Hello, Goodbye

www.theowloddity.com - my new domain name

Hello there everyone, long time no see!

I have lots of news, so just bear with me. Thanks so much to everyone who has commented & emailed in my absence asking if I'm ok and sending me their best wishes. I'm doing alright, but it has been a hell of a hard month. There have been lots of extra medical tests for me, as early test results suggested I might have gestational diabetes, and our 20 week ultrasound picked up a possible abnormality in our little dudes kidneys. All is well now - we are both fit & healthy, but it made things quite stressful. We have also been getting The Boyfriend a diagnosis & treatment for sleep apnoea, which while it has been incredible for his health is also incredibly expensive. This month we have also had the battery in our car die, my laptop break, The Boyfriend's bicycle break, the drive train in our car start making suspicious noises, a new midwife & people I work with heap shit on me about the weight I've gained during my pregnancy, and my work wasn't always particularly understanding about my pregnancy. I've been a big hormonal wreck too, so I thought it was best to disconnect for while & get myself some emotional rest.

Which brings me to some more of my news - while I've been taking a break from blogging this month I've realized that I can't keep continuing to put as much time into a blog as I have been. It was burning me out trying to keep up my schedule of posting most days while I've been pregnant, and I can't imagine that it's going to be easier to do once I have a baby that needs my attention. I feel like I don't have enough hours in the day for my hobbies already, and something has to give. I've been lacking inspiration for my blog for a while now, and I think it is because I was trying to force myself to keep posting on such a rigid schedule when that format really doesn't suit me anymore. Rather than spending so much time behind the computer, I want to get out in the world more & spend more time working on my photography & DIY projects.

I'm not going away completely, but I am switching over to Word Press, and my own domain name! The Boyfriend has been using Word Press for a long time & I was struck by how easy it is to use. I also find the layouts much more photography-friendly. I'm not going to be posting as regularly, and my posts are going to be much more photography related. I want to make sure that I'm actually inspired to post, rather than feeling obligated, and I want to scale back my internet time now, before our little man arrives so that it's not such a huge change.

A big thanks to everyone who has followed this blog & kept me motivated with your lovely comments! I'm still going to be visiting you, just not as often. You guys are totally welcome at my new internet home anytime.

Be Right Back

Hanging on my fridge. 

Just in case you've noticed my absence from the Interwebz in the last week or so, I wanted to jot down a note letting you know I'm still alive. I'm having a hard time of things emotionally right now, and I've been craving a bit of down time. I'm trying to take my own advice, do what my body is telling me and relax. 

I'll be back soon. 

Lessons

Taken with Canon EOS 50D & Sigma 17-70mm lens.

Being pregnant has taught me that I am capable of much more than I thought. Since finding out I was pregnant I've been saying every week that there is no way that I can possibly do this. That there is no way that I can possible handle more pain & awkwardness, that my swollen legs & feet couldn't possible carry any more weight, that I can't handle another second of this emotional roller-coaster. And yet, here I am. Today there is almost exactly three months left until my due date, and I'm still here, still handling it. I'm still going to work in a demanding profession almost every day, still writing, still photographing, still living. Things have been hard, but I haven't died. I'm sure that things will still get much harder before this pregnancy is over, and I will still make it through. 

Being pregnant has also taught me to know when it is worth persevering. Sometimes if you just keep fighting then walls fall down, and things finally get easier. And sometimes it's worth realizing that if you keep fighting you'll just be cracking your head against those walls over and over, and things will only get harder. Those are the times where it is better to step back, rest, take care of yourself, and save your strength for the next battle.   For example, things are far easier when you accept the fact that you're sick as soon as it happens, instead of a week later, and go straight to the Doctor. You know, not that I'm speaking from personal experience or anything. I'm still trying to find the balance, but I'm learning not to push on when perseverance will only be detrimental to my health.

As I type this right now, I'm sitting on my lounge-room floor, after coming home from work. I feel pretty miserable, and I'm in a fair amount of pain after a night & morning of being pummeled from the inside. I'm exhausted, and I have a big headache, and it's impossible to get comfortable in any position  But I know that I am capable of getting through this. And I know that tomorrow I'll be grateful that I stopped pushing myself today, and listened to my body tell me it needed a rest.

 I'm learning. 

What I Wore: Weekend Trip Edition

I think I found my outfit mojo again over my weekend away. I only packed things that I'm really loving & wanting to wear right now, in a colour scheme that could all be mixed & matched. It was the easiest time I've had deciding what to wear in a while. It's funny how sometimes when something is giving you trouble it actually helps far more to relax & go with the flow than it does to keep pushing. I was too relaxed (read: lazy) to bother taking photos with my usual camera & tripod set up, but I like these too. 

Day 1: Jay Jays cardi ($5), Fashion Fair singlet ($6.95), DIY maternity pants, Trade Secret necklace ($8.95), Target sandals ($15) & Rulitos owl badge.

Day 2: Jay Jays cardi ($5), Fashion Fair singlet ($6.95), Target maternity skirt ($49.95), boots from my Nana, and neckace from Misfits Vintage. 

Day 3: Jay Jays cardi ($5), top/dress & boots from my Nana, Big W leggings ($7.95), necklace & bag from Misfits Vintage and Rulitos owl badge.

Day 4: Jay Jays cardi ($5), top/dress from my Nana, DIY maternity pants, Trade Secret necklace ($8.95) and Target sandals ($15).

So, that's my weekend away in an outfit nutshell. Holy crap, I looked at my blog reader for the first time in a week today and I've got some catching up to do! 

Beautiful Moments

Sometimes the most beautiful moments in life are the ones that are over too quickly. The Boyfriend & I noticed this beautiful sunset on the way home from our impromptu weekend drive, and decided to pull over to snap a few pictures. By the time we found a place to stop the car the light was almost gone, and by the time we snapped a few shots & packed the cameras back into the car the sky was completely dark.

 All shots taken wih Canon EOS 50D & Canon 24-105mm lens.