Saturday, January 03, 2015

summer siesta

It's becoming increasingly clear that if I want to get anything done over the next nine weeks, I'm going to have to embrace a summer siesta. 

The week of Christmas was quite mild; cloudy days, plenty of cool air, easy sleeping conditions. However, as we welcomed the New Year we also experienced the first days of our true blue summer - cloudless skies, heat and humidity are now the norm. Apparently a pregnant woman feels five degrees hotter than everyone else; proof that I really do deserve the majority of the ice cubes (and have every right to monitor how many everyone else eats).

Sarcasm aside, I've decided that there are certain times of the day where productivity is at its highest. And so, to gain some sort of momentum, I've devised a plan for the next few months to ensure that chores get done and deadlines are met. This "plan" has a lot to do with the fact that Christmas and NY are over and I have a nest to prepare for baby. 

This new summer rhythm means rising early, putting on a load of washing and then sitting down to work for a few hours. Come 10am it's time for a swim before returning home to eat and rest for the hottest part of the day (the European siesta really is a novel idea). The afternoon and evening is a little more spontaneous; dependant on my mood and the heat, it usually involves a bit more work, dinner prep and a few cold showers. 

Despite the relenting heat, there is much to love about being pregnant at this time of year. When it's particularly hot I do nothing...it's the only way to stay cool. And regardless of how uncomfortable I am, there is always the ocean that provides profound relief - cool, salt water and buoyancy. What more could I ask for? 


14 COMMENTS

  1. Happy New Year. Love the frangapani pic!

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    1. Happy New Year to you too! You obviously didn't see the announcement on the Frankie Mag post but...you won a copy of Spaces! Can you email me your postal address? x

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    2. I don't think that was me...

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  2. You've captured the season perfectly; of summer and the final trimester. Sounds like the perfect plan to journey through both. xx

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  3. Happy new year, Jodi!
    Ronnie xo

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    1. May it be a joyous and abundant one for your sweet family, Ronnie x

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  4. Yes to afternoon siestas, pregnant or not. It's too hot to do anything else. I had quite a long nana nap this afternoon. Just what I needed. Take care xo

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    1. So true! The nana nap really does make the heat more bearable x

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  5. Both my babies were born in the summer. First time around, it was a particularly hot one and baby didn't want to come out until week 42, so I spent my days in the ocean, swimming, floating, breathing.... it felt great, even with a giant belly and swollen feet... I really cherished every minute of that pregnancy! Also, I enjoyed being able to wear light clothes after birth, because it made everything so much practical...soon after babies were born, we managed to go out for walks, to be with friends, to experience outdoor living, since breastfeeding and changing nappies could be done very easily! (I really miss those days...)
    Enjoy it all, Jodi, I'm sure it is going to be a wonderful new year for you!

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    1. I do wonder if I'll go overdue with this babe and, if so, I'm prepared to spend most of my time floating in the water. The warm nights of our early autumn will definitely make feeds and nappy changes easier in the middle of the night x

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  6. I didn't mind being pregnant in the heat…I too claimed plenty of ice cubes, draped ice packs around my neck, and went for a daily swim.
    I am finding it much hard to have a newborn in this heat!
    Breastfeeding leaves us both sweaty, I had a fair bit of abdominal separation and so have to wear a griddle of sorts which is hot, and I can't just up and go for a swim when I want to!
    That being said, I am loving having a summer baby…I love being able to see her body move and to touch her lovely skin!

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    1. I forgot about the sticky, sweaty mess of breastfeeding in the heat....oh well, it must be done! I know I'm going to miss swimming in those weeks after birth, hence I'm relishing in the freedom to do so now. Enjoy your days with sweet Lydia x

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  7. I am hot and sticky, not uncomfortably so, but I can't imagine being 5C hotter. Phew. You definitely deserve the majority share of ice cubes. I've been freezing the fruit for fruit smoothies - much the same and deliciously cool.

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  8. I hear you. 6 weeks to go for me and by the time 1pm rolls around I am more then ready for a swim and a siesta.

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