Hello again!

Hello!

It's been a LONG while - I've been super busy with a nearly 12 week old baby and juggling life - which has seemed all very hectic lately! 

just a quick (bit boring) update on what I have been doing.... no pics, my camera is in Auckland (shock horror) - I left it behind!

• I've lost 8kgs since my last post.  I am now 1.5kgs below what I stabled at before getting pregnant with Mr John.  I am aiming to lose about 2.5kgs more and then bring on the ongoing maintenance.
• I have officially come to the place where I have decided that I NEVER want to gain a lot of weight again.  I will work hard to maintain my weight, and lose weight after (cough) additional babies.  This is a very personal thing for me, and absolute hard work - but with God's strength & help, I know I can do it.
• I haven't been exercising much - found I wasn't losing weight (too much pressure on body) so will be resuming that as soon as goal weight arrives.  Looking forward to fit-ness.
• I bought skinny jeans.  I am fairly conscious of things being tight around that area of my body, but decided to give it a go - and the feedback so far is that they look awesome.
• Mr John is switching between 4 naps to 3 and this is all very time consuming as he is trying so hard to fight sleeping.  It does not help that he gets dragged along to playcentre etc with his big sister.
• I find having 2 kids about twice the stress (surprise surprise) but I find I have about 30-40% of the patience I had with 1.  Not the best mix.  I certainly realise my limitations and that I am not cut out for a multitude of children.  Perhaps that's the sleep deprivation....
• I am buying my hubby an amazing birthday present.  I have been saving my "weekly allowance" for months to have enough $$, then the shop wanted to charge me $200 more.  I had tears....  there has been huge sacrifice on my part so I was pretty upset.  However, I contacted the local store, who could do it - for exactly the money I have in my account today!!  I was blessed by this - that God knows & solves my dilemma (even though its miniscule and material!)
• I have picked back up my pen, and been using my gift or words to encourage some people - achieving one of my goals, blessing others - and feeling 'satisfied' all at the same time!
• our house is listed with an agent - kind of just by circumstances.  I hope it sells soon.  My feet are itching (not for travel, but relocation)
• I am working on a 'bucket list' of sorts, more to come...
• Dave and I wrote our wills.  It felt odd to specify who would have my children, and if I could be buried or cremated, and who would have my special posessions.  After this year, it was probably a bit more of a check on reality than it otherwise would of been.
• Looking forward to some fine dining - nearly our wedding anniversary, we got given (very generously) a voucher for Top Sail - which is one of the top restaurants in Whangarei.  We have only been once, but loved it.  We will be paying them a visit in the next 2-3 weeks, kidless.
• Mr John is having 1 bottle of formula a day.  I finally convinced the hubster that not only was this a good thing to do (for my mental health), it was necessary.  For whatever reason, I am totally out of milk by 6.30pm and was left with a starving & crying bubba.  I tried to express more/change eating etc and nothing worked.  So he gets his bottle- you should see his face when he hears me preparing it!
• I am working on finding my niche as a mum - what I like/don't like, and exactly where/how I fit in - in lots of different areas.  It's like baby no. 2 makes me do it for a second time...
• I am thinking about & considering options for resuming work when my kids are at school - still a long time away, but I have decided I officially do not wish to return to the absolute rat race, head strong, personality killing battle that it is to be a woman in the corporate world - or at least where I have come from.  Life is far too short to do a job you hate.  There is likely to be some study involved, and my feet are itching for a challenge, most of it is hands on so I still have to wait - though it'd be nice if I can find something to work on in the meantime.
• I am about to turn 25. This is a very big deal to me. Perhaps it is that aside from the miracle I received, I probably wouldn't of celebrated this birthday.  But I feel like I'm on the edge of a whole new season to life.  This is good.

That's about it for now.  It'd be way too wordy if I wrote much more.  What are you all up to out there?

I will try post a bit more frequent again now!

Have a great weekend!
x

Arna