an aussie in austria

I feel like it’s been a long road back to normal for me. It was only recently that I went to the supermarket without a mask. Most people waved goodbye to Covid ages ago, but having a young baby (and also never having had Covid) meant staying vigilant. It was my choice, of course. But having a child just as the rest of the world was emerging from Covid meant essentially extending the lockdown.

And it feels like I just went through the longest winter of my life. Night after night of interrupted sleep wore me down and made the tiniest decision feel impossible. In the groundhog day of early parenting there was very little to look forward to. And I know that I was homebound far too long but the prospect of picking myself up and shaking myself off was daunting.

But there is a blip of blue in the grey skies.

It’s starting to warm up. There are blossoms on the trees. The morning light wakes up with the birds (and of course the baby). But there is a scent of something that is telling me it’s going to be ok. Sam slept through the night for the first time recently so I’m starting to get more sleep. The pool is going to open. I went for a walk in shorts the other day. Ok… my pants still don’t fit… but summer doesn’t care about pants! 

I went on my first day trip last weekend. I visited a friend in the next state (an hour away in Austrian terms)… just baby and me. And on the way home as he slept peacefully after having just about the best time a ten month old can have, I felt more myself than I have in months. So it is possible, I realised, to find myself again.

So bring on summer! I’m ready for it. I’m ready to get out and about with baby. I’m ready to get out and about without baby (very ready)! My parents are visiting soon, the first veggie seedlings are sprouting in the garden, we’ve got a beach trip planned for Italy, and there’ll be more to come. And sure, there’ll still be interrupted nights, and sighs of exasperation, but I made it this far so I guess I’ll just keep rolling along!