Mammajoy

Visiting Dreamworld with Little Kids: Top 10 Survival Tips

 

As any warm-blooded Queenslander probably has, my memories of visiting Dreamworld as a kid are some of my best.  Hanging on for dear life as we spun and splashed our way down the ‘rapids’ in the Gold Mine town are moments that I’ll never forget.  I remember vividly staring at the water fountain near the main entrance, having just arrived in this strange, exciting new world and just wanting to do everything and see everything all at once.  And the notion that you didn’t have to pay for each individual ride, that you just line up and have a go?  Was almost just too much for my wee brain to compute.

It was with this fondness in mind that I explained our upcoming visit to Dreamworld to my kids recently, and I’m not sure who was more excited.  The kids because all the rides were free, or me, because all the rides are free and that means no having to answer NO a billion times, you can’t go on that $8 ride that goes for 3 minutes because that is just outrageous and we're broke.

We were really, really looking forward to saying yes and watching the kids have some good old fashioned go-till-you-puke fun.  In fact, it was mandatory, the kids were instructed en-route to Dreamworld that anybody found NOT having fun, would be reprimanded immediately.

Thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland we were able to take all of our kiddies to Dreamworld and wow, the weather was absolutely glorious.  Actually, it was hot.  I wore jeans and kinda wished that I hadn’t.  When did summer arrive and what happened to Spring?

Our tickets to a good time

The crew

We chose to visit on a day outside of the QLD school holidays to avoid the crowds and I’m glad we did.  The wait times for each ride were only 5-10 minutes max and some rides the kids could hop right on.

 

Joseph is always the first to consult the map, Aunty K would be proud!

 

Deciding where to go and what to see first was a bit tricky, but I found a helpful suggested itinerary on the Dreamworld website that made it much easier.  Taking small children along means that you have to pace yourself and you probably won’t get to see everything in one day.  I found it better to just go with what the kids wanted to see and do and try not to cram too much in to one visit.  As it turned out they surprised me with their boundless enthusiasm at having a go on the scary-twisty-turny-ride-of-fear roller coasters.  I was expecting them to need a gentle push towards the fast rides.  I’m not much of a rides person, I like staying on the ground.  Where it’s solid and stable and doesn’t move.

 

 Checking out the Madagascar exhibit

 

The kids enjoying the King Julien game 

 

 Looove Jessica's expression!  She was tickled pink!

 

 

 Mamma cutting laps on the Kung Fu Panda dodgem cars.

Jessica, intent on catching up to me.  DREAM ON GIRL. 

 

Inappropriate behviour on the Merry-Go-Round

 

 'Ride may contain unanticipated thrills' . Sounds like the description of my life.

 

 Samuel was not too sure about this ride.  He fake giggled a lot.

 

Rachael on the Gingerbread ride, which I think she liked the most because she could lie down? 

 

 

The Madagascar roller coaster.  The kids LOVED it.

Me?   I watched from the ground and held my breath until they were off.

 

When 2pm came around, I sent Matt off to find coffee.  The coffee here was gooood.

 

Here are my top 10 tips from our day out…

1. Pack drinks.  Having fun is hot work and you need to stay well hydrated.  We all know that water is best as sugary drinks and soft drinks are only going to make your kiddies more hyper-excited to be there.
2. Pack snacks.  Now this can be a bit of a grey area as the Dreamworld website states that “Dreamworld does not allow guests to bring their own food & drinks into the park unless there are genuine medical reasons.”  I’m gonna go ahead and assume that snacks for toddlers and small children are exempt from this rule because let’s face it, there is nothing fun about a full-on tantrum from your young’un because HE IS HANGRY AND NEEDS FOOD NOW.  There is no reasoning with them and there is no-way-in-the-hello that lining up at a food vendor and waiting is an option.  I brought in water bottles, small packets of home-made cacao protein balls and crackers, a couple of apples and of course, Isaac’s baby food.  I did see a lot of other visitors to the park with a lot more food with them, so I’ll leave it up to your own discretion what you feel comfortable with doing.  I understand the policy that is in place and that the food providers within the park need to be supported, but as a mum of small children I also know what’s practical and necessary.
3. On that note, let’s talk about lunch.  If you are like us and on a tight budget, don’t despair.  I read on the Dreamworld website that there are 2 options when it comes to bringing a pre-packed lunch from home: a)   If you purchased a World Pass, then skip over to WhiteWater World and enjoy your lunch in their designated picnic areas. WhiteWater World is right next door to Dreamworld and is an easy stroll.   b)   Take advantage of an ‘exit pass’ and eat your pre-packed lunch on the tables and chairs just outside the main Exit.   There are even some toilets available so it makes a lovely little pit-stop for everyone.  We left our picnic cooler bag in the car and when it came time for lunch it was easy-peasy to find a seat, go get the lunch and tuck-in!  Plus we weren’t alone, there were other families doing the same thing.  Go the big families on small incomes!
4. Remember your hat and sunscreen.  There is a lot of walking involved and not all of the park is undercover.  There is nothing worse than tired kids who are hot and drained from being in the sun too much.
5. If you have a pram, TAKE IT.  Even if your little one is able to walk, you will need something to put drinks/hats/snacks/shopping on unless you want to be a pack-horse all day.  A lot of the rides, toddler play areas and outdoor theatres have designated stroller/pram parking bays to make it easier and safer.
6. If you don’t have a pram, enquire at the General Information booth about hiring a ‘Wagon’ for the day.  These are fantastic if your little people start to get tired and need a break from walking.  They seat 2 kids comfortably inside with space on the roof to store bags, drinks bottles etc.  They seriously looked like fun!
7. Pace yourself.  It’s not a race and nobody will have any fun if the entire day is spent rushing from one ride to the next.  Our kids had multiple goes on certain rides because they were having so much fun.  The lovely staff at Dreamworld would simply just buckle/secure them back into the ride and off they’d go again!
8. Take an extra set of clothes for the kids.  There are a few areas where the life-size movie figurines will randomly squirt out water on unsuspecting passer-bys.  So.much.fun but also annoying if you’re not prepared.  Or wear quick-dry board shorts and enjoy the coolness as your duds dry off!
9. Be flexible.  After consulting the suggested itinerary I had a loose plan in mind about what shows the kids might like to see – in particular the Madagascar one – but when the time came to pack up camp and head for the theatre, the kids were enjoying a ride and it just didn’t seem fair to cut it short.  Let the kids take the lead a bit and if they’re enthralled in something, leave them be.  Far better to spend the day watching them have fun than sticking to a plan.
10. Don’t forget your camera.  There are just way too many cute photo opportunities that you won’t want to miss.  I had my phone camera and Matt had his professional work camera and they didn’t leave our side!  On a lot of the rides there are booths near the ride exit where you can purchase a picture of you/your kids on the ride; however I found these to be way over-priced.

 

 The kids had multiple turns on this ride.  And when they hopped off and then changed their sweet mind and wanted back on, that lovely girl was patient and buckled them up. Again. Bless.

These are the few things I noticed that I loved….

1. Helpful staff.  Everybody we talked to was lovely and the ride operators were patient and gentle with the kids.  We’ve encountered our fair share of rough, foul-mouthed show ride operators who have scared the kids before they’ve even made it onto the ride; but you won’t find any of those at Dreamworld.  If the kids needed help climbing on board the rides, the staff were right there to assist them.  On a couple of occasions I watched the ride operators be friendly and jovial with the kids and for people who must see a lot of kids day in and day out, I can’t imagine it would be easy to smile and let the 15,000 child on board.   Good on you Dreamworld staff!  This mamma noticed and appreciated your gentleness.
2. All the seats!  I'm not sure why I noticed but there are benches EVERYWHERE to rest your tired legs on.  Actually it’s probably because I’m breastfeeding Isaac and need to sit down frequently to feed him.  Either way, I think it’s ace and most of them are under shade (umbrellas or trees) which is even better.  Having lots of little areas off to the side, away from the crowds, where you can rest and recoup is one key ingredient to a big day out, and Dreamworld have excelled at making sure they’re available.   Feeling cramped and caught up in the rush of a big crowd is no fun for anyone.
3. The cleanliness.  I don’t think I saw one bit of rubbish on the ground the entire day.  Which when you think about it, is a bit freaky.  It really struck me how clean the park was; there were no piles of cigarette butts swept into a drain, no leaves blowing all over the grounds and no empty soft-drink cans rolling around the footpaths.  Even the bench seats were clean and chewing gum free.  The cleaners are doing a very, very good job!
4. The safety notices that are displayed at each ride.  These outline the speed of the ride and what to expect, along with age recommendations and restrictions.  This makes it easy to determine whether or not your little one will enjoy the ride.  Not sure if you can read the sign below, it says 'Low speeds with expected movements and anticipated thrills'.  Which pretty much means that nothing is going to come out from nowhere and scare the boots off the kids.

 

They call this a 'Mild Thrill Attraction', and yeah, it was very slow!

 

 Gett'n cozy with the big green man and Isaac and I enjoying one of the seats.

Shady Benches, seats and those cute little wagons.

Our lunch pit-stop outside the main Exit, choosing ice-creams and climbing on the kids train.

And here are a few things which I wish had been available…

1. A roaming espresso coffee van.  Okay so maybe only necessary for people like myself who need their coffee, but what a great idea hey?  No needing to drag the kids away from their fun because mum and dad need some caffeine, the caffeine can come to you!
2. More parents rooms.  I didn’t actually get a chance to use any of the parents rooms, mainly because Isaac is my fifth child and so HALLO I’ve mastered the art of the ninja-nappy-changes while he lies in the pram.  But if I had needed a parents room, then I would have had a choice of three.  Only three? Yup.  For the entire park there are three parents rooms and they are all in close proximity to each other.  If you are visiting one of the exhibits on the outskirts of the park it is a fair hike to the nearest parents rooms.  When I did try and find one, searching for the teeny-tiny little bottle icon on the park map just about did my head in.  To give you a comparison, there are nine sets of toilets. 

 

 

 Tiger tricks.  They give them sips of milk out of a carton to get them to stand up.

Everyone say 'ROAAR'!

 

The highlight of our visit was visiting the Tiger Island.  The kids were mesmerised (in between whinging about the heat) by the tigers and the tricks they performed.  They are truly beautiful creatures and the way the handlers care for and interact with them is great to watch.  Just a tip though, get there early before the show begins, otherwise the only standing space is in the full sun.  Be sure to check out the shop after the show to see the fun range of cute tiger toys!

Of course the true testament of a good day has to come from the kids themselves, so I interviewed my kiddies with the question ‘What did you like best about Dreamworld?’

Samuel:  “Going swimming.” (Mum: "But we didn’t go swimming.")

Samuel:  “Whyyy?” (Face.Palm)

Joseph: “Going on the rides”

Jessica: “I liked Tiger Island, the Madagascar roller coaster and practically everything.”

Rachael: “Everything”

Gee, thanks for the specifics girls.

 

 Heading back to the car, happy and tired.

 

Thanks so much Tourism and Events Queensland for giving us the opportunity to experience a great day out with lots of laughs and thrills.  The kids have begun a list of the rides they want to try out on our next visit.

*Sigh*, the tradition lives on.  I wonder if Dreamworld will still be around when my kids have their own kids?  I sure hope so!

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

 

 

Just Call Me Glamour Mamma

 

In two days, Isaac will be 6 weeks old.

We made it.

We've survived those first, horrid, trecherous few weeks where no-one has any idea if it's day, night or Wednesday.

On a daily basis, Matt and I could just muster enough energy to work out how to boil the kettle for our much-needed cup of coffee.  Not sure how we've managed to drive a vehicle!

The kids have all moved through the adjustment phase and the novelty has worn off a little - I can now breastfeed without an audience  and a running commentary.  We've managed a few trips into the city together as a family and upon our return home we vow that we are never leaving the house with 4 kids and a newborn again.

We decided to go shopping during the school holidays, just to Aldi and Coles, nothing major.  Except I forgot that taking a husband and 5 kids shopping IS major and what.the.hell.was.I.thinking.  I cried.  Matt cried.  The kids cried.  I think the check-out chick at Aldi even shed a tear for us.

Granted it was our first ever outing since having Isaac, so we were exhausted, emotional and still finding our feet as a family of 7.  We've had several successful days out since then and it's been so cool spending time all together.  Now to just get used to the looks that we get when people realise that all these roudy kids are ours!

Here are some other highlights from the past 6 weeks,

- Squirting breast milk on the Lactation Consultant during my appointment.  *blush*  Probably shouldn't squeeze my boob like that huh.  I'm sure she's used to it.  Maybe she should wear a rain-coat to work.

- Spending half an hour at the kids soccer training, chatting with my friends and showing off my divine little baby, before my darling husband pointed out that I had baby vomit on my shoulder.  On my black cardy to be exact.  Thanks love.  Next time tell me oh I don't know, WHEN IT HAPPENS maybe?

-Falling asleep on the couch and waking up at 3pm.  On a school day.  I was sporting some pretty impressive pillow imprints on my face that afternoon!  Thankfully I live one block from the school and it takes me 2 minutes to walk there.  Must.set.an.alarm.

To keep myself entertained when I'm feeling dog tired I've enjoyed having a good old laugh at my hair.

Without further ado, I give you...

 

 

'Haven't Done My Hair in Four Days Hair'.  Look at that massive, matted mess back there.  Mmmm.  Hot!

 

 

 

This is 'Fell Asleep On The Couch While The Kids Watched A Movie Hair'.  This I was particularly impressed with.  Look at the height of that fringe!  You couldn't tease it up that high!  And no hair gel or blowdryer necessary.  Honestly, I've watched my hair do some pretty unreal things, but caring for a newborn really takes it to another level.

Now that Isaac is kinda becoming easier to predict and the kids are settled into our new normal, I'm hoping that my time here will become more frequent, because I've missed you!  And I've missed being here, writing whatever it is I write and hearing from my lovely readers.

 

From the Other Side

Hello!

It’s been 2 weeks since we entered baby-land and I’m happy to report that we are all still talking to each other.  Sometimes just in grunts and hand-signals, but it’s communication nonetheless.  Our old friend sleep deprivation is back like a mallet to the head and Matt and I?  NOT IN OUR TWENTIES ANYMORE.  We’re not really bouncing back from a big night out of breastfeeding and poop patrol.  I’ve caught Matt on more than one occasion on the couch in the foetal position, hugging a pillow moaning ‘make it stop….make it stop!!!’  This was after a string of particularly rough nights when Mr Isaac Bentley decided that the hours between 12am – 6am were his favourite and he didn’t plan on missing a thing.

We took these nights in shifts, with one of us usually up for 2-3 hours before we would swap, giving a little ‘handover report’ on bub before we would collapse into a sleep coma.  What made it worse, was that Isaac slept like a trooper during the day.  I’m talking 4-5 hour sleeps.  I’m all for demand feeding, but if this keeps up I’ll be attempting to set a routine real quick.

The first week of night feeds was the worst.  The second week our bodies seem to have adjusted to functioning on much, much less sleep.  And last night?  He settled BEAUTIFULLY.   Matt had a full 7 hours sleep!  Oh the things that excite us new parents.

Sleep issues aside, I am completely and totally in love with having another baby.  Seriously.  He’s just a delight.  Even when we’re exhausted, emotional, cranky and haven’t showered in two days; holding him against our hearts and realising that we are blessed with another happy, healthy little child is so unbelievably wonderful.

 

 

Blogging has been a little quiet, mainly because I'm spending so much time gazing at that lil' face.  I have about 3 posts all written in my head, that will hopefully make it to this space eventually.  At the right time though.  I'm taking each day slowly, making sure I'm taking care of myself and giving the kids lots of cuddles and attention.

 

He's Here!

 

 

 

::  Isaac Bentley Willmann ::

Born on 28.3.13, at 2.25pm

With all the right bits in all the right places

He's totally adorable!

 

I've just arrived home from hospital, so when I've found my feet I'll share our birth story.

For now we are surrounded by family love, lots of burp cloths, left-over easter eggs and lots of kids.

Geez.  Who's are all these kids??!!......

 

 

 

Stocking up the Freezer

 

It's actually quite hilarious.

Every time I've been expecting a new baby, I have vowed that this time, THIS TIME I will be organised and I will have meals in the freezer.  Ready to whip out, re-heat and throw on the table.

Yeah.  It never happened.

At most I'd manage to grab a few Sara-Lee frozen meals, maybe some beef pies and the odd McCain pizza.  And as you can imagine it never really got us far.

I dreamt of having weeks of meals put aside; wholesome, delicious, cooked with mamma-love meals that we could all enjoy.

What makes this hilarious is that it's taken to baby number five to actually get organised and motivated enough to make this happen!  Why you ask?  No idea.  Necessity?  Probably!

But here we are.  And so thanks to the Thermomix I've been cooking up a storm.  Yesterday was Lasagne Day - 2 family sized ones went into the deep freezer, along with 2 dozen Banana Muffins and an Apple Tea Cake.

I do believe Betty Crocker has taken over my brain.

Never in a million years could I have imagined I'd be able to make that much food in one day, especially given that I'm 36wks pregnant and rather slow.  I love my Thermomix.

It feels so good freezing meals, knowing that even though I'll be chained to the couch, milk and boobs everywhere, I can still give my family a yummy dinner.  It's nice to be able to provide that.

Tomorrow is Butter Chicken.  Next week I'll be doing Beef Hamburger Patties and some homemade bread rolls.

Got any suggestions for me?  I'm thinking of doing a few quiches but unsure if they will freeze well.

Here are the recipes I'm using...

Lasagne - EveryDay Cookbook, uses the Bolognaise Sauce and the Bechamel Sauce.

Banana Muffins - Retromummy's  Quick Banana Bread recipe baked in a muffin tray instead of a loaf tin.  Sooo yummy and great for lunchboxes.  If I'm feeling healthy I'll reduce the amount of sugar and they turn out fine.

Apple Tea Cake - from the Devil of a Cookbook.  Such an easy recipe and works everytime!  Except don't burn it like I did.

 

Okay, so this cake didn't quite make it to the freezer.....

 

Butter Chicken - I found this recipe on the Thermomix Recipe Forum and we love it.  It's ridiculously quick and easy and great for when you need dinner on the table STAT.  If I have more time, I'll mix the spices together with the chicken and pop it in the fridge for a while - I find this gives it a bit more richness.  And I usually need to adjust the amount of chilli powder, otherwise it's a bit too hot for the kiddies.  Sooo good with rice and some greek yoghurt.

 

 

And these little babies have been fantastic for baking and freezing these meals, especially the Lasagne.  They're not overly cheap, but worth it because you simply bake, cool, cover and freeze!

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to eating all this yummy food, minus the heartburn!

 

 

 

All You Need Is Love

 

I've been thinking a lot lately, about my journey in motherhood.  

More than once during the past few weeks, as we all count down the days until we can expect our new little life to arrive, I have found myself sitting on the couch, surrounded by little souls wondering just how on earth I'm going to be able to tend to another little soul.

Truth be told, I'm totally freaking out.

Just how in the HELLO did I become a mother of FIVE? 

(Dont' answer that; really, we do know.)

It's just that they've come one at a time and now all of a sudden five seems like a very big number.

On difficult days, days when the children are fighting, the girls are picking on the boys, nobody is happy and the youngest demands his BLUE sippy cup WITH the matching lid and will stand in the kitchen screaming until he gets noticed; I just cannot imagine how I'm going to juggle this family craziness with a newborn to nurture and love.

I was flipping (in the digital way...) through some old photos the other week and found some snapshots of time gone by.  First of all, my GOD will you look at my peachy skin in that first picture.  PEACHY.  Where have you gone?

 

 

Once I grieved my lovely young(er) skin tone, I could see the love and beauty and joy captured in a photo.  To see the girls caring for their new baby brothers.  To see me, covered in milk and draped in sleep deprivation; but smiling as I cuddle my baby to sleep.

It was reassuring to me because I realised that as a family, we will be fine, because we have the most important thing already.

Love.

That's really all we need right?

(And maybe a well-stocked drinks cabinet and the pysch number on speed-dial?)

We have love and affection and oodles to share and this baby is going to be the most hugged, kissed, cuddled and loved baby that ever did live.

Sure the floors will be a mess and homework may not get done but we will be together, in love with our new baby.

Obviously these photos are captured moments of when everything is going well.  So just to keep my feet on the ground and my head in reality, I'm going to hunt down some photos of things going not so well.  You know the ones; toys all over the floor, sick children, messy mamma hair, just to keep things real!

 

 

Operation Baby - Decking out the Nursery

 

Hi y'all!

 

Much to say, not much time to say it in.  I'm currently digesting copius amounts of garlic, ginger, lemon and Vitamin C in the hope that this potent mixture will ward off the cold which (given how I currently feel) is trying to take over my very pregnant body.

Damn it.  Bar the usual 1st trimester morning sickness, I've made it to 35 weeks without a hint of a cough, cold or tummy bug.

I'm not going down without a fight.

While I've been trying to rest I've been googling and copying and saving like a mad woman and compiling a little picture list of all the goodies I've been buying for the nursery corner of my bedroom.

I won't lie.  I've had a heap of fun finding and buying things for this new little one.  It's almost like I'm having my first and I get to find out all the cool and new products out there!  A lot of stuff has changed and improved since we bought up big for a baby.  Medela have reinvented the bottle, prams are smaller and more lightweight and whilst Modern Cloth Nappies (when do we just get to call them 'cloth nappies'?) are still expensive, the range that is available is amazing and learning how to use them is now so much easier.

I've got a post coming about my plans on using cloth nappies this time around and everything that this entails (dry-pail anyone?), but for now, here's what the nursery corner of my bedroom is filling up with...

 

 1.  This little rocker is a Fisher Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Hammock.  I first saw one of these over on Retromummy's blog with the adorable Emerson snuggled inside.  This rocker will be my 'quick I need to put this baby down now' solution as it's foldable, portable, light-weight and a great height - not too high and not too low to the ground.  It can also go right beside the bed for those unsettled nights.  Which I hope we don't have too many of.  I sound like a first-time mum, right? Who am I kidding, newborn = unsettled nights.

2.  The Fabler Bed Canopy from Ikea.  It's cute and functional and has bunting so you can't really go wrong.

3.  We bought this Babyhood Bassinet a while ago and it's been doubling as a handy second wardrobe for me as it waits for a baby to fill it.  What do you do with those clothes that are not dirty enough for a wash, but need to be aired out?!  Turns out a bassinet is a great solution.

 

 

 4.  When I spotted this lamp at Ikea I just fell in love.  It's a little bit retro, a little bit cute and gives off a lovely soft light.  It's the Skojig Table Lamp and comes in orange as well.

 5.  Another Ikea product - the Leka Mobile.  I love how it was only $9.99!

6.  After a fair bit of research on baby monitors I decided to go second-hand, analogue, and without all the extra's like video and 2-way capabilities.  I don't want to have a high-tech device so close to my sleeping baby, but I do want to hear if he/she wakes and I'm outside hanging up the washing.

I found an interesting article on Kidspot about baby monitors and electromagnetic emissions which is a little worrying.  I was planning on sitting these hand-held units on the change table, but I'll be getting Matt to measure the distance from the bassinet just to be sure.

This monitor is the Philips Dual Receiver Monitor SCD450.  I'm pretty sure that this particular model has been replaced by a newer version.  I got this one at a great price via Gumtree and even had it posted to me.  Love.online.shopping.

 

 

 7.  The bus-scroll print may have been overdone, but I couldn't resist this gorgeous yellow shade and such lovely words to match.  I found this print on Rudy and the Dodo during the after Christmas sales.  Have you visited their website before?  They have heaps of trendy stuff for all ages and great prices.  And they send a handwritten compliment to you with your order.  So lovely!  The print comes unframed, but a $7.99 frame from Ikea will fit the A3 size perfectly.

8.  Ahhh the nursing pillow.  Truth be told, I've never owned one of these before.  I've breastfed 4 babies without one and almost wasn't going to bother looking for one.  But then I remembered that finding a pillow that was just the right height but still soft was kind of annoying.  And when you use a regular pillow or couch cushion, it's prone to disappearing because someone needs a pillow.

Plus given that my time will be stretched in 5 different places and there will be a lot going on in my family home, when this baby arrives I just want everything to be as EASY as possible.  I looked around at some Milkbar ones (too expensive) and some China made ones (smelt like plastic) and then Target came to my rescue with this lovely, soft, comfy pillow at a great price.  It's the Ryco Feeding Cushion in green, with a handy second cover.  It's lovely, wraps around me like a big hug and didn't cost me $100.  Happy happy happy!

9.  I love this pram.  I haven't officially used this pram yet, but I love it already.  It's the Safety 1st Shuttle Stroller and Travel System.  Which apparently is the only travel system in Australia to be given a 5 Star Protection Rating (I'm assuming on the capsule only).  These sell for around $600 new, but I found a second-hand one for $360.00 on eBay.  They are light-weight, soooo easy to fold down, compact, easy to stear and have adjustable handles.  I'm very, very much looking forward to taking that capsule out of the car and clicking it straight into the pram without waking baby.  That is worth gold!

10.  My new nappy bag.  Matt couldn't actually believe that I'd left it this late to begin searching for 'the perfect' nappy bag.  Honestly, I kind of forgot!  During a recent girls weekend away I found an excellent baby store on the Sunshine Coast - Eco Child - which had a large range of nappy bags on display and a super lovely and helpful owner Carly who helped me pick out a great bag.

No more $30 Target specials for this mamma.

I splurged a little and bought an Oi Oi Green Faux Buffalo Carry All.  This bag is gloriously soft to touch, has heaps of pockets and sections to keep essentials in and also comes in a range of colours.  I fell in love.  I now realise that there is a big difference between a cheap nappy bag and a quality nappy bag.  Matt won't feel awkward carrying this bag around and it can get a new lease on life as an overnight bag when it's no longer stuffed with nappies and wipes.

 

 

 

 11.  And last but not least, this baby swing has been set up in our lounge room for aaaages.  Different dolls and teddies (and the odd fire truck?) get placed inside and the kids are having a ball rocking their 'babies' to sleep.  I put the swing up so early as I wanted the kids to be familiar with it and the fact that it will hold a new baby soon.  Samuel loves playing with it and they've all figured out how to make the music and rocking turn on.

Bit nervous about the rocking feature actually.  I can totally see the boys trying to 'see how fast they can make the swing go, yeah!!!!'

Once again, I bought this swing second-hand for a bargain at $120.00.  It's the Fisher Price My Little Lamb Cradle 'n Swing and the week after I bought it I found it at a baby store for $299.00

Ker-Chang!

Seriously, I'm practially making money here people.

We've never used swings to put our babies to sleep before, but something tells me that with baby number 5 we may not have the luxury of time on our side!  Dinner will need to be made and baby will be tired so 'hello swing!'  I'm totally okay with that - I love routine and will be trying as soon as is practical to set one - but at first I'm just gonna go with the flow.  Remind me of that in about 6 weeks, would you?

So there you have it, my big list of what products we've bought for baby and why I love them.  It is so overwhelming at times - especially if you're a first-time mamma - to work out what to buy and which brand to go with and there are certainly a lot of companies out there using clever marketing to attract your dollar their way.  On a few occasions I almost found myself getting sucked into buying products  like a 100% organic cotton, fair-trade, carbon-neutral, ECO certified, hemp lined, non-VOC blanket for the bassinet for $98.00.

When really, I'm guessing that the 100% cotton one I found at Vinnies for $4 will do a fine job too!  I must admit though, it's easy to want the best of everything but I think I've struck a good balance between buying second-hand and new items, plus a few extra's to make a lovely space for my new little baby.

So now...we wait!!!  5 weeks to go!!

 

 

Flashback Friday

 

 

"Oi!"

"Whatchyou talk'n 'bout?  Whatchyou doin?  You got food?"

This is Joseph, 11mths old.  And that above pretty much sums up his first year of life.  Inquisitive, adventurous, boisterous, hungry.  I'll never forget the night at FOUR MONTHS OLD he ate an entire tin of Heinz Pured Pears and then looked at me like, "Lady.... FINALLY!'   That kind of explained why he wasn't sleeping much and was trying to suck my boobs dry.  He hasn't stopped eating since.

He started school this week and I just can't believe that.  School.  What the?  He is growing up into the most beautiful, tender-hearted (except when he has the little brother in a head-lock), deep-thinking, caring, considerate little boy.

It breaks my heart that he is growing up and isn't my little chubby-bubby anymore.  It also makes my heart skip with joy that I get to enjoy and watch him grow and change every day.

Son's are amazing.

 

Operation Baby - 10 Weeks to Go!

 

Oh, you KNOW there's a list.

A very big list!

Before each baby comes along, and usually when we're into counting down the weeks in single figures, I compose the mother of all to-do lists of items that absolutely.must.be.completed.

It's totally irrational and half the things could probably wait until after the baby arrives, but please don't tell Matt that!  I reserve the right to be unreasonable and demanding.  I'm growing a human for pete's sake.

I really want things in order* before we enter the Newborn Fall-out Zone and my entire reason for existence becomes to provide milk and cuddles to a squishy new noise-maker.  And the fact that the wine glasses are neatly displayed in the hutch which needs to be moved up from downstairs will totally help me do that easier.  I'm sure of it.

So far, there's about 8 items on the list, which is actually quite tame.  Each item though requires some work, like the change table which needs to be sanded back and stained so that it matches our bedroom suite.  Matt won't let me near the sander so every weekend I have to gently remind him that it needs to be done.  Soon.  Like, now.

I've purchased a truck-load of baby goods and they are all piled up on a chair in our room because I have no storage space yet.  If I place one more baby-item on the pile, it will become an avalanche of nappies, boobie-pads, onesies and muslin wraps.

My nesting urge has kicked in and I want to get organised already!

Were you a list maker when you were expecting a baby?

 

*and by 'things in order' I mean a complete re-arrange of the house, requireing new IKEA furniture, new light fittings and relocating our office upstairs.  You know.  Not much really.