Lily's first day of kindy - Take 4

Lily started at her new kindy today - her fourth and hopefully her last before she starts big school. She's so confident in the school environment that she just waltzed in, started playing and hardly noticed when I left. A few of our friends children also started there today so she was completely at home - she even tried to comfort one of her friends who was crying, going over to her and saying "It's ok Maya, we're going to have fun". So cute.
She has been going to her daycare in Mona Vale twice a week for nearly two years and absolutely loves it so she could have easily stayed there until she started school; but we wanted her to go to the preschool in Newport as it's the main feeder school for the primary school so it will make her transition a breeze. Plus it's in the same street so drop off/pick up with the two of them will be easier. But sentimental me just could not bring myself to pull her out of her first daycare completely so she is staying there for one day a week until the end of the year, when most of her class will leave for big school anyway (she's one of the youngest and won't start school for another 2 years). 

She absolutely loved her first day. When we got there to pick her up she was running around in a skirt with all her friends pretending to be hula girls - and completely ignored us. The ignoring was expected, she hates leaving - but the dress was a surprise. Lily does not wear skirts or dresses EVER - not even for dress up, so this was unusual - just wish I'd taken a picture.

Helping me to pack her lunch. They provide lunch at her daycare so she hasn't had to take a packed lunch for a while - she was very excited to have a lunchbox and morning tea container "like Austin has for big school". (This isn't an old photo - the Christmas shirt is a bit of an obsession at the moment, she spilled cereal on it though so I managed to convince her to change it before we left)

Lily being Lily - refusing to smile for a picture outside the front 

Ok I'm inside - "now I'll smile for you"

Passed out in the afternoon - a tough first day of playing

Dinosaurs alive

Taronga Zoo has had a life size dinosaur exhibit on for the whole of the school holidays and ever since we had a quick look when we were there for the New Years fireworks, Austin has been begging to go and see them again. So with not much time left of the holidays, off we went early on Tuesday morning.
They were really awesome replicas, they all moved or roared and one even sprayed water; the only problem was that Lily thought they were real and spent most of the time hiding behind my legs . . .

on the sky safari

Allosaurus

this was Lily's unimpressed look for most of the day

T-Rex

Fossil Dig

on our way to Grandma and Grandpas house afterwards
we had a marathon public transport session that day - 3x buses, ferry and train and then home by car that evening with Steve

"nah nah nah nah nah, you don't scare me"

Bluey

A while ago I got home to discover the lid on Austin's snake tank slightly ajar and the snake missing. I completely freaked out, imagining a snake would come crawling over my legs at any moment, and phoned Steve to come home immediately. He searched everywhere but Boots was nowhere to be found, and as the weeks and months went by we realised he was not coming back.

Austin took his disappearance quite well, occasionally saying how much he missed him but not seeming sad at all. How attached can you really get to a slimy snake anyway?

We were going to get him another one eventually but then the other day one of the regulars came into Zubi and told Steve his blue tongue lizard had had a whole lot of babies. He offered one to Steve who of course jumped at the chance. So now we have a baby blue tongue who Austin has given the very original name of Bluey. He's ok I guess, cuter than a snake and definitely a lot nicer to feed - no need for rats in my freezer anymore - just crickets, veggies and pellets.

surfer boy

Austin got his first foamie for Christmas this year so we have been at the beach most afternoons, with Steve patiently trying to teach him the basics of surfing. He's stood up a few times (even if it was only for a few seconds) and is really loving it, even if most of the time he ends up falling off. 

This summer there has been a big change in him, now that he knows how to swim he is completely confident in the waves, maybe a little too confident for my liking. He loves nothing better than being dumped by a wave but my heart skips a beat every time his head disappears under the water.

Performing his surf moves for me at Bundeena, on Boxing Day

Camping

Through school, ballet and surfing we've become friends with a group of families who do a lot of camping together. They are all mad surfers and go up the north coast for a week every January. Well they invited us along this year and in spite of my vow at our last camping trip, (where we went the luxury route and stayed in an ensuite cabin) that I would never do tents or shared showers again, we decided to give it a go.
5 whole days - could cranky pregnant me handle that long with stinky toilets and without my GHD . . .
After numerous trips to the camping superstore where we spent way too much money buying 'essentials', and then another trip to the bike shop to spend more money on a bike rack, we squashed our gear and ourselves into our too small car and set off up the coast. We went to Sandbar/Bushlands, which is about 3 hours away at Pacific Palms (near Forster), Smiths Lake is on one side of the campgrounds and a beautiful deserted beach on the other. Austin and Lily had an absolute ball - there were fifteen kids in total and they spent all day running around getting dirty, riding bikes, swimming, surfing, fishing etc - and of course Austin's best part - toasting marshmallows on the campfire every night.
I actually had so much fun and the tent/toilet situation wasn't a problem - well for the first three days anyway when the weather was absolutely amazing - I even went swimming which is unheard of for me. Then the rain started and it just wasn't that fun anymore. I'd definitely do it again, but just make sure I check the weather report more closely next time - and get out of there before the rain comes . . .

A protected rock pool area that the kids named 'Magic Beach'

Cannonball

The rocky walk to 'Magic Beach'

Austin taking a break from the sun and the surf

Steve trying out one of the guys' stand up paddle boards - "No Steve you already have enough toys..."

Lily and Maya

When the surfs too scary it's safer to have your own pool

Emergency bike repairs

Resident Goanna

Austin and Fletch hitching a ride around the campgrounds. It was so so hot this day - zinc cream and umbrellas a necessity.

the fun of trying to cook bacon and eggs in one pot and on one burner - I see more money being spent at the camping store before our next trip . . .