Rushed recap of the last 10 days, without icecream

 We got home yesterday! Lovely visit to all the extended family in and around Adelaide. I have photos, but limited time, so they will have to come later.

Friday the 21st (I think? Yes.) we drove the 11-ish hours to Nanna’s house. We encountered lots of road works, but we had lots of yummy drinks whenever we stopped so that was good. Ash was pretty well behaved, she got sick of it towards the end but we all were done. I think she cried whenever she was placed in the car seat but yeah, understandable. She didn’t eat much, which means at one point I had to dump out her water and manually express some milk both so I wasn’t in pain, and so she could actually consume something. We got to Nanna’s with enough time to eat and go to bed.

Don’t think we did much on Saturday the 22nd. I could get Jake’s memory book to help me remember, but then Ash would see me and my free time would be over. I think I read a lot of trashy magazines, and that’s about it. We had to watch Ashley constantly at Nanna’s place, lots of sharp corners and dangerous things within her reach, like a always-plugged-in fan. The beds in the room we stayed in have metal edges and I cut my toe one day. Ash slept on a mattress between our two single beds. She would wake up in the night and sit up so I had to be on high alert even in my sleep because if she was too close to the edge of her mattress she would topple to the side and bonk her head. It was convenient for her to be there because I could easily climb down to her bed, or pull her up to mine.

Sunday the 23rd was probably a nothing day again. I say probably, but I think I mean definitely. It may have been the day it was 42 degrees (107F).

On Monday we met up with Amanda (littleredheart) and Daniel. Which was awesome. We met them at the end of the tram line in Glenelg. We had a lovely lunch (I had an awesome bbq chicken w/ pineapple pizza, so freakin awesome) and then went for a walk along the beach for a bit. We took Ashley onto the beach so she could have her first experience with sand and the ocean. She loved the hard sand and hated the water. A bit more wandering, a yummy dessert of icecream (bubblegum icecream with freckles and nerds!), and somehow 3 hours had gone by and it was time to say goodbye. Hopefully we’ll meet up with them again, they are both lovely people and having read Amanda for years, it was just like catching up with old friends. I’m interested to find out how they liked the random candy gift we gave them (a bunch of things you can’t get here… although as it turns out you can get junior mints… but whatever). Jake and I got sunburnt because we were idiots who forgot to protect ourselves. I got a slight touch on my arms, but my husband got as dark as his diary on the back of his neck and the top of his head. Perils of being a red-head.

Christmas day was pretty lowkey. The boys (Dad, Matty, Natey) were flying over at 3pm, so we didn’t do much until they showed up. Mum’s cousin also joined us for gifts and dinner. Ashley got thoroughly spoiled, her favourite things are her 7 new rubber duckies. Dinner was chicken, prawns, random salads, with a pavlova from the cheesecake shop for dessert. Ashley wore a hat from a bonbon for a little while, until she decided to rip it up. She looked so cute in the massive hat.

Boxing day was lunch with Mum’s side of the family, and as always Aunty Yvonne did an awesome job. Ashley got admired by many. She would look at my cousin Adam with the strangest look on her face, he has a MASSIVE beard and looks kinda freaky. At meal time, Ash wore another hat. And stole my peas, and some of my turkey. I don’t know how much she ate but she did throw a lot on the ground. 

Once we got home, Dad, Mum, Natey and I took Ash to the beach for her first PREPARED visit. She still didn’t like the ocean, but it was nice and warm. She was happy to be in Mum’s arms and sing at the sea though, so that was something. 

Thursday the 27th we went to Port Pirie to see my aunts, cousin and her little girl. Christine was very sick so Dad and Aunty Denise had to take her to the hospital (she had a bowel obstruction, she’s still in the hospital), so the rest of us just sat around back at her place opening presents. Ash got this awesome tasmanian devil stuffed toy, it is so cute but so realistic too. I got this horrendously strongly scented rose lotion set. I don’t know where that is going. I don’t think I can take it home, it will stink up the entire suitcase and possibly the plane! We were going to go to the beach without the bub so we could have a proper swim time (Natey and I dressed only for knees-and-lower to get wet the previous day) but we got home at about 7 or 7:30 so again it was just enough time for food and then bed.

Friday the boys flew home. Mum, Jake, Ashley, Nanna and I went to Nanna’s local coffee place for breakfast. It was pretty good. The waitress kept coming over to pinch Ashley’s chubby arms. 

Saturday the 29th I… painted my nails. I think that is it. In the evening I packed all our stuff up so I could help Mum pack all the rest. 

Sunday we drove home. 8:30 until 7:30. I didn’t eat at Nanna’s, so when we got to Tailem Bend we had actual breakfast. Mum had been planning on grabbing something and driving on but I wanted a ham & cheese croissant and a chocolate milkshake. It was SO GOOD. They have a nice little couch at the place we stop at so I fed Ashley there. Sometime during the week Mum had found pull up diapers for Ash so we used them while travelling which made everything SO MUCH EASIER. Just stand her up, quickly change and bam. No needing to make sure things are clean and maybe comfy so we can lay her down for a change. Nappy pants (as they are called here) are the best things ever!

We were going to have lunch at Kaniva but they had NO FOOD. Nhill had only drinks. We didn’t get our lunch until 5pm when we got to Ararat. I got to drive from Bordertown until Ararat, so that was awesome. We had lots of chatting time because the cd player was being a hole and not playing the John Lennon cd (Ash’s favourite, it guaranteed to calm her down). Lunch was a scrummy meat pie. Mum drove the rest of the way, we got home at 7:30, Ash was in bed by 9 and… aah. It is nice to be back. Ash was SO GOOD for the drive home, no crying when put in her car seat, she slept most of the way… it was only from Ararat when she was wide awake that was a little annoying (I was starting to feel sick in the stomach, I don’t like being in the back seat much anymore) so she did pretty great!

As for this last day of the year, Mum and I took Ash grocery shopping. Other than that, it has been super lazy. Both boys are out at parties (although Natey is possibly just at his buddy’s place) and we will probably all be in bed before the new year hits. If I get a chance once Ash goes to bed I will add some photos to here but if not, they can be their own entry another day.

Almost forgot! Ash has expanded her vocabulary. Other than saying "Nanna go up" when Nanna stood up (holy crap, is that early for a sentence?) she says Dada, hi (including "hi dad" or "hi mama"), bird, magpie, up, please… I’m sure there is more, Mum might note and fill in the blanks.

I hope 2013 is wonderful to you.