Stillness
I am absolutely loving being a Mummy, but how quickly the time is flying by. Elijah will be 4 weeks old tomorrow, wow!! He is growing rather quickly too, out of his new born clothes and into 0-3, so sweet in his little cheeky monkey outfit!
I am suffering with sleep deprivation today. We had an action packed weekend, swimming in the sea at Petit Bot on Saturday and at Saints yesterday, Elijah all snug in his car seat on the beach (above high tide mark of course, Ewan's idea in case something should happen to us while we are swimming and he is left all alone, wouldn't have even crossed my mind to be honest!!). Shopping around the Island for Christmas presents on Saturday, in and out of shops, breast feeding and changing in Costa, all good fun, and then a swim at Grande Mare Saturday evening while the grandparents happily looked after Elijah for an hour.
Sunday and post swim we went over to Herm again with both sets of parents and enjoyed a picnic in the sun on the common at Shell Beach. Outdoors December breast feeding and change this time, poor little thing, I was frozen by the time we made it back to the boat, Elijah was all snug in his bear outfit! We then visited friends and enjoyed a cup of tea and Elijah had a few cuddles from Julie and Michelle, dressed as he was in his hippie suit from Uncle Ross and Aunite Star in hippie Byron - thank you guys!
Usually he sleeps well, but strangely yesterday we were talking to a couple whose baby did not sleep so well and they were saying that you feel as if you have constant jet lag. Well last night Elijah did not sleep well, he was wired when he should have been sleepy and today I do indeed feel as if I am jetlagged. Fortunately I can justify the copious amounts of 85% pure dark chocolate for my iron deficiency, even if I am eating it merely as a way to survive the day. It is so beautiful outside with the sun shining that it seems wrong to sit on the sofa all day!
In fact today is probably my first day on my own. This morning the doctor signed me off to drive again, hoorah, freedom, I had to do a few star jumps to prove to her that I am ok, not a problem given I have been practicing Yoga for a while now. It has helped, that and the homeopathic remedies I have been taking to help with the healing, and of course the iron rich foods.
Talking of which I was reading a fascinating article in the Sunday Times Style Magazine yesterday, which was about feeling exhausted and it said that on average 25% of women in Britain do not get enough iron. While the iron tablets have horrible side effects, I am intrigued to see how much stronger and more energised I feel when my iron levels are up in the normal range. Only trouble is I will no doubt expel that energy fitting in yet more things to the day. The article in the Style magazine touches on this a little, about the "crazy busy" nature of our lives, I can certainly relate to this, not something to be proud of necessarily.
In fact I am more aware of it than ever with Elijah in my life, and am shocked how ingrained the need to be busy is, and how challenging to be still without feeling guilty for being still. This is perhaps the reason I love sea swimming and Yoga so much, as both encourage present moment awareness and with that a stillness. Elijah too - I am certainly present with him, unless it is the middle of the night and I awake myself by nodding off while breast feeding!! I guess there is always further work to be done!!
On that note, time to be with the little fella and make the most of this glorious weather.
With gratitude.
xx