Category: week in review

Back from holidays! Dad had three weeks off, a big road trip and now back to work. We were trying to stay offline a bit more, so we’re just blogging the whole trip in one post.

Dad finished work in time to make it for the final assembly at the end of Puff’s kindergarten orientation. It’s hard to believe that his whole pre-school life is almost over – where did the time go?!

From there, it was time to pack the car, and try the kids out in the car, in preparation for the road trip.

We stopped off at Woonona, then headed to Canberra for the first leg of our journey. Huff slept in a bunk bed.

We had fun in Canberra, catching up with friends, and hiring a pedal car to ride around lake Burley Griffin.

There was an amazing park nearby, made of rocks. Huff and Puff both enjoyed it in their own way.

Huff never quite managed to get the hang of her travel pillow.

Puff managed a little better.

After Canberra, we stayed in Albury for a night, calling in for dinner at a friend’s house.

We stayed in a motel, with the kids in adjacent single bunks.

From Albury, we played at an amazing playground, then drove a little way on to Milawa where we stopped for lunch – cheese and small goods. The kids were loving another chance to run around before the drive to Melbourne.

In Melbourne, we had a quiet dinner where we were staying, then on the Tuesday we went to the Melbourne Museum. There was lots for the kids to play with, and they had a great time from the moment they arrived. 

This research library was a favourite with its magnifying gear and sample bugs to look at.

The kids section of the museum is great: really hands-on, but with lots to learn.

We managed to fit in Huff and Puff’s first tram ride.

Dad and Puff went out for an early morning exploration of cafes. Lots of coffee and lots of babycinos were consumed.

We bought a travel chess set, and Dad taught Puff how to play chess.

 He’s good, and keeps getting better.

The next morning, Huff and Puff both went out with Dad exploring cafes.

Dad also took them on a tram in peak hour, by himself. It was a little tricky, but we all made it where we were trying to go.

Next stop was Phillip Island. The night we visited, 1,230 penguins made the journey from the ocean to the shore.

Photography isn’t allowed outside where the penguins are, but when they came back inside, they were very keen to look at the gift shop. Huff was hugging all the toy penguins she could find!

Puff was a little less obsessed with the toys, but really enjoyed the penguins.

They even sat down to watch the introductory video *after* the penguins had come in.

Huff was madly exploring the space, and enjoying her free popcorn (we were among the last to leave – great parenting we know).

The next morning after everyone had some sleep, we went out to write some postcards about our trip so far.

We saw the pelicans being fed at San Remo (just off Phillip Island).

We went to the chocolate factory on Phillip island and learned how chocolate is made.

We had a family photo together.

We went to a koala sanctuary. Dad didn’t actually explain about drop-bears to them.

Another highlight was Churchill Island – a working, historical farm open to tourists. It’s definitely on the re-visit list.

There was still a bit of time for sitting at home. The kids watched some television, especially in the mornings.

Our last day Puff took his chess-playing skills outdoors.

We went to Amaze and things, looked at a lot of optical illusions, and finished off with the epic wooden maze.

It took a lot of effort to get through the maze. Not sure if Huff understood why we were celebrating, but Dad and Puff certainly were.

The kids didn’t fully understand why they were standing on a rock looking worried, but this seemed a good way to capture the optical illusions we’d experienced.

Puff spotted another chess-playing table in the restaurant afterwards, so we played one last game.

We stopped at the information centre on our way off Phillip Island to get a few more postcards, and give the kids one last stretch before the 4-hour drive to Lakes Entrance. Huff and Puff were making a mess with their “sherbay straws”.

After a quiet wedding anniversary dinner (with the kids) in Lakes Entrance, we slept, and then went to the Buchan Caves with the kids. They enjoyed it, but it was hard to photograph them in the low light.

It was fun walking around the national park a little bit in the gaps between the rain.

The next day we drove to Merimbula – we stopped off in Eden at the whaling museum first, and learned a little more about whales.

In Merimbula, Dad took the kids out for breakfast so that Mum could sleep in.

Huff seemed to enjoy it more than Puff.

The kids both enjoyed some frolicking on the beach – this was the very edge of Dad’s comfort zone supervising them.

Puff’s highlight of the time in Merimbula was playing mini-golf.

Yes, there was a certain amount of watching ABC-2 in pyjamas in the mornings while we were on holidays.

We managed a day-trip to Tathra and Bega. Here are the kids relaxing on some deck chairs. The Bega cheese factory was fun to visit briefly, but without the factory tour, it’s not quite the same.

We also visited Poteroo Palace, a zoo / animal sanctuary that we really enjoyed. We all had the chance to pat an echidna and a koala, and even a snake!

The kids were completely unafraid of the snake, by the way.

Merimbula also has a great little aquarium. Lots of the creatures there have been rescued from the wild, and are returned to the wild. Worth the price of admission – make sure you go during the feeding time, and get the full tour.

Leaving Merimbula we stopped at Central Tilba to walk around, see another cheese place, and even shop for some candy. This was the strangest couch we saw all holidays.

After that, we had one night in Batemans Bay, and then headed back to Sydney. Huff in particular had had enough of sleeping in random places, and we felt it was time to return her to her usual bed.

This let Puff get back to preschool, and so Mum, Dad and Huff went to some Sydney cafes.

Wednesday, we had the chance to try out a cafe that served drinking coconuts. Puff tried at first, but couldn’t finish the coconut.

So Huff stepped up to try as well.

We then went to our surprise outing for the kids – the Peppa Pig show at the Sydney Opera House. Huff loved it.

Puff was more contemplative, but was singing and dancing away by the end of the show.

The kids still had plenty of energy afterwards to run around on the purple carpet.

Puff made Dad breakfast in bed one morning, for no apparent reason.

Thursday we went to the Aquatic centre, and then out for a late dinner. The kids were pretty tired, but trooped through.

Friday was swimming lessons day. We were a bit early, so Puff had a bounce on the nearby trampoline.

He was asleep that afternoon, so Dad had a quick lunch with Huff.

Then on Saturday, Grandragon taught Puff (and Huff) how to use a cherry pipper. They were keen to use it, and to eat the cherries.

Sunday night we showed them Mary Poppins. Huff loved it, then lost concentration, then loved it again (and was singing “let’s go fly a kite” to herself the next day). Puff was a fan too: it was hard to keep him a reasonable distance from the TV set!

Tuesday night, with Dad back at work again, Mum had a short course to go to and so Dad took the kids out for dinner. They had a good time together, but it wasn’t quite the same unhurried pace as the holiday.

Overall, Dad is really glad for all the little memories and chances to spend time together that the holiday afforded.

See you next week!

A week where we had fewer photos than first thought. While Puff was at school orientation, Mum and Huff continued their tradition of babycinos and Kindermusik together. Huff was quite relaxed about it all.

Thursday was a big day, leaving our young proto-scholar very tired. Here he is napping in the car – we’re ever mindful that it could be the last time.

 

We went to Sculpture by the Sea with our friends again. For the first time, we started with both kids outside of the ergo carrier, though Huff wasn’t able to go the distance, asking to be carried about half-way through the sculptures.

Sunday morning something was said about ducks, and the next thing Dad knew, both kids were in their duck costumes, and Huff wanted to be read to.

Mum dropped in to Dad’s work on Monday with Huff for a surprise visit.

And the kids were rewarded for their good behaviour with some toys.

Next week awaits.

An unusual week. We had an old friend visiting from overseas, so Dad took a day off to watch the kids, so that Mum could catch up with her.

But first, some mother-daughter time while Puff spent time at his second week’s school orientation. 

Friday was the day for Dad to look after the kids. We had breakfast together at Circa in Parramatta, where Puff wanted to read all of the menu.

Huff wasn’t as interested in reading the menu so much, preferring the hook clip at the top of the clipboard to play with.

While Dad was paying the bill, the kids were trying out the different hats. This one seemed to work pretty well on Puff, even if it was a bit big.

 

After a trip to the local library, where we picked up a lot of books, Dad also took them to swimming lessons (they’re getting much better and more confident at swimming), but he still needs more practice trying to tie up Huff’s hair.

After swimming Dad took the kids out for lunch. They were really well behaved, especially given how busy the day had been! Impressively, Puff remembered having been to this cafe before, when he was three. The staff didn’t recognise him.

Saturday we spent time with the wider family as a belated celebration for Mum’s birthday.

On Sunday, to try and overcome some challenges we’d had with Puff’s behaviour, Dad and Puff walked to church, and then after church another couple of suburbs. It was a hot day, so we stopped for slurps on the way through.

Oh, and Huff had her first ever haircut. Do you think she enjoyed it?

Another busy week, but we managed to fit in quite a bit of family time. Huff continues her interest in Octonauts – she’s been playing with a toy stethoscope, and carrying Peso around in her stroller, then checking his heart to make sure it’s okay.

Puff had his first day of school orientation this week. To celebrate, Dad took him out for gelato – he was pretty excited about the gelato, but really the whole experience of school was a good one.

Here’s the craft that he did in orientation. I feel like one of those parents sharing every little drawing, but this one is a bit of a milestone, so I don’t mind sharing it.

Friday night Mum came and picked up Dad from work, and we went out for dinner in Chinatown. The kids were a bit tired, but they perked up at the prospect of going out to get ice cream.

We went to N2, where they make the ice cream in front of you with liquid nitrogen – we felt like bad parents keeping the kids out so late, but they really enjoyed it.

Saturday we had a birthday party in the morning, so we had the chance to play in a park. The ropes were pretty far apart, so he was hesitating at first, but he managed some serious climbing by the end.

After a while, Huff turned up to the party, and they both played around this play equipment. Huff was pretending she had a shop underneath the climbing area, and was selling “money” and “sailing boats”. It was a bit tricky scrunching underneath the space, but worth it for some early commerce.

Here are the kids at church – proof for the future that they would spontaneously get along when they were little. Hope we don’t need to prove it to them!

Later on the Sunday, they had a chance to sit on a friend’s motorbike. Puff was keen, but Huff wasn’t sure.

One last photo – we went out for gelato, and had the chance to take a little group photo.

Onward: three more weeks of school orientation to go!

Lots of little things this week – the kids surprising Dad for a coffee, and then running out of time so we were getting takeaways. Here’s a smiley babycino.

Mum gave the kids some treats this week. They were pretty happy with their Angry Birds candies, though Puff managed to save one for Dad. He was very excited to have “a surprise for Dad”, which was very cute.

Later in the week, the kids had a choice between a craft surprise and a food surprise. There was reportedly some attempts on Puff’s path to solve the Prisoner’s dilemma, but when it became clear that getting one each and then sharing the other was not going to happen, they each chose a food surprise. There was a bit of a mix-up with the ordering, and they ended up with quite large drinks.

Saturday morning, to give Mum a chance at a sleep in, Dad took Huff and Puff out for a “toast picnic” to feed the ducks. It was hard work lifting Huff up above the fence so she could drop the bread over the fence, but we all had a lot of fun.

Puff sent Huff into another room so they could play hide and seek. He ran into this room with his doona, and hid underneath it in the middle of the floor. Huff came in, and went straight to the doona and looked under it. It took some time convincing him that she hadn’t cheated.

We also managed a trip down to Wollongong to see Pixel and Aunty C&J, and baby E. Pixel was a favourite.

After church on Sunday and a trip to meet baby C, the kids were pretty tired, so we aimed to have a quiet Monday – we went out for a cafe breakfast. Huff was eating a poached egg with toast soldiers like a champ. Both of them were very well behaved.

Puff asked if Mum’s coffee was a cold press or a cold drip, which impressed the cafe proprietor.

See you next week!

A quiet little week. After lots of consecutive nights out, Dad has been trying to spend some more time with the kids, fitting it in where possible. Here are the kids enjoying a little playground.

Early in the mornings, Puff has been looking for different things to do. One morning Dad and Puff managed a game of Kerplunk. Puff won by a considerable margin.

Later in the week, Dad and the kids made bread together. Fives were a popular shape.

The kids wanted to be cats – Mum did a great job making Puff into a green cat

And, to avoid any arguments, Huff into a yellow cat.

On the spur of the moment, on a trip south, we stopped at the Buddhist temple south of Wollongong to have a look around. We had some rather complex questions about alternate faiths to field, and stopped at the top of a very windy hill to ring this bell. Huff didn’t like the wind, but posing with her brother seemed to calm her down quite a bit.

There was still room for a little bit of screen time. When the Octonauts came on TV, Puff ran to get his and Huff’s Octonaut toys so they could sit on their couches and watch TV.

See you next week!

Not many photos this week, despite some extra time with the kids – maybe we’re finally breaking the cellphone addiction? Seems unlikely. 

Dad made some biscuits dough, and Huff helped shape it. See if you can tell which ones were hers.

Puff is looking after some silkworms during the preschool holidays, which means Mum has been sourcing a lot of mulberry leaves from around the place.

One unexpected event at swimming this week was Huff learning to surf on a turtle. Puff was a bit disappointed at not getting a chance to try, but he’s been sick over the weekend, so he needed to have a break from swimming lessons this week.

And that’s about it for this week. 

This week we had a couple of days’ mini-break amidst the usual busyness. Huff is loving having her own duck costume. Here she is flapping away happily.

Both Huff and Puff like to dress as ducks – here they are patting Bandit, who is liking the attention.

The kids still get pretty tired during the day sometimes. Most of the time Puff will push through, but Huff still likes to sleep in the late morning or early afternoon..

This weekend Dad took a day off on a Friday and we all headed to the Blue Mountains for an overnighter. First stop was a cafe in Parramatta for a late breakfast. Puff and Huff had babycinos while Simpkin (the cat) looked on.

Once at the caves (we spent some time explaining to Huff that there were no bears in the caves), the kids were happy to sit and be photographed. We had a picnic lunch in the carpark, as there were a few too many birds lurking around the picnic area looking for a snack.

The caves were beautiful as always, and the kids really enjoyed exploring them, within the constraints we provided them.

Dad was worried they wouldn’t be able to handle all the stairs, and carried the ergo carrier around for a while, but most of the time, Huff made it by herself.

The kids were pretty exhausted after all the walking, and Huff had her first full night in a proper bed.

The next morning, Dad and Puff went off in search of a cafe – we found one that was listed in a cafe guide.

After breakfast in Katoomba, we went to Scenic World. They’ve changed their pricing structure, so we could only buy a ticket to go on all the different rides they have. Here we all are about to go down the 52 degree incline railway. Everyone enjoyed it – we were careful to talk Huff through the upcoming “dark” bit, and she was happy to wait for the light to come back in.

Down at bushwalking level, Huff and Puff had a great time walking around the walkway – they kept playing hide and seek with each other and shouting “boo”! Huff still thinks if she closes her eyes then no-one can see her, which can be funny to watch.

Huff continues to have a wicked sense of humour. Though she knows the word for the first meal of the day is “breakfast”, she insists on calling it “breffkist”, even when carefully schooled to the contrary, and then giggles. 

Some slightly evolving habits this week. We’re starting to see some more enthusiasm for duplo and lego in the kids.

Puff is pretty keen on Lego this week – he’ll concentrate step by step and build fairly complex vehicles. Dad is glad to see Puff so interested in something that he enjoyed as a boy.

Huff had a blueberry smoothie in a cup. Maybe she’s not entirely ready.

Puff was having some fun with his remote control car.

Huff found this toy at a friend’s house. This was her reaction when I told her it was called a “witch’s hat”.

She’s continuing to express her independence – she already insists on brushing her own teeth (new this week) – she does a pretty good job.

With Puff at preschool, Mum brought Huff in to have lunch with Dad, but then she slept through almost the whole thing.

She managed to wake up eventually and have some chips. 

Huff is developing her personality. She’s strong-willed, fiercely independent, but still needs the occasional cuddle from Mum or Dad. She can count to 12, but is often too shy to try it.

Puff is more and more confident with other kids. He tends to think the best of people, which is generally a good thing. It’s hard to know the best way to teach him that not everyone in the world will be trustworthy. We’re treading carefully at the moment.

Everyone was starting to feel healthier this week. Huff and Puff were well enough to do some water play.

Huff and Puff visited Dad at work this week, with some cupcakes to keep Puff’s birthday celebrations going.

Here are Huff and puff working on Father’s Day cards for Dad.

Saturday night we went to a friend’s house for a BBQ. There was a fire in the backyard, and the kids learned how to cook marshmallows on sticks.

There was also a hammock. Huff was loving it.

Dad had to work on Saturday, so missed out on some time with the kids, so Dad, Huff and Puff sat down near the fire to look at some videos.

Sunday was Father’s Day. Dad was very spoilt.

Even Doc was a bit spoilt.

The next day was a trip to Masters (like Bunnings). The giant trolley was a big hit.

We’re searching for some things for Puff to do that don’t involve screens. Playing with the lego he received for his birthday has been popular, though Huff is still learning how much she’s allowed to help. We’ve had some success distracting her with the Duplo.

Father’s day was a good opportunity to think back on all the amazing things that the kids have brought to Dad’s life, and be thankful for them.