Life in the Slow Lane is a bit of an ironic choice for my blog title. For those family and friends that know me well, you know that I tend to be an ultra-organized, efficient and Type A perfectionist. I've spent a lot of years wondering "what's next" and always wanting to think about the next step and future planning. I'm not going to lie, this certainly hasn't changed much. However, living in Africa for nearly 5 years now (!!) has taught me a lot about patience, slowing down each day and enjoying the moment.
The pace of life in South Africa is incredibly slow. Comparable to other African nations it's lightning speed, but coming from America, both Dana and I struggled for the first couple years to deal with the inefficiencies and sloth like behavior that are endemic to this country. I'll never forget when my family came to visit and my Dad was telling us the story of when he was about to explode in the Jo'burg airport because the lines of people weren't organized correctly and it was chaos, something he is not used to at all. That is life here everyday in small doses, but only recently we've come to terms with the humor of it and certain aspects we even find charming.
For example, when we came home to the US and went out to eat a couple times, we couldn't believe how quickly the food would be put in front of us after ordering, we were almost in shock. In a way, we have come to appreciate the waiting time in SA. This time is used to sip wine, have conversation and take in the surroundings. There is something normal about waiting for us nowadays, it's even comforting. In an age where everything is Now, Now, Now, a bit of down time and respite is welcomed.
Sophiya has both simultaneously sped up and slowed down Dana and I's life this past year. Having her turn one the day after Christmas baffles us, it feels like time has absolutely flown since her birth. She has opened our eyes to the preciousness, innocence and simpleness of the first months of life. Every day that passes, she morphs into a new little girl, one capable of more than the previous day. It is a truly remarkable thing to watch this transformation and we count our blessings for having a happy, healthy daughter to complete our family. Well, not totally complete, but complete for now, she is starting to show signs of needing a sibling ;)
She is now crawling full speed ahead, getting into everything that she can get her hands on and pulling herself up on furniture. She is saying 'mama', 'dada', 'baba' and the normal baby babbling. Dana and I went camping with her for the first time the other weekend, and she loved it! She truly is an outdoor girl, anytime she is fussing or having a melt down, a little walk around our garden and she will calm instantly. She loves animals, especially dogs and is intrigued with flowers and birds.
She also went to her first Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden concert last Sunday, the band "Mango Groove". We packed a picnic of wine, cheese and crackers, jalapeno popcorn (wow!) and grapes. We had such a blast and she seemed to enjoy it as well. She has two front bottom teeth and a giggle that makes your heart melt. On Fridays, a group of women from our antenatal class have play dates with our babies and all us moms attempt to have tea/coffee and cake and chat, while chasing around our busy bees. Tomorrow, we are going to Jonkerhuis Restaurant for our picnic, which is located at the Groot Constantia winery, where you can lay out your blankets and babies and have tea outside in the grass under the trees with a lovely view of the city and Muizenberg beach stretch.
Sophiya and her friend Taylor also started swimming lessons together and Dana was able to come to today's lesson! I swear, the first two lessons Sophiya hated it! She clung to me, cried and thoroughly was not enjoying it at all. With Dana there today, she was so calm and even smiled here and there! It was amazing to see the influence he has on her mood, as she clearly felt safe and secure with him there.
Her favorite things to eat are consisting of pasta, cheese, chicken, toast and cream cheese, plums, papaya, spaghetti bolognaise, cheesy eggs, baby marrows (zucchini) and yogurt! She's a pretty good eater, she goes through phases. I have a great recipe book by Annabel Karmel which has tons of great kiddie foods and family meal ideas.
Lastly, I have to conclude with my love for food and cooking!! I am obsessed with finding new recipes, new ingredients, trying different genres of food - Thai, Indonesian, African, Latin American, Italian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, there are so many options! I try to find the freshest, organic (when available) ingredients from our local grocery store or Saturday farmer's market, which I find makes the tastiest food! Even if meals take a long time to prepare, that is my much needed time to wind down at the end of the day, to shift my focus from the stresses at work and craziness of sweet Sophiya's mood swings, and focus solely on ingredients, chopping vegetables, sauteing, marinating, roasting, whatever it may be that night. I love seeing pure, raw ingredients and spices create a work of art and tasty meals for my family!
Tonight, it was a HOT day so I decided to make a nice cool salad, a new one that I am obsessed with! It's called Tabbouleh, a traditional Middle Eastern salad consisting of fresh herbs, cucumbers, tomatoes and Bulgar Wheat. Bulgar wheat is such a delicious whole grain, similar cous-cous, but with a nuttier flavor and healthier for you!
Tabbouleh
- 2 bunches of fresh parsley (1 1/2 cup chopped, with stems discarded)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
- 10 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber, medium diced
- 1 scallion, white and green parts thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup bulghur
- Juice of two lemons
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Soak bulghur in 1 1/2 cups boiling water for at least 20 minutes (or more if you have time)
Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
I think this will conclude my first blog entry. Dana's brother Mason and wife Krystal will be visiting us next week and staying for three weeks! We are thrilled to have family to celebrate Christmas and Sophiya's first birthday!
In the spirt of Ubuntu, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
