Happenings 25.8.18
* written in bits and pieces over the month of August.
DOING: sitting at the kitchen bench. It's 2:43pm on Monday and Joan is napping. We've just past the 60 minute mark - hurrah! While she doesn't always have a nap, Monday is usually guaranteed because, more often than not, the weekend has been busy and exhausting, with late nights that curiously do not lead to morning sleep ins.
HEARING: the rooster crowing next door. Our neighbours bought it thinking it was a chicken. Which it is definitely not. We don't mind, though. We're always awake by the time it crows in the morning.
EATING + COOKING: tonight I'll be roasting a bunch of vegetables (probably beetroot, carrot and sweet potato) and will serve them with quinoa, sauteed silverbeet and panfried haloumi (see the photo at the top of this post). I'm craving vegetarian goodness. Though I'm also craving bolognese. This week I think we'll make an irish stew of sorts and maybe some pasta. Lunch has been fried or scrambled eggs with greens, maybe satueed spinach. Sourdough, too. I've also been loving big, vegetarian salads for lunch - with grated carrot & beetroot, legumes, gherkins and such. Oh, we made rosti over the weekend and they were great! Here's a similar recipe.
DRINKING: A hot cacao. I got to bed later than usual last night after dinner with girlfriends in the city, and I'm feeling a little dusty. Hopefully this drink will revive me. Lately I've also been loving on tea, and will have a fairly strong cup on the days I don't have a coffee.
WANTING: Joan to be totally cool with Ben comforting her in the night. My belly is getting bigger and it's harder to fit into her single bed. I suppose she's mostly ok with Ben, but every now and then (and seemingly more lately) she needs me. I'm also wanting our bathroom to be finished. Most of the people we've had doing our work have been brilliant, however the glass guys kinda busted part of the wall up and we need to get that fixed. Ben also needs to finish some of the painting. But we love our new space - using our big bath and shower feels SOOOOO luxurious.
LOOKING: for a duct cleaner to clean our vents. I'm trying to tick lots of home maintenance stuff off my list at the moment, as my brain is in nesting mode. I get a high every time I clean and organise.
DECIDING: what restaurant to take Joan to after we surprise her with a visit to the Zoo for her birthday.
ENJOYING: this podcast episode from Food Psych about making peace with your belly. I'm almost finished with it and am excited to listen to Rachel Cole's series.
WATCHING: Killing Eve. It's such a great show! I had heard about it a while ago but assumed it wouldn't be available here in Australia until a reader pointed out in my last Happenings post that it's on ABC iview.
READING: Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth.
WEARING: Maternity Leggings and big jumpers, but I'm kind of over that uniform so I've also been wearing tights and dresses.
PLAYING: every day Joan pretends to give birth. She tells me she's in pain "but it's normal". I'm usually the midwife but sometimes the doctor. And sometimes I'm lucky enough to get to give birth. We've also been doing a bit of painting (I love these).
BUYING: a dress for myself for my birthday. Well, it will be from Ben and Joan. I've wanted a linen sundress for a while but the sustainably-made ones can be really pricey. I figure a birthday is the perfect time to buy yourself something you want but don't need.
PLANNING: we've got a big list of things we're trying to tick off before the baby comes. Things like bring up the bassinet from under the house, go to Centrelink, clean the skirting boards and cook freezer meals.
CRAVING: vegetarian meals, like roasted veg bowls and curries. And then minced meat meals like bolognese and old school tacos. Also, oranges. Alllllll the oranges.
LOVING: my belly. The baby kicks. The days where I'm not working and can spend 100% with Joan, going on adventures and also just doing stuff around the house. Even cleaning the house can be fun with her (mood permitting, of course).
SAVOURING: baby kicks and these days with Joan. Repetitive, I know, but it's the truth.
FEELING: Like this baby will be here before we know it and all of a sudden I do NOT feel ready. I hope these final two months (or less!) go slowly. I've got work to finish and food to cook and freeze. I also want to do more to prepare Joan for this transition, though I know she and I won't ever be fully prepared in that regard. And I want to feel more prepared for the birth. I've only just started re-reading my birth books. So, yes... all of a sudden I'm feeling like WHOA, how can this be happening so soon?!
Happenings posts inspired by Pip.
Heidi xo