Exploring the sights and tastes of Sydney

A few weeks ago we finally made plans with friends to go to Cabramatta, a suburb west of Sydney with a strong Vietnamese population. The plan was to meet in the afternoon and just wander around and look at the shops before having an early dinner. The group expanded to 8 adults, 1 child, 4 toddlers and 1 baby. Our friend, Linda, took us on an eating expedition of Vietnamese cuisine and drinks. We started off the with pork or chicken rolls which are fresh Vietnamese rolls filled with either roast chicken or pork meat, pate and your choice of fresh vegetables such as carrots and coriander. From there we moved onto drinks with choices being an avocado shake, soursop or a crushed ice with 8 different fruit fillers and syrup. The next stop was the dessert shop which sold desserts very similar to Chinese desserts such as red bean. Walking around the main shopping district of Cabramatta brought back memories of the fresh markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai, the smells are the same, the floors are wet from the ice or fresh fish tanks....ahhhhhh, not sure if I really miss that! After our food tour, we still had space for an early dinner where Linda and Claire proceeded to order for us...fresh spring rolls, prawn crackers with mince topping, pho, Vietnamese salad, fried rice....the food was so good and it would've probably been a really good meal out if the toddlers weren't over-tired, hungry and cranky. But the outing was fun and the company was good and the food was delicious.

Climbing the Cabramatta turtle

Enjoying an avocado shake

Hanging out with her buddy Sebby

The kids took over our drinks

Sebby, Taylor and Ava sharing a soursop drink

The Vivid Light Festival ran for two weeks and just finished on Monday. We have been trying to go for the last four years and every year Row tells me how awesome the lights are because he worked in the city or in North Sydney and crossed the Harbour Bridge to come home. This year we decided to make the effort to go in case baby no.3 prevents us from going next year. A plus was the weather was really warm for the first weekend of Vivid so we took advantage and bussed it into the city to meet Linda, Albert and Sebby and braved the crowds. We started off with a quick dinner in Martin's Place and then enjoyed the light displays starting in Martin Place and then walking down to Circular Quay to see the lights on the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sydney Opera House and ending off at Customs House. The kids were really good, it had been a long day, and there was so much for them to do that they enjoyed the lights and didn't feel tired until we got on the bus to come home. 

The growing tree

A cube in the shape of a face and you could have someone's face projected off it

A light structure built like a dome

An interactive light playground where the kids could run on the circles and they would light up 

Museum of Contemporary Art

Sydney Opera House

Customs House

Milestones in May

Two big things happened in May...Justin turned 5 and Ava started daycare. 

After our trip back from SA, it took us a while to get over the jet lag and into routine so by the time I realised we needed to start planning Justin's birthday party, I was already in a flat panic. After I took a breath and calmed myself down, I decided to postpone Justin's party by a week and we would just have the family over for his actual birthday. Row found an indoor trampoline place, quite by chance, so I booked his party for there. Quickly sent invitations to only his daycare buddies and hoped and prayed that most of his friends would be able to make it with only 1 week notice...and thankfully all but 1 could make it. On Justin's actual birthday he had a chocolate cake with blue icing (as per his request) to share with his friends at daycare. His classmates all helped make a birthday card for him and signed it or drew a picture for him. He was so chuffed when he saw that! I made ribs and roast sweet potatoes and potatoes for dinner and invited Bg, Louise, Candice and Barry. Poor Ava never made it to the cake time but Justin got to enjoy a cupcake after we had sang to him and he blew out candles. For this birthday I ordered Ben10 cupcakes and Ben10 lolly cookies instead of giving lolly bags. The indoor trampoline place organised the food and drinks and entertained the kids for an hour. I thought 1 hour of jumping wouldn't be much but the kids had so much fun and were quite pooped afterwards. For once, I was not tired after a birthday party. Thank you to everyone who sent Justin birthday wishes for his 5th birthday and for all the gifts he received, he really is blessed to be surrounded by loving family and friends. 

Justin finally got his TMNT Lego

Blowing out his candles

Poor Ava was in bed by the time we sang Happy Birthday

Ava enjoying the indoor trampolines

Justin jumping into the foam pit

Being sung to by his mates

The Ben10 lolly cookie

We took the plunge and enrolled Ava into daycare, the same one as Justin. She started mid May and will be going twice a week. The week before she officially started, I went in with her for two mornings so she could play with the other kids and get use to her surroundings and her teachers. On her first day she was so eager and happy, totally clueless about what lay ahead. She walked into the school pulling her little trolley bag, big smile on the face! Not a tear, no screaming or shouting and happily said good bye and waved me off.I, on the other hand, managed to hold back the tears until I got back to the car...and I realised how much my baby has grown and how independent she is and I had to have a good cry. But on her second day, she realised what going to daycare entails and the crying started. Poor little nunu is still trying to settle in, she still cries at drop off and is only too eager to leave when she sees me in the afternoons. She quickly says good bye to her teachers and friends, grabs her bag, blankie and water bottle and makes for the door. She is so unsettled that she doesn't even eat lunch and Ava enjoys her food! On the bright side, she does have good naps at school and also participates in the class activities, albeit a bit teary, and plays with the toys. Let's hope she settles in quickly.