Look, winter isn’t all bad, but I’m a summer girl at heart. And growing up in Australia, I got used to the hot summers. Sure, Melbourne winters do get cold, especially on a freezing day, with Arctic winds spiralling in, but it’s short-lived, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. So the move to Austrian winter was a shock, and though I’ve somewhat gotten used to it, I’m not going to grow to like it.
And with a baby, I’ve discovered that winter is even more detestable. Just getting myself out the door, working out how many layers to wear and which jacket and gloves are right for the conditions, always drove me crazy. Now I also have to make decisions for a baby. I have to work out what he should be wearing at these low temperatures. I have to check him constantly to make sure he’s not too hot or cold. And you can be assured that he does not love winter either… he gets the hot rage just like I do. He hates putting arms into his thick coat and having a beanie wrangled on his funny round head. Though, perhaps like me, once he’s out in the fresh air rugged up, he’s pretty happy to be there!
Night times are also a new level of pain. There I am at 1am, 3am, 5am… feeding or soothing, shivering because I forgot to grab my top as I grabbed him. In summer changing a nappy was as easy as undoing three press studs, now it involves navigating a pair of pants or a onesie. I guess I should just be thankful I don’t have to deal with shoes yet!
I’m pretty committed to our daily walk, though, so I guess I’m going to have to keep sucking it up and getting out there, because there is something fresh and clean about winter that clears the head… and I’m definitely looking to the first proper snow to see what Sam thinks of it!
an aussie in austria 