Currently... 09.12.18

So this post was originally meant to be an update for the month of October! And oh my goodness it is now DECEMBER. How did that happen? Where have the last two months gone?!

Well actually, they have disappeared into a sleep deprived fog. My lovely little Ollie does not seem to like sleeping for long periods of time, which I posted about in his six month update. The result? One very tired mama! Sitting down to write anything has been a struggle to say the least. But I’m currently at sleep school with my darling boy, and three days in we have seen HUGE improvements. I will write a whole post on our experience once we are home, so for now here’s an update on some things I’ve been doing/loving/thinking about (other than sleep) over the past two months.

Reading three great books and I recommend them all. This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay is the story of a Junior Doctor in England. The book covers his first six years as a doctor and contains excerpts from the diary he kept at the time. The anecdotes are funny, sad and super interesting. I read this one very quickly.

Next I read Us Against You, the follow up to Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I was SO looking forward to this book as I loved Beartown. Although it took me a little bit to get into it, the book overall did not disappoint. Backman is a beautiful writer and you can’t help but to empathise with all the characters. Apparently Beartown is going to be adapted for television which will be awesome, I’m thinking it will be the next Friday Night Lights (substitute small town Texas and football for small town Sweden and ice hockey).

The third book I've read lately was The Hope Family Calendar by Mike Gayle. I read another book by the same author this year are both were excellent. Easy reads, almost chick lit in style, but exploring serious issues. In this one a father struggles to raise his two daughters after the death of his wife. Of course there are parts that are very sad, but the book is both humorous and hopeful and a joy to read. 

UPDATE: Since I've been at sleep school I've also read Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. SO GOOD! I pretty much love all of her books, they are so readable and I find that her characters are really well developed and realistic. This is a perfect holiday, easy read, I couldn't put it down!  

Listening to Serial Season 3, the Hamish and Andy Podcast and This American Life. The latest season of Serial focuses on the criminal justice system in America. The structure is very different to the last two seasons. Instead of focusing on one extraordinary case, this season looks at the everyday, ordinary workings of a criminal justice centre in Cleveland, Ohio. Is it as good as Serial season 1? No. Will any podcast ever be as good as Serial season 1? Probably not. But I found it eye-opening, shocking and sad in parts. Definitely worth a listen. 

I still find Hamish and Andy pretty funny, although I don’t think their podcast is quite as good as when they were on the radio. Still, I am often chuckling along at them while take Ollie for yet another walk in the pram.

One stand out episode on This American Life recently was about active shooter drills in American schools. At my school we obviously practice fire drills, lockdowns etc. and have discussed what to do in case of an active shooter in a staff meeting. That is scary enough, but I don’t think anyone here  in Australia actually thinks that having a shooter come to our school is a likely scenario. Sadly this is not the case in American schools. The episode looks at how schools prepare for an active shooter on site, and it's is pretty horrifying to listen to. I don’t know if I could be a teacher in the US given the current state of gun control (or lack of) and the amount of school shootings. It’s just unimaginable to think you could feel like your life is not safe in a school. And that's just me as a teacher... I can't imagine how parents feel about sending their children to school in the current climate.

Watching a bit too much TV lately! The reason? Frequent night feedings! I know I should probably just shut my eyes and try to rest when Ollie gets up to feed in the night, but it is just SO boring. So I often watch something on my phone, headphones in, just to pass the time. I finished all four seasons of Jane the Virgin which left a big hole in my night-feeding life, however I have recently filled it with This Is Us. It’s a pretty good show despite being a bit overly sentimental at times. And I’m not a huge fan of Mandy Moore, but overall the characters in the show are great. It hops back and forth in time and I love the 80s and 90s flashbacks as they remind me of my own childhood. The soundtrack to that time period is also fab, and songs like this always make me want to dance around with Ollie. Good music is an instant mood lifter, no matter how tired you are!

Andy and I sometimes watch a show together in the evenings when we are not too tired. We’ve just started Narcos: Mexico on Netflix, and also watched Ozark season 2. Both worth watching.

Drinking cold brew coffee. Mmmmmm I love cold brew on a hot day! It’s the only way I can drink coffee black, otherwise I find it too bitter. This recipe is a simple way to make your own cold brew at home. Doing this means I always have coffee pre-made in the fridge, and it can be heated in the microwave if it’s a cooler day and I want a hot drink instead. The coffee tastes very smooth when brewed this way, and it's very refreshing to drink over ice.

I also recently discovered the company Clean Tea. They make amazing teas and are from Byron Bay. Their chai is delicious, one of the strongest chai teas I’ve ever had. I often make it slowly by boiling milk on the stove and adding honey and it is delicious. I also really like their Dream tea, which is a blend of lavender, chamomile and peppermint. 

Cooking/eating lots of veggie packed meals. I recently set up the delivery of a weekly fruit & veg box from Organic Ease. It’s fantastic! I get the small box, which is for 1-2 people but is more than enough for us. It costs $45 (including delivery). I’ve been really impressed with the amount and quality of the produce. It’s made me try a few new recipes, cook with some veg I don’t usually buy, and best of all it is all from local, organic farms and there is no plastic wrap on anything! 

Excited to have been featured as November’s “Blog of the Month” on the site expat.com. Since then they have asked if I would be interested in writing an article for their Melbourne expat guide! The pay is nominal, but it would be my first real writing gig… kind of cool as I’ve never, ever thought of myself as a writer. I haven’t confirmed whether or not I will do it yet, as I'm conscious of taking on something extra I don’t have time for. But Andy finishes work in a week and Ollie’s sleep is improving so perhaps it is a good time. It would certainly be a challenge and I could use some intellectual stimulation after seven months of maternity leave!

Needing sleep. Just four hours in a row would be great, thanks. (UPDATE: After three nights at sleep school Ollie is pretty much sleeping through the night. Amazing! I am starting to feel normal again.)

Using Insight Timer to help me fall asleep. I love a relaxing guided meditation before bed. I have raved before about my Yoga Nidra app, but I was over listening to the same recording every night. I almost knew it by heart which made it hard to shut off and relax. Insight Timer is a free app with thousands of different guided meditations by lots of different teachers. I love it! I have found a few great bedtime ones that almost always put me to sleep, and one fantastic morning meditation that puts me in a positive mindset for the day. I can’t say enough about how good this app is, and I can’t believe it is free.

Wearing shorts! It’s getting pretty hot here in Melbourne, with the past few days in the high 30s. Although in typical Melbourne fashion that has been mixed in with some cold, rainy days lately, so I haven’t been able to put away my winter clothes just yet. I just ordered myself this lovely dress that I think will be perfect for breastfeeding in the warm weather. My summer uniform tends to be a casual dress with flip flops, but unfortunately most of my dresses don’t have “breastfeeding access”. As Ollie has refused formula so far I'll be feeding him myself for the foreseeable future.

Feeling a lot more positive about the future since we've been at sleep school. Andy finishes work next week and Ollie's sleep has improved massively. The sun is shining (most days) here in Melbourne, my parents are returning for a visit in six short weeks, and its nearly CHRISTMAS! Ollie and Ella are starting to "play" together and it is beautiful to watch their relationship develop. Things are definitely looking up.