Daylight Saving?

So this blogging thing isn't getting any easier.

Not the typing itself, but the finding of the time for the typing. And the overcoming of the guilt about the using of the time for the typing, when it (the time) finally can be found.

At the moment, life seems to be characterized primarily by a long list of "To Do" items, an inability to get through even 10% of that list, and an overwhelming sense of guilt and failure about that inability (coupled with a nagging suspicion that the list wasn't an exhaustive one to begin with: it unconsciously left off many of the things that I need to get done, and consciously left off most of the things that I want to get done if I can just get through the things I have to get done). I guess a lot of people have exactly the same frustrations, and I don't pretend that it's anything unique to me: this angst and anxiety when your mind is constantly racing from task to task but your body, or other obligations, or the circumstances, or the clock, or the calendar, won't allow those tasks to be completed. So while I can't justify spending any time writing this post, the end of Daylight Savings tonight - and the setting back of clocks - means that I've 'gained' a free hour anyway. Now if I can just wrap this up in 30 minutes instead, I might even get back in front!

My petty anxieties and frustrations aside (that was easy, wasn't it?), these last few weeks have seen some actual, serious health issues in my family. My Mum was diagnosed with cancer, and just a few weeks later my sister Keren had a stroke. Mum had a full week of treatment this week in the City, and Keren has been slowly regaining some stamina/balance/normality as of this week. Both diagnoses were a real shock, and neither is 'out of the woods', but in both cases things could have been immeasurably worse than they are (or appear to be). And on a more positive note, Keren & Jeff announced while in hospital that they're expecting another baby, which is awesome (and I never use that word - on principle - so I mean that it's fantastically good). Congratulations again Guys!

Considering my posting frequency of late, it's likely that by my next blog post we'll have a new addition to the family ourselves. Mel's very healthy, and very big, and our little guy is very, very active. The big day is less than a month away now, and things seem to be tracking very well. Mel is very tired, and gets quite uncomfortable, but at least her consulting work seems to have dwindled in the last few weeks so she hasn't been having to juggle quite so much. (there are suggestions that she'll have ooodles of work in the second half of the year - which may even mean enough work for both of us - but there's something about chickens and hatching and counting, so we'll just wait and see (and hope).

The impending arrival has meant that Jessica moved out of the 'nursery' and into her own big-girl bed and big girl bedroom last week. We scoured everywhere for a bed and side table and tall boy and mattress etc, and ended up finally finding a beautiful set - the last one anywhere, and only the floor stock. (do you know that there was a $1400 kids bed in one of those places? It was very nice, but seriously...) So she's all setup in her big girl room now, but we keep putting her down at night in her cot in the nursery, I think in large part because we like the idea of her not being too big too quickly. Not just yet, anyway: can we have just one more week?

Jessica is very sweet about the impending arrival: she is frequently stroking and kissing Mel's belly, and talking about her brother. It'll be very fun taking her in to the hospital for the first time to see what happened to Mummy! We think a lot about how the dynamics will change in this house, how we won't have quite the same amount of one-on-one (and two-on-one) time with Jessica, and if that will have any detrimental impacts (it's been lovely to be able to spend so much time with Jessica each day, and to get the chance to be really active and interactive parents). But I somehow think that we'll be alright, because it's not a simple mathematical equation of us needing to halve the amount of time/care/attention/love. We can scarcely remember life before Jessica, and life has been enriched exponentially - and in ways we could never have imagined. While we may have some adjustments to make - and a lot of sleepless nights on the horizon - I figure that the arrival of our little guy will surprise us yet again.

Anyway, I can hear that Miss Jessica is awake and crying softly in her room (it's 2:09am - which I guess is now 1:09am). Time to go. (and no, it took longer than 1 hour, so I'm officially further behind in my To Do list - despite all the empty promises of Daylight Savings).

Matt