Three Ring Circus

Yesterday we made a day of going to Sydney. We left at 6am, dropped David at work and then went to Macquarie Centre to do some food shopping for our picnic. I had asked David only one question before we made our way to the shops. Would there be a place to park the bus? Of course there was, otherwise that would be the end of this traumatic tale of the (once city savvy) now country hick, who had a panic attack because the centre, that she once knew like the back of her hand, had grown to an enormous, mind boggling size. Oh the shame!

We parked in the minibus area and I unloaded the seven children, one of whom had the world’s most disgusting poo smell radiating from her lower half and another who had decided the car trip down would be a grand time to do the biggest wee of his life and soak through his nappy AND through his shorts. (I should have seen this as some sort of omen right then and there). Of course I had not packed any spares because that is just the way it goes… you never think to and that is when you need them the most.

On a little side note, I’ve proven this many times. For example the time we went to the paediatrician and Noah got car sick… you’d think a mother of seven would learn, wouldn’t you?

Anyway, we enter the shops after the standard "We already get alot of stares because we are a big family so please don’t do anything to draw more attention to yourselves with bad/odd/scary behaviour or we will never go out again" lecture. Our first stop is to the baby change room. It is modern and sparkly,with top of the range changing areas. To my left a fenced play area called to the kids while I cleaned up masses of… stuff you really don’t want to know about. Really. We were the only family in there. I mean, for about 30 seconds another child and her father came in but when he saw my gaggle he grabbed his daughter and ran for the hills. It was then I started to sweat. A feeling of inadequacy swept over me.

As we stepped out from the relative safety of the parents room, I tried to remember where the supermarket was. It was 8:30 in the morning, so it was still pretty quiet.

We wandered up and down levels and half an hour later we happened upon Woolworths. I see myself as a seasoned shopper, pride myself on it, even but this Woolies was confusing. I swear we only needed some BBQ chooks and some rolls and salad but an hour later we were at the checkout, ringing up our goods. It could have had something to do with the fact that five of the seven children were running all over the shop, overcome with it’s size and variety, or the fact that I spent a large part of  the time telling kids that, "No, they couldn’t have garlic pickled peanuts/caramel flavoured chips/bacon topped donuts and to please go and put them back where they found them".

More likely, it was that one isle of this store was as big as half of my local supermarket!

My heart was palpating now, the shops crawling with hundreds of shoppers and I just wanted to go to the bus and be on our way. I couldn’t find our exit though. We went from level to level searching for our original point of entry.

As we walked around and around…and around, dodging cranky, abrupt, city dwellers and trying to find our car park, I realised two things. Firstly, that I had gotten used to the country lifestyle, the slower pace and secondly, that I was very lost… in a shopping centre of all places! Me! Queen of retail therapy!

I had to call David, who directed us to our level, between his chuckles. The sunlight was wonderful, the sight of the bus better. We all piled in, a little stressed from our (my) ordeal but with nourishment(and a new pair of shorts for Noah) in hand for our picnic.

We met up with Trish and her boys and had a lovely day. The big kids played hard, the little ones harder. We ate and talked and had a wonderful day at Rouse Hill Recreational Park. The day went so fast and soon it was time to say goodbye to our friends.

On the way home the girls twittered about how cool the Sydney area was and were full of wishes to move. Not me though. I think I’m a country girl at heart.

See more Wordless Wednesday here

Over the course of the week we had tried to find somewhere to stay in Coffs Harbour but nobody could accomadate a family as large as ours, without having to book out the whole resort (ok, that might be stretching the truth just a little) so we decided we would stay at Paradise Resort one more day. The kids were happy but David was nervous, having to do a flat run to home with no decent break in between.

Somehow the 12 hour drive in the daylight always seemed longer than when we travelled through the night. By dinner, it was obvious that Ivy and Noah’s 2 hour sleep at White Water World was not because of being worn out by all the excitement but rather a symptom of the croup that had invaded their airways. After over a week of perfect, stress free health the lurgy had found them once more.

Come morning, their temps were high and the purchase of baby Panadol had been made. Once it had kicked in and the babies had rallied, we walked along the beach in the morning sun, for one last time.

We ate outdoors at a gorgeous cafe that sold all day breakfasts for five dollars - toast, egg, bacon, tomato and sausage. Then we walked around Surfers Paradise.

At the beginning of our holiday Imogen and Madeline had mentioned they would like to have their nails done. So when we stumbled upon a little salon I booked them in. I was surprised to hear that Lily wanted hers done as well. I thought the tomboy in her would be fighting those ‘feminine, lets be pretty’ hormones all the way into adulthood but Lily was the first of the girls to slip into the beautician’s seat.

While all this was going on David was becoming increasinlgy worried about Noah, who was slumped in his arms in a febrile induced sleep and Ivy, who was becoming grotty and tired again, in her fight to fend off the illness. A decision was made that he and Mum would take them and AJ, Mal and Lily (whose nails were finished and beautiful) back to the resort.

Mum would learn just how heavy 11kgs of sleeping baby girl could be when walking one and a half kilometres back to the rooms. David said later that she had almost collapsed by the time they’d returned but the determined (stubborn) woman had kept powering on until the end.

While Immy and Maddy were being pampered I wandered down to a surf shop to look at a pair of Globe sneakers that AJ had mentioned he liked. I was gobsmacked when I found the price tag! I knew this time would come when no name shoes and clothes would become uncool and I knew that my wallet would take a beating but maybe I was hoping that it wouldn’t start quite so soon…

I bought them anyway because he had been so good and because I understood wanting to be cool and like the other kids at school.

When we got back to the resort we all had lunch and some time in the rooms. The babies slept and the rest of us packed. It was quiet and the kids were subdued, sad that our time in the sun was over.

David and I decided we would have one last venture down to the beach.  Mum begged off, she was exhausted from her morning stint of being the packhorse for Ivy.

We stayed until the sun started to set, the breeze cooling on our faces. I relished in our time as a family, having longed for the togetherness for a while. I looked around me as the children built sandcastles and played on the beach. Noah, now comfortable with the ocean experience, sat, not on a towel but amongst the sand, shovelling the grit onto his lap. Ivy ran as free as her spirit, Imogen in the sea, Maddy and Lily building a world together, AJ and Mal, soaking up every last moment of the day and David, who struggles so hard to find balance in work and family, now relaxed and happy.

As we were walking towards the boardwalk, leaving Surfers Paradise behind us, Noah, who was weak now from fever and allowing me to carry him back to the rooms, turned once more towards the beautiful setting where the ocean and the earth kiss and waved goodbye to the beach…

‘Bye - bye the sand’, he whispered.

 

The next day we travelled home. The twins horribly sick, the kids and the adults a little grumpy from the long trip, reality of the normalcy of everyday life hurtling towards us. I couldn’t help but wonder what our next break would be like. Whether it would all change now, with Imogen, Madeline and AJ racing towards that turbulent adolescent time. Whether, we would feel as close as we all did now.

Whatever happens, I will be forever thankful for our hoilday. Everyday a gift and a wonderful memory to tuck away for a time when I need some sunshine.

Picture this, if you will, five children, two babies two parents and a senior (sorry mum) matriarch lined up on banana chairs. Towels down, sunscreen and swimmers on and a whole world of water before them on a perfectly sunny day. Not too hot and not too cold. Add to this scene the mother and her mother in "like totally dude", happenin’, surfy- labelled boardies and an equally expensive labelled shirt and you have the setting for the day.

The children scatter. The littlies to Wiggle World, where they can splash through musical fountains of water, stand under a flower shower or swim in the ankle high pool. The older children are thrilled with all they see and make their way to the various adrenalin pumping rides. The Rip, The Beach, The BRO (blue ringed octopus), the hydrocoaster and… THE GREEN ROOM!

A monsterous tunnel that throws you and three others into what appears to be a conical sink hole flipped on it’s side. As the occupants of the clover shaped tube slip from the top of one side, down and almost all the way to the top of the other side, the mother thanks her lucky stars that the boardies she chose are dark blue, so they will adequately mask the stain she will aquire when her children (or adrenalin junkie husband) push her onto said ride (and she knows it is coming).

The grandmother is forced to find a designated smoking area, such is her fear of these kinds of rides. She is also thankful that boardies mostly come in black and blacker because she has promised the children she will attempt at least one ride.

The adrenalin junkie father is overloaded by all that he sees and he takes a moment to recover from the expanse of gut wrenching, whirling,vomit inducing mechanical giants (that and the cost of the boardies) by reverting to organisation of posessions so the family is free to wander the park without having to worry about anything being stolen. Once he has calmed down, he attempts to feign amusement as he watches the toddlers spray each other with Dorothy The Dinosaur and Wags the Dog water guns (secretly he is wishing he could run wild and free with the eleven year olds and the nine year old who thinks she is eleven).

His wish soon comes true as the babies become restless and tired from morning beach walks and Wiggle overload. The mother finds herself in a banana chair, watching one sleeping child in the pram while the other is asleep, like a kitten, on her lap. The children come to drag the Daddy away. His fake protests fall on deaf ears and his poor acting skills do not convince the mother that he wants to stay to help out with the cherubs. She laughs and shakes her head. He pretends to be pulled away by the children but  once he thinks he is out of the mother’s line of sight she can see him scurry ahead of the kids.

After an hour or so he returns, saturated and happy. A smile splits his face from ear to ear. There is a sparkle in his eye that the mother has not seen for a long time. The children are beetling around their hero father, excitedly telling the mother and the grandmother of their adventures. They eat their lunch hurriedly and then all of them, including the fully adrenalised father, scuttle away again. The grandmother is almost chain smoking now, knowing that her number is up next. The mother remains on her banana chair, watching as the cherubs sleep and listening to the Wiggles music playing in the background, thinking of all the thing she would like to buy in the shop that sold her the board shorts.

The toddlers are blissfully unaware of all that is going on around them and continue to sleep for another hour before waking to consume a bucket of chips each and half of the mothers burger. They are back in Wiggle World before you can say ‘Captain Feathersword’ and the mother and the father are released from parental duties to ride the waves together (the grandmother thankful for an excuse to buy more time).

The father rides The Rip with the mother and two of the children, after making her stand under a huge Nickelodeon water bucket that spews massive amounts of H2O onto her head, soaking her to the very core. He then convinces her that The Green Room is not as scary as The Rip and leads her to the top of the ride. As they get on the cloverleaf raft, he turns to her and declares that he lied and this is by far the most petrifying ride he has ever been on. As she leans over to hit him as hard as she can the ride controller heaves the raft into the tunnel and the mother once again (amongst screaming her lungs out and holding on for dear life) thanks the surfy labels for the dark coloured boardies.

The ride lasts about 9 seconds but it is a few moments of absolute childlike enjoyment. The mother feels light and happy and free. For a day that she thought would be boring and of very little enjoyment for the adults, it has turned out to be the best day so far.

As the parents return to the banana chairs to find the babies pulling apart a garden, the other two big kids drag the grandmother off to face her fears. She returns later, shaking and wet but she has not let the children down and they see her as a hip, cool Gran with a bad ass attitude! They circle her and bask in her heroism.

The sun is starting to set and the family are one of the few remaining in the park, having had the most wonderful of times, they are reluctant to leave it behind. Knowing that the holiday is drawing to a close.

The mother shops her heart out and the family purchase photos snapped in an instant of time. Some showing children smiling and happy, some with looks of terror on their faces, some with their favourite Wiggles character. It is a day none of them will ever forget.

Monday was our decided vegie day.

A day of lounging around the pool, walking on the beach, kids club for the children… a chance to recover and recoop. While Mum, Lily and the boys slept in, The big and little twins came for a walk along the beach with us.

As we were walking, several Japanese tourists started noticing Ivy and Noah as the toddled on the  sand. Every so often one of them would sweep the babies into their arms and photos would be snapped by the hundreds. Okay, by the dozens but it was interesting to us that they were smitten with our blonde haired, blue eyed cherubs. We had experienced it before with Imogen and Madeline but not to the same extent. They all loved Noah and he was seriously posed, positioned and modelled in the photos, so as to show off his fair features. When they discovered that the little ones were twins there was more modelling to be done. Noah and Ivy took it all in their stride.

The day passed blissfully and slowly, the babies had a long morning sleep, the kids swam and ate and went to kids club. I did a bit of shopping for the children. It was a day of well earned rest and we would be thankful for it the next day… because the next day was White Water World Day! (Insert Dragnet theme here).

We needed to be at Seaworld by 9:30 so that we could book AJ in for a surprise! It was busy that Sunday morning and AJ was bubbling with excitement. It was the first time he, Mal and Mum had been. When we  finally got through the gates (David had a little trouble because the ticket collector didn’t believe that he, Ivy and Noah were part of our party - seeing as he payed the $64 per adult and $42 per child (I can’t bare to do the maths) he felt that he had a right to argue the point), we guided the gaggle to the booking in area where we had orginised for AJ to go snorkelling in Shark Bay.

His session was not for an hour so we sauntered through the park, stopping to look at the dolphins and the dugongs before making our way to the waiting area. I was not in a particularly good mood because I had forgotten my hat and had no sunglasses. The sun was very bright and the weather was already hot to my unaccustomed body. My mother had also decided that she was going to give up smoking and this was her first day of bad withdrawal symptoms, so she was grotty as well. AJ was sublimly happy though as he prepared for his dive.

Ivy and Noah were overtired and sick of being in the pram and the girls’ patience was wearing thin with all the waiting around. They wanted to go on this ride and that ride and see this and that. In the end I let them go to look at the polar bears and the exploratory pool. Mum took the babies for a walk and all was quiet for a while.

David bought me a hat and Imogen lent me her sunglasses (see attached picture for a good laugh). What is it with these large goggle - like sunnies? Where have the sleek styles of the eighties gone? Not a Blues Brothers’ style in sight! SO, with the sun off my face and out of my eyes, Ivy now asleep and Noah happy to sit with David we watched our now 11 year old foster son in the clear waters. His smile was worth it all.

After that was finished it was lunchtime, so we sat under a tree and decided what to do next.

The beauty of having such a big family is that they all watch out for one another but one of the hardest things, with such a big age gap in children is how to divide your time. We decided that we wanted to see the dolphin show at 2pm and so we let the big children go together on all the scary, high powered rides and David, Mum and I took Malachy, Ivy and Noah over to the little kids rides. We were to meet up twenty minutes before the show. The big kids took off to line up for the first ride and we had a ball with the babies and Mal.

We only had one incident the whole day and that was when Lily came crying hysterically to us post ride on The Pirate Ship. Apparently the ride controller had joked that he was going to flip the whole thing over and Lily, who had tried her hardest to be brave, so as to impress he idol, AJ, lost the plot completely and screamed for the ride to stop. Imogen, her protective sister, ordered the ride to halt and then promptly told off the young adult for scaring a little girl! I think the worst part of it for Lily though was that she had fallen from grace in AJ’s eyes. He called her a baby and stomped around the park as though his life had come to a sudden end because Lily didn’t like the ride. We soon calmed her down though and things settled quickly after that.

We made our way to the arena where the dolphin show was performed and grabbed a seat. Everyone was hot and bothered and so Mum saved the day with ice creams all around. Ivy and Noah enjoyed their chocolate paddle pop, right down to the very last, sticky, roll down your arm, dripping lick. I took photos as evidence. Now when Noah sees them, he growls in a low rumble… ‘I like de clocolate!’

Indeed he did.

The show was amazing! These beautiful, intellegent creatures stole our hearts.

We finished the day by going to the water park. Noah discovered he was not scared of this type of bottle (water) at all and had a wonderful time splashing his mother. Ivy found that things looked better from a different point of view and fashioned her new Cupid Girl swimmers. I only wished that I had brought mine because my pants and top were now virtually soaked through.

That evening, we went to dinner at a Japanese Restaurant. AJ and Mal were amazed with the acrobatics performed by the chef as he cooked in front of us. Noah decided that he would choose this night to declare his independence and refused to eat unless he was feeding himself. Ivy took a liking to pickled japanese vegetables and the waitress was so amazed that she brought her another bowl (complimentry). Mum had purchased another packet of cigarettes and although she felt beaten by her 40 something year old habit, she was smiling and relaxed again. David and I basked in the glow of a successful day…well, for a short time anyway, before Noah tipped his whole bowl of fried rice onto the floor.

Sunday morning came and we woke early to give the birthday boy his presents. He opened them with much anticipation and was pleased with all he saw. Because it was only 6am and because it was a gorgeous morning we decided that a walk along the beach was just what the doctor ordered. The only problem was that Noah was afraid to walk on the sand and equally afraid of the waves.

We carried him at first, while the others, including the daredevil herself (Ivy Hazel), walked along the shoreline, with the waves lapping at their feet (and Ivy’s knees, skirt - when she sat in the waves, and top of her shirt - when she thought it might be good to lie down in the waves (we rescued her clothing at that point)). Noah’s eyes darted all around him, following the waves as they kissed the sand.

Eventually we put him down between David and I, holding both his hands and walked (pulled) him along. He cried and tried everything he knew to get us to pick him up again but eventually and reluctantly he toddled in between us, his little heart could almost be heard, it was that loud and fast. His eyes wide with the unknown. Just as he was getting used to it a rogue wave splashed onto his feet and he pulled his feet up, dangling, with the full weight of his body, from his arms, shrieking.

He had no problem saying sand. In fact, I think it was the only word he chanted for the first fifteen minutes as we taxed his fears but when the water paddled onto his toes the first descriptive word for the ocean was… ‘bottle’ (?) We have no idea why he called it that. At first we thought that it was a comfort word but in later days, when he had become accustomed to our morning beach walks he still referred to the waves as bottles. Go figure.

We are not cruel parents, although some of you might think we are. We just wanted him to overcome his fears or it would be a very long week.

After a while, we picked him up and carried him to the mall for AJ’s birthday breakfast at a place called Charlie’s. If you are ever in Surfers Paradise, try it. We all thought it was lovely. A nice atmosphere, the staff were great. Unlike some places, they didn’t even flinch when we said we needed "a table for ten, including two highchairs, please". Prices were reasonable too, although if you ask David, he would beg to differ.

Post breakfast saw us do a little shopping and AJ picked up a Roosters towel, the girls some more swimmers and Lily some thongs (Lovely patriotic green and gold thongs, with green stars and AUS printed on them) and a gold and diamonte shell trinket (in typical Lily style).

We walked back along the beach repeating the same routine with Noah. The only differece was this time he would let the tiny waves touch his feet, uttering… ‘gone, gone’ as they moved back into the ocean.

The morning was SO traumatic for the child, that once the adrenalin had stopped coursing through his veins, he promptly fell asleep, to recover.

There were so many emotions charging the air that morning. Happiness for AJ, sadness for him too, that his day was not spent with his birth mother.

Wonder that Ivy and Noah could be oceans (pardon the pun) apart in their personalities, when they had shared so much from the day they were conceived. She, so bold and confident in herself, he, fearful and unsure, both beautiful in their own right.

I felt relaxed walking along the beach. We had gone there to renew our wedding vows in 2003, 12 weeks pregnant with William.

When he died I had an Angel Reading done and in that reading, the lady said that when William wanted to send his love we would see white feathers. I don’t know if all that stuff is real or if I look for signs because I want him with us so badly but since his death I have seen many white feathers turn up just when I need them most.

This day, as we walked down to the beach we found one. It was comforting to see it.

I felt contentment for the first time in ages. Everything seemed as it was supposed to be that morning as I watched all the people I love most in the world walk along the beach in the early morning sun.

Sorry for that brief interlude. We just had a major reality check in having to take Noah to hospital, with Ivy riding on his shirt tails, with asthma. (Did I mention I love living in a place that is hot in the day and freezing at night?) Anyway, enough of that…

‘Everyday is better when you are on holidays’ : a slogan I saw often in sunny Queensland.

It was true, everything was better.

Even though the resort had not been eager to clean up the pool poo, even though the prices were high for everything, even though our rooms were small, compared to our house, everything seemed to take on a shiny glow of vacation beauty. Ahhhh, holidays, that ultimate escape from reality!

That first night we walked into Surfer’s Paradise, along the boardwalk, to the markets, had some dinner and milled around. Everyone was exhausted, so conversation was minimal. All except David, Ivy, Noah and I slept like logs but it was all good because, when you are on holidays, it doesn’t matter when your babies sleep on top of you all night and when you wake up and you can no longer feel your arm from the shoulder down because a large lumpy boy’s head has been there for hours, it’s easy to spring from your bed to face the new day. YAY!!!!

The kids wanted to go to the kids club, which suited the adults well because we had not planned anything much past getting across the boarder and into the resort. So off they went and we sat down in our room to discuss the days ahead. The babies didn’t like that idea much and started to ransack the room, calling housekeeping twice before we unplugged the phone and changing the time on the clock radios before they discovered the empty cupboard!

Oh, what fun two babies can make for themselves with an empty cupboard! Oh, the amount of coffee and conversation that you are able to have when babies discover said utility. Bliss on a stick…until one of the babies slams the other baby’s fingers in the sliding door… Oh, the howling that came from that baby, so loud, I’m sure they could hear us in reception, three floors below.

When all was calm again, Ivy and Noah rediscovered their ’sunnyglasses’ that Gran had bought for them the night before. For the next hour I had to put sunnies on, take sunnies off, admire child with sunnies on, take photos, play referee when Ivy decided that she liked Noah’s sunglasses better…in fact, wanted both pairs, one for her eyes and one set for on top of her head, like her big sisters’ wore them. It was okay though. It might be the same stuff, different day (or in this case place) because EVERYDAY is better when you are on holidays! (She says through a gritty smile).

After lunch, we went shopping. We would have been there sooner, except that David and I had a fight about who he should trust. Me or the Navigator (Navwench - the other woman in David’s life). Somewhere in the midst of our…heated discussion, we became seriously lost in Southport suburbia… he should have listened to the navigator, I’m sure I told him that! Never listen to a woman who has shopping on her mind, she just can’t think straight!

Okay, it was all my fault but don’t tell David that I admitted defeat, I’ll never live it down.

The whole shopping experience was not how I anticipated it. It was good, don’t get me wrong and I am sure if I were an eleven year old pre - pubescent girl looking for swimming costumes I would have been in heaven. We found some nice things and all the girls walked away happy, AJ had a haircut, David found new phone pouches and Navwench holders, so he was enjoying himself. It was just that I didn’t get a chance to do anything for me and so I was a bit miffed. The kids and David were happy though. My Mum was a little hot and tired but it was still okay.

I think we went back to the resort for a swim and dinner and an early night because the next day was going to be a big one…we were off to Seaworld for AJ’s 11th birthday!

In case you were worried about our sleep that night, Ivy and Noah slept very well, we had worn them out, finally.

We booked into reception and investigated our space. The kids claimed that the heat and travelling had overcome them and that a swim in one of the three pools would help to rejuvinate their weary bodies. So with barely time for the adults to catch their breath (and oh, how I wish we had, in hindsight), we wandered, sauntered, scurried down to the pool area. The five big children were in faster than you could say… ‘are we there yet?’ David, Mum and I found some chairs around the paddle pool.

We dressed the twins in their new swimmers and went to put them in only to discover that some kind child had left two big floaters in there!(Does anyone remember that movie scene in Caddy Shack where Bill Murray picks up a thought- to- be poo from a drained pool, take a bite and after everyone has thrown up, declares it a chocolate bar? This was not one of those moments!)

In my teenage years we jokingly called them aquabogs (riding the waves of Bondi Beach). That is exactly what these things were! I saw David visibly recoil and we stood there disbelievingly for a while. (I think this was our first inkling that our resort had gone down hill somewhat, since Accor sold it). I urged David to tell reception and asked Imogen and Madeline to take Ivy and Noah in the bigger pool. They thankfully obliged their, now, disillusioned mother.

The little floating boats didn’t stop some kids though. Before too long several toddlers were swimming amongst the effluent! Ewwwww!!!!! I had to look away. Finally someone came to clean up but it was too litlle too late for me. There was NO way I was going to let my easily diseased babies into the paddle pool that day!

I know, I know, accidents happen and the average child’s bowel relaxes about ten minutes after entering into water but gross, people! Where were the parents? Couldn’t they have gone and said something to maintainence? Had it cleaned? I know it’s an embarrassing situation but to just run away?

Dear God, what has the resort world come to?

We packed the bus and made our way to bed. Some settled earlier than others. David went to bed at 8:30, knowing he would be driving the first shift of the trip. I went to bed at 11:45, once everyone was asleep. The first alarm sounded at 1:30 am and after David’s  morning coffee ritual, we piled into our overloaded bus and started our journey at 3am. As we were slowly creeping out of our stone encrusted driveway, lights lowered, so as not to wake the neighbourhood, I felt for all the world like the Von Trapp Family Singers escaping to Austria (think Sound of Music, people). I also realised how loud everything sounds at that time of the morning. We sped along the freeway and by dawn we had passed Taree and were in dire need of petrol and coffee. After finding nothing open we were finally able to refuel at a truck stop - the only bus amongst these giant beasts, the children were in awe of their size. With everyone now awake we continued on to Maccas in Kempsey and a stop at The Big Banana, thinking that we would make one more final stop before crossing the boarder into the Sunshine State. We were making amazing time, the kids had been fantastic travellers and we had only eaten half of the lolly container when everything came to a grinding halt!

Just outside of Ballina a truck had driven off the road and into the river and traffic was stopped both ways. We sat for ages before we decided to turn the engine off and hop out of the bus. The kids climbed in and out, through the bus, the only place left that went unexplored was the roof and if David and I were not vigilant parents, I’m sure they would have made their way up there too, the babies became ratty and bored. They bucked and arched and wriggled and screamed when release from the confines of their carseats was not instant. My mother decided it would be a good time to start a game of Eye Spy. David walked up to the scene to find out what the deal was only to be told the road was closed indefinately. Great. Me? I have never been a great traveller and so I was bored out of my scone. I attempted to liven up the game of eye spy but no one was impressed when they couldn’t guess that the thing starting with ‘E’ was an elephant. They said there was no elephant in or outside of the car and therefore, I was disqualified! No respect, I tell you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An hour (the other half of the lolly container and several packets of chips) later our road was finally opened and we pushed through to arrive in Sunny Queensland ( a beautiful 24 degrees) at about 3pm…

To be continued…

Well, we’re home. We did it. Ten people on a week long holiday, travelling in one bus, over nine hundred kilometres to take up residence in three rooms of The Paradise Resort, Surfers Paradise, Queensland… the Queenslanders never knew what hit them!

I’m going to try to tell you all about our adventures but there have been SO many, I might forget some. Lots of photos to share as well.

The good news is that David, Mum and I all survived to tell the tale and we have our sights firmly set on Fiji for next time (it must have been ok, if there is going to be a next time)! I must say though, that I am glad to be home, where the babies can roam free. The big kids will all go back to school for the final week before the school break begins. My plans for next week? To relax and have a holiday from my holiday before the holidays begin!!

Why oh why are my baby making/carrying/birthing days over? I SO want another baby. I know, I hear you all gasping at the prospect. Don’t worry, I’m neutered.

Kelly came around today after we had gone walking, with the beautiful Lexie. Gorgeous little pudding pie!

Thought you might all like to see a photo of her. She is almost three months old now. Born by caesarean. Kelly went through so much to have this little cherub! Gorgeous, don’t you think?

I tried not to hold her…I did! I knew as soon as I touched that soft baby skin that my heart would skip a beat. Let’s face it, I am just one big mother hen, cluck cluck clucking my way through this life!

Ok, holiday update; As of today we are NOT going to Fiji. *SIGH* After some consideration we have decided that we will go to Queensland in the third week of September. While I am very disappointed in this I will make the most of it. Hope it’s warm up there because it’s bloody freezing here. We could all use some sun, fun and laughter right about now.

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Carolyn!!! Hope you had a wonderful day! The world is a better place with you in it.

Pegs are very versatile.

They can hang clothes up, they can keep things closed, they can be a form of security as in they can lock cage doors for birds who are doggedly pursued by small black fox terriers who see said bird as a light snack before dinner. Yes, pegs are many things.

In a toddler’s world, pegs are the best toys anyone can ever give you (or that you steal from your mother’s peg basket).

Ivy and Noah love pegs. There are a few rules to peg playing though and these must be adhered to, otherwise you are just not playing it in the right way and you will be punished.

The first rule is you must always play when Mum is busy trying to hang out clothes. You must (and this is a given otherwise you will encounter a swift clap over the head by the offended twin) tip the whole bucket up and onto the ground and then proceed to kick the pegs around in an outwards motion - to cover the most surface area.

The second rule is that you must then pretend that you want to help your mother pick up the scattered pegs, only to throw them further when the peg bucket is offered up to you. In this game, ‘ta’ doesn’t mean ‘thank you’, it actually means, ‘you’re joking, I wasn’t really going to give it to you!’

Rule three (and this would have to be one of my favourites) After your mother has picked up all the pegs, aquired the bucket and put it in what she believes to be a safe place, show her who is really the boss in this establishment and climb onto the table and start rule one again.

Rule four; take turns placing the bucket on each other’s heads and laugh enthusiastically at the results. This takes up a large portion of the game because toddlers always think they are the funniest things to walk the earth.

Rule five; when rule four gets old, shove every single peg through the umbrella hole onto the ground and laugh at this too.

When Mum gets cranky, repeat rule two (because that’s going to make it all better, isn’t it?) and when you get bored go and find something new to get into, preferably something that is going to rile Mum up more. 

Seriously, it is the most fun you can have when you are twenty months old!

 

School holidays are coming to an end. We have had some lovely days with friends.

Notably, Sharon, Kate, Courtney and Jessabell, who we met through Belly Belly but it turns out the older girls all go to dance together. We had a nice day playing outside.

Also Mary and her boys Eoghan and Luke and her gorgeous girl, Gemma. A great day was had by everyone. AJ relished in the male company and I loved talking to Mary - she is amazing, interesting and funny. I am very much enjoying the blossoming of our friendship. Mary’s visit came the day after the whole trauma of the cinema and really lifted my spirits.

We missed seeing Trish and the boys these holidays and that was definately felt by everyone.

We missed seeing Tracey and Mollie. I’m pretty sure this was the first break when we haven’t had their company and that was pretty weird not having our long term friends around.

While the big kids spent alot of time with Grandma and Pop and Gran, Ivy, Noah and I only saw Grandma the once and Gran a couple of times over the two weeks. I guess we have kept a pretty low profile but I did miss their company.

Other friends who came to play;

Emma for Maddy - Emma came on the fateful Harry Potter day.

Nicole for Immy - came to visit on the last day of the holidays.

Friends are wonderful - they lift you up make you feel as though you are special!

Just quietly, we are hoping to take the kids away on a real vacation early in September. Dave and I are gunning for Fiji. Whether we can pull it off is another thing. So far nothing has gone right. A few months ago (try five) we made the move to The Greater in the hope of partially funding our holiday. We were told, five weeks and everything would be finalised. Almost half a year later and things are still not finished. We went to sign the final papers over the weekend, only to be fobbed off for another week. Talk about false advertising.

We’re not silly. We know that with seven children we will have to put in a large sum of money to get us anywhere. The only place the Greater points will get nine people is a caravan in Jinglemoney (Yes it IS a real place people - look it up!). Still we can use all the help we can get. I’ll keep you updated but hopefully by next weekend we will be on our way to planning a great break!

Wow, I thought I didn’t have much to blog about today. I guess I surprised myself.

On a final note I just wanted to put in a link to this blog. Having two sets of twins is great, amazing and different but imagine having Quintuplets! She’s currently 31 weeks and hoping to get to 34! Oh honey, I’m wishing you every luck.

This morning I got out of my nice warm bed when it was still dark and it WASN’T to get up to Ivy! (She was asleep in my bed already). I got up so that I could see Immy, Maddy and AJ off to Canberra and the Snowy Mountains for four days. They have not been away from home for that long and never with people other than grandparents. Sure, there have been a few friend sleepovers but that was only overnight. This trip is a big deal for all of us. I will miss them. I will have to trust that I have taught them right from wrong and that they will behave themselves for four long days. The house was already very quiet with three bodies missing. Lily, although gorgeous, is not the best communicator in the world. Either is Mal. Thank goodness there is Noah’s constant babble going on in the background or I would go completely mad.

I hope the kids have a good time. It is such a great expeience for them, especially to be able to see the snow. It gets cold in Ellalong but it never snows, the best our little country town has to offer up in the way of snow, is the black frost that hits us around July. It just doesn’t cut it, really. They have plans to build snow men and to have snowball fights. I hope the weather sees them coming and brews them up an adequate snow fall. If not, I guess there’s always the man made stuff.

I won’t be able to call them (no mobile phones allowed) and we have been told that public phone access is limited so I am guessing I won’t be hearing from them while they are away. I have hit the chocolate early this morning (terrible emotional eater that I am) to try to compensate, in fact I feel quite ill from all the white chocolate buttons that David has carelessly left sitting on the counter and I have just as carelessly eaten. He should know me better than that…hmmm…perhaps he does.

Ivy started her Augmentin Duo four days ago now and I *think* she is looking a little better today.  What do you think? Aside from the red raw nose from all the tissue usage, I think she has a bit more colour in her face and, yes, even a sparkle in her eyes. Please let this be the end of her chronic infection.