Super Sunday

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you See?

Watch out for the crocs! No visit
is complete without a dip.

Everyone in Dili knows that Caz Bar is pretty much a legend on a Sunday  morning.  For those of you not familiar with this institution - a chill-out spot on the beach with three distinct shifts on a Sunday.  Shift #1: 0800-1100 - parents with young children and babies - the only folks in Dili up before 10:00 on a Sunday, and by Sunday morning suffering from a small bout of cabin fever, these folks with kids trek to the beach with sun tents, beach mats, pool floaties and a plethora of other seemingly necessary commodities to avoid the mid-day sun.  This group generally departs pretty promptly when the little bub becomes fussy and in need of that mid-morning nap;  1100-1300 - enter the singletons/child-less party goers who were out until close to the time that we left the house to go to Caz Bar, to nurse hangovers and remind themselves of the shenanigans from the night before; and by 13:00 when the nap attack strikes the young and the restless, the Timorese are emerging from their Catholic mass just in time to take over for the afternoon shift. 

The 10-week mark

Well, today is officially ten weeks since little Luka joined our family and also the day that marks his mommy's first solo voyage into the big bad world.  Unfortunately it involved a rather pressing visit to the chiropractor to finally address the deteriorating state of my lower back following a combined seven weeks positioned in a compromised reclining position necessary for optimal kangarooing, coupled with the not-so-short transfer from Darwin to Cape Town.  I walked out of there with two follow-up appointments and a comment that my back is rather uncooperative for having been left this long without treatment - in the meantime I continue to rise out of my chair hunched over like Quasimodo's long-lost cousin.

I was reminded of all the comments and warnings I received about 'mommy-brains' when I found myself constantly checking and re-checking my few belongings in the mall.  A simple visit to the chiropractor, followed by a visit to the local pharmacy to get prescription eye drops for Luka's final ophthalmologic appointment tomorrow saw me checking, re-checking and confirming my wallet, sunglasses, purse, purchase and mobile phone about twenty times.

In the end, I think the experience was good for me, and also allowed Chris some quality study time with Luka strapped to his chest in his favorite cozy wrap, next to the fireplace, with a rainy Cape Town day outside.

When I returned, I felt strangely invigorated for having ventured out and survived (despite half dozen or so text messages to Chris in the process) so topped the day off with a batch of fabulous chocolate chip cookies and a butternut squash risotto for dinner.

Tomorrow, back to the hospital for follow-up visits with the surgeon, pediatrician and ophthalmologist.  

"Me time"

For the past seven weeks everyone I have encountered have reminded me how important it is to take time for myself.  Well-wishers from around the world constantly remind me how important it is that I take care of my myself, if I am to effectively take care of Luka.  The old saying "sleep when the baby sleeps" is often found in my inbox these days.  Of course, those who know me also know that I am the world's worst napper.  My mom likes to tell the story of how my parents had to tape black trash bags to the inside of my bedroom windows as a child to fool me into thinking it was night time, in an attempt to get me to nap.

Well, I might not nap, but I have found a wonderful way of spending some quality time doing something else I enjoy..

Take one cozy winter afternoon, worthy of a fire...

 ...add one cooperative little bub...

...then add one of my favorite workout instructors from way back when we lived in Venice, California - Mandy Ingber - purveyor of Yogalosophy  (and perhaps best known as Jennifer Aniston's yogi) and you have...

...'yoga with a view'....

Thanks for all the caring messages from all of you!