Sometimes she’ll even give a happy little smile at the sight of them and wiggle with delight. I think some other parents must think I’m nuts for stopping under them and holding the Little Miss in a weird way so she can see better haha.
For Mother’s Day I was presented with some pretty, bright yellow orchids. Apparently, she picked them. There were a variety of colours and she zoned in on these particular ones until her choice could no longer be ignored! That alone makes the flowers a really special present, because when I see them I imagine her looking at them the day they were bought and it melts my heart!
I wonder if she will be a lover of nature when she’s older. Or whether all of those little picnics we had under the trees when she was very little had an influence on her somehow!
My bestie moving back to Australia
One of my best friends has been living in Arizona for a few years with her American husband and her gorgeous 1 year old. I have missed her terribly and we have been squeezing in quality time with each other, here and there, ever since she worked on cruise ships around the world just after high school ended. I am so excited to know that as I type this, she is probably only a few kilometres away trying to recover from jet lag!! I mean, I’m not excited about the jet lag thing (never fun with a small child), but you know what I mean! I am looking forward to a catch up very soon I hope!
My grandparents
As time goes on, I realise more and more just how lucky we are to have my mother’s parents in our lives. They are aged 89 and 93 and it’s so lovely how the Little Mister has been able to bond with them. He’s so lucky he will always remember them. Realistically, the Little Miss may not, but the fact that she has brought them so much joy is so heart warming also. The other day we headed to their place so I could wish my gran a happy Mother’s Day. Seeing Gran so smitten with every little thing the Little Miss did, and watching the Little Mister so excited to draw and colour in with my gramps was lovely.
Other stuff that has made me happy:
- Any day the Little Miss has slept in until 7am!
- As of this minute, I have 0 active zits on my face. This is a big deal. Hasn’t happened in weeks. Damn post baby hormones! In saying this, I’ll probably have a fresh one tomorrow haha.
- Any day when I’ve been able to be really productive and push through the fatigue. I’m proud of how I keep going. Sure, I don’t have much choice, but I’m still so glad when I get to the end of a day and somehow stuff got done!
- The quiet when the Little Miss is having her day nap during the school week.
- Knowing I’ll see my mum soon. It feels like it’s been forever.
- The Little Mister’s sense of humour.
- Coles Click and Collect. It’s a life saver!
- Nice weather! Not too cold and not too hot!
- Making social plans. I take this as a sign that my mental health is OK and that’s such a relief to me after how I felt when the Little Mister was little. It’s also nice to be able to do so without worrying about my stupid fertility cycles.
What has been making you happy lately?
