Kiama Getaway

The last 6 weeks has brought about many changes and they just seem to keep happening. First, we welcomed a new addition to the family and then Row passed his final actuarial exam making him a qualified actuary. Row also finished off at MLC which meant Justin had his last day at his daycare because it was the corporate daycare ( Row and I were very sad about this as Justin loves his daycare, loves his teachers and made a really good friend called Hugo). More changes happening - Row starts his new job on Monday and we're waiting for confirmation from Justin's new daycare regarding start dates. So, to catch our breath and spend some quality family time before the madness begins, we decided to go to Kiama for the week. 

This last minute booking sent us into a flat spin, packing for a newborn, a little boy and two adults. Shew, lucky mom and dad agreed to go away with us because the amount of stuff we took with filled up two car boots. Leaving home was quite stressful, trying to pack, wash dirty dishes and time Ava's feed. We finally hit the road at about 11am and planned to stop in the Royal National Park for lunch. Lunch was supposed to be a nice little picnic in the RNP but due to lack of planning, we had to settle for buying pies and chips at a little cafe. Ava slept through the whole of lunch and didn't manage to wake up for a feed before we resumed our drive. Luckily, the soothing motion of the car kept her asleep for the hour long car ride to Kiama. 

This time we rented a smaller house called Beachbumz near to the beach. It was a nice size house beautifully decorated. Mom and dad slept in the main room and the four of us slept in the second bedroom; Justin on the top bunk, Row and I on the bottom double bed and Ava in a camp cot...what can I say, we're a tight-knit close family ;)

I wouldn't necessarily describe the holiday as relaxing...I wouldn't even call it a holiday but it was nice to get out of Sydney for a bit. We explored the town's shops, took Justin to the playground and beach, took a scenic drive along the coast and explored a nearby town called Bowral and did a coastal walk.

Now to get ready for the changes and the challenges that it will bring us.....

Chilling on the sundeck

The coastal walk

Our gorgeous crazy son

Our home for the week

Ava's 1 month old!

Friends who have had their second child warned me that time seems to go by even faster with the second child...I'm still stunned at how quickly it really does. I can still remember very clearly, every detail of the night before Ava was born, when my labour started leading up to the birth of our beautiful angel. And now she's one month old!!!!

As per Chinese tradition, we held a moon yuet for Ava to celebrate her being one month. Part of the festivities include dyeing eggs red and eating it with pickled ginger. We chose a Chinese restaurant in North Sydney and asked mom and dad to help choose the menu. We dyed the eggs red and packaged them in little boxes decorated with pretty ribbon to give to our guests. 

The food was delicious and the company was great. Ava was a star, fussing a little before passing out and sleeping through most of her moon yuet. Most of the guests got to carry her while she just slept. 

Dyeing the eggs

Pretty packaging

Justin enjoying a red egg

The guest of honour