Week 3 & 4 of 2024 (In Review)

Last week was a light and abundant week of loads of baby activities. We visited two different baby cafes and the time outside the house (when we finally manage it!) always feels good for both of us, I think. If you’re not sure what I mean by “baby cafes”, these are entire cafe spaces completely dedicated to babies and toddlers. There is usually play equipment, things to climb on and loads of toys strewn about while also having tables and chairs for mamas to have a coffee and chat. There is a cover charge per child over one year old (usually). We are so lucky to have three or four of these types of cafes right here in our city! I’m sure Prague has a couple too but most of the ones I found during my searching while we were there last October where all on the outskirts of the city — none in the city center at all which really surprised me. Eventually I’ll do a post entirely about these cafes as the months and years go on.

While last week seemed so easy, this week was so opposite. I felt like I was playing on “hard mode” — physically and mentally, especially. It’s not a good sign on Sunday when you are so not ready for the week to come so I am really focusing on taking the time to get out of “survival mode” on weekends. Fridays are always the start of the easier time as I’ve been having “self-care Friday mornings” very thankfully and try to choose whatever I find that I need most at that time. It’s funny because I sort of assumed being on maternity leave would make every day feel like a weekend day which hahahaha could not be further from the case! But taking time to reset and have a better day (or week) always helps! Thank you always to KEXP‘s Morning Show with John Richards for getting me through baby dinner times by myself – always adds something to my day when I need it the most.

On the day when this photo (above) was taken, Little Man walked home on his own two feet! I could barely believe it. It seemed like a big first. Now he’s battling a cold so hoping this one goes away quickly.

I’ve been concentrating a lot on breathwork, meditation and yoga this month which has been such a good thing to concentrate on through the long winter months! This winter season I’m trying to take a pause at one point every day for one of those three things (whatever I can find time for). If you’re curious how I practice, right now I’m taking a nine week online course in the Living Yolates Circle which is delightfully intensive but additionally I also practice with a couple of teachers from Glo, so there’s that too. I find that I lean heavily on this sort of practice through the winter whereas in the summer and warmer season I don’t need to spend as much time with it. I think my soul needs it to make it through this long dark season!

When we three have free time all together we’ve really been making the most of it! We had our annual outing at Slovak Cuisine Days where we get together with friends and eat so much bryndzové halušky, loads of time at the pool (three times in the past week if you can believe it!) and celebrated Burns Night as always! I always make a veggie haggis loaf and some other accoutrements (this year, “tatties” and also cranachan for dessert). There’s something truly to be said about having a drink of Scotch and a dessert together with your partner after baby bedtime… something so rarely done but is such a great way to connect during the never-ending busy week. We spent a bit of time reminiscing about our seven weeks in Scotland over a decade ago which was undoubtedly one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. One of these days we will be back!

What (Else) We Ate

“Lazy Sushi Bowl” as I call it! This involves baked salmon, seasoned sushi rice, slices of avocado, cucumber, spicy kimchi mayo… and then you pick it all up with small squares of nori (seaweed wraps). For when you want that flavor without all the work.

LOTS of Italian bean soups and pastas from Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy via Jamelle Bouie. They were so tasty and nourishing but I don’t think I can look at another tomato-based bean soup right now.

Quesadillas – The best and easiest dinner that everyone loves… but it must contain mashed (refried-style) beans and cheese. I like to throw in sauteed red peppers and serve with avocado slices and a sour cream dip. Baby will eat all of this. It’s a win.

Got out my rolling pin today and made the cheesy almond-flour crackers from the Toddler Healthnut Cookbook. They are so good– the kitchen smelled like a Papa Murphy’s (regional pizza chain). I find on weekends (when I don’t “have” to cook) I am so much more inspired to do any extra projects.

What I Wore

Between picking oatmeal out of my hair and rubbing red sauce out of my jeans (toddler life) it was not a very inspiring week and there are few photos to show from it or so but I’m loving as much scarf as possible with a big, long wool coat and otherwise loads of sweaters and cardigans and oversized t-shirts.

Reading/Watching

I finished A Tale of Two Cities and have been silently reeling from the ending all week. Goodness. That book started slowly, sort of plateaued for awhile but the last third of it I could barely put down. It almost has me wanting to finally get to the French Revolution episodes of Revolutions podcast but hahaha, no time for podcasts right now. Is there a better first and final line of a book, period?

‘It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.“

A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Getting wishy-washy just thinking about it. I started Nightblind by Ragnar Jónasson because deep winter is always the best time for an Icelandic crime thriller. Always.

We watched Killers of the Flower Moon nearly two weeks ago and although it was very difficult to watch (in subject matter), the three-and-a-half hours past like almost nothing and I was on the edge of my seat. I heartily recommend this one but watch with caution. It’s my favorite Scorsese since The Departed.

Enjoying this sunny weekend mostly around home and with a clearing walk in the forest yesterday. Sending light and winter wishes and see you soon as I am determined to get my annual book post out before the end of the month!