Hello there poppets! / L Plate Mama

Holidays! What an wonderful privilege to be able to take a holiday, visit somewhere new, maybe somewhere many miles away with a different culture, language and cuisine. Soaking up the differences, taking a break from ‘your’ world. Wonderful for the adult mind, but my goodness how mind blowing for little ones!  My wee man and I have been very lucky in his short life to go home to the UK twice and visit family and friends in New Zealand. We’ve taken these trips just us two, leaving the big Mr with our petimals in sunny Melbourne. In May (many months ago now, I know) the three of us went on holiday to Bali with our friends, another family of three. You may be thinking “why are you writing about this now?” – the reason is this trip had a massive and ongoing influence on Chops, and before the arriving of his brother or sister I wanted to record it. Our wee man of 2 and three quarters, not only had his mum and dad but his best buddy to go on a massive adventure....

Soooo this little pudding is nearly ready to come out into the world. Three weeks to go. Three weeks: 21 days: 504 hours. Counting, me? Not much.  Of course this is a little human being we are talking about here, and as the midwife said we don’t even know what triggers labour. The mysteries of our recreation are plentiful, so the pudding could come anytime really (!) until November 4… (I think they only let you go 10 days over).  Are we ready? We are getting there J This time last week the bubs room was piled high with different sized clothes, assorted bulky toys and the remnants of wedding stuff, that I worked so long and hard on, my hoarding tendencies will not allow me to throw away (yep yep I’ve kept every hand written, hand ripped, cut and stamp name card). I hadn’t packed the hospital bag, I hadn’t hired the TENS machine or washed the linen, bibs, hats, wraps… My beautiful and industrious parents in-law came down and in what took most of ...