Taking Stock: May

So we are almost three months into life with our newest addition. Miss Ottilie arrived at the beginning of March and put our world into a spin.

To be honest, we really needed another shake-up (not!). After all, life was starting to calm down after our massive move back to the UK from Sydney at the end of June. Note to self: morning sickness, house-hunting and endless summer days with a toddler do not mix.

I dd miss Australia a lot to start with. After fifteen years away from the UK, you can’t really pick up where you left off. Plus we are living in a new town, so while we are technically ‘home’, it does feel like starting over again. Nevertheless, I do feel as if I’m where I’m meant to be. It’s lovely not to have that uneasy homesick feeling on my shoulder anymore.

The arrival of the new baby, or perhaps the departure of the pregnancy hormones, has really sparked my need to take photos and write again. I’m trying to go with it and fit it in here and there. How do you find time to write? I’d love to know your tips.

I’ve been working on a post about long-haul travel with kids, which I just can’t finish, so to break the blogging drought here’s a little ‘taking stock’ of the last few weeks. Thanks for the inspiration Meet Me at Mike’s.

Making : rounds of peanut butter sandwiches and cut-up fruit. The diet of a nearly four year old.
Drinking : tea, of course. Twinings English breakfast by the gallon to perk me up.
Reading: Essentialism by Greg McKeown – a good Audible choice but I do find myself tuning out or falling asleep when I listen to audiobooks. Do you find the same?
Wanting: a desk of my own. When we moved house our desk and chair went into Alex’s office and he works from home quite a bit now so I’ve sort of lost my place to write. I’d love this one from West Elm but it’s not quite in the budget.
Looking: at the weather report. Grey skies for days.
Playing: with Teddy and the baby. Or should that be protecting the baby from her over-enthuastic but doting brother.
Deciding: where we should go on holiday this year. Considering one of these kid-friendly hotels but will the weather be nice? (I never liked the very hot sunny days in Australia. In fact I hated January and February some years, when it was too hot to sleep or even to move. But now I’m back in England, I find myself dreaming of sunshine.)
Wishing: I could magic myself back to Sydney, just for a visit, you understand. I’d like to say hi to friends and neighbours who I miss dearly and put my feet in the ocean. We miss the beach and the zoo and the sushi bars.
Enjoying: my Makelight membership. I’ve written before about the inspirational world that is Makelight. Emily and Stef are knocking it out of the park with this month’s course on blogging. I am blogging with a new baby after almost a year without posting.
Waiting: for our trip to Legoland on Sunday for a special birthday boy.
Liking: that now we are back in the UK I never have to get on a long-haul flight with children ever again. Just thinking about that makes me smile – even if the weather is rubbish here.
Wondering: what the baby is thinking when she laughs in her sleep.
Loving: squishy newborn cuddles
Considering: what to feed our guests for lunch tomorrow. One of my oldest friends from school is visiting with her family. Happy days.
Buying: a tripod as a birthday present to myself. It’s this one as recommended by Emily Quinton. It’s still in the box, sadly, as I just have no time to play.
Watching: robins, blackbirds, starlings and sparrows in the garden. 
Hoping: the baby stays asleep long enough for me to finish this post. (spoiler, she did!)
Marvelling: at how fast she is growing. Nine weeks now and almost ready to move into her size 3-6 month wardrobe. She has so many outfits.
Bookmarking: author Joanne Harris’s lovely tumblr account. Her post about her mother was just beautiful.
Wearing: anything elasticated – things I can sleep in and nursery run in.
Following: some fab style blogs on Instagram for when I finally emerge from the postpartum days. Dress Like a Mum and Does My Bum Look 40.
Knowing: this newborn phase will go so fast. Even though it’s exhausting, this time round I truly know it won’t last forever.
Thinking: about starting a diary again. So much I want to remember from these days.
Smelling: the beautiful lilac that’s flowering all over town.
Getting: another cold.
Disliking: all the colds. Germs begone.
Opening: lots of lovely birthday cards. 39 this month. I must be a proper grown-up by now surely?
Feeling: tired, so tired. Not much sleep in the night with the baby or naps in the day with the preschooler.
Snacking: on boobie bites and lactation biscuits to get the breast milk supply up. The magic ingredients are brewer’s yeast, oats and flaxseeds. Make them for a new mama friend.
Hearing: beautiful British bird song. I’m sorry Aussie birds: you win in flamboyant looks, but the English birds sound much prettier.

 

What’s been your highlight this month? Are you finding time to write or create? How do you make it work? I’d love to know.