Tag: sunny weather

Categories
3 years and beyond Feeling Frumpy Katoomba and Weather

A walk in sunshine and rain

Woke up to nice sunny, hot weather, about time I hear you say. It feels like the rain has set in and will never leave.  Very worried about autumn and of course winter. Living in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, it gets very cold. If it continues this wet weather we will be in for a cold and wet winter. This is not something I enjoy. I love summer, but not when it is wet and gloomy. So as it was sunny and warm, I made the most of it.  I organised the girls to get in the pram, packed us up and I walked into town, well Katoomba that is.

As I have been meaning to do some exercise, it was nice that the weather was so nice.   So all 3 of us were out and about for a walk, well mummy was walking and huffing and puffing some of the way. It is hard to push the pram with it all stocked with 2 little people on board now. I suppose this helps with the exercise, so I shouldn’t complain.  We finally got to the shops, I dropped of daddies shirts at the cleaners, then we went off to check the post office for a parcel we are expecting went to the bakery and purchased cheese and bacon rolls for the girls, then off to Coles to get some shopping.

On the way back the pram was packed up well with all the shopping plus the girls. It was getting black and dark. There was a big black cloud getting darker and darker. We heard loud thunder and I thought I had to speed up to get us home. I had a bit of walking to do. The whole idea now of taking the pram seemed like a stupid idea. How will I ever get back in time.

I managed to get down Station Street and if you know that street it is all downhill. I jogged with the pram all the way down that street. I was trying to make up some time to get us home quickly. However that did not help a great deal, just around the corner from the house it started to rain, thunder and lightning seemed to be getting worse and felt very close. I was trying to keep up with the jogging but could not, ended up fast walking. This was met with sadness from the girls as they liked me going fast and really enjoyed the speed. Pity it was not something I could keep doing. Maybe after more sessions jogging or fast walking I could do that, only if the weather would permit.

We managed to get home, wet and I was so exhausted. I got the girls out of the pram, put the pram under cover, and opened the house. Made sure all windows were closed and then raced outside to get the clothes off the line.

Have you ever been caught by the weather? Has it made it difficult if you had kids with you? What did you do? I did think of getting a taxi or bus, however you would have to wait for that and the likelihood is that the rain would have been worse by this stage. After we were all indoors it bucketed down. I also learnt that there were weather warnings for hail and severe thunderstorms in the area. We were very lucky to get home when we did. If I had known that would have happened, I would have taken the car.  Although every time I do and it ends up a nice sunny day, I kick myself for not going out and exercising and enjoying the weather while we can.

Categories
3 years and beyond Katoomba and Weather Potty Training Pre-School

Too Easy

The girls successfully have completed their first week at pre-school. They both had a great time, however Julia took a bit of work to get organised in the mornings to get out the door. Julia decided that she did not like her shirt, shoes, did not want her hair brushed and dealt with this by falling down in the hallway screaming and crying. Once out the door and at school she was fine. I am thinking it is due to the new schedule and the change from childcare to pre-school. I could be wrong, she was doing this before, and so it could just be a stage.

Today was the first day not at school this week so we all went to playgroup. It was a wonderful change in the weather to have blue skies and sunshine and currently still do. Crossing fingers it lasts more than a day. Due to the good weather, I have done about 3 loads of washing, clothes are on the line and we all walked to playgroup. Well, mummy walked the girls were in the pram. Although the girls are big enough to walk, it is easier to take the pram. The girls end up getting tired and I cannot carry everything with me. When we go, I bring their potties as there is only one toilet, what to do if someone is in it and one of the girls or both need to go? So I take our own. Better to be organised.

The other mums were asking me, and the girls how they went at pre-school this week. Anna asked Julia and Lillian, and then Lillian said, “It is too easy”.  I thought that was very funny coming from them as this is the first week at the new school, however on Wednesday the teachers were giving them tasks to learn about the colours or at least see if they know them. Both girls know all their colours so it was no big thing for them. They were also asked to put a pink block tower back together once the teacher took it apart.  They had water play, painting and collage. So at this stage it is possibly easy. Not sure what else is in store for them this term, but I am sure there will be other things that they have never done, that won’t be “too easy”. Or maybe it is for them, who knows, we will see.

Yesterday Julia wanted to put her seat belt on in the car all by herself, and gets annoyed when it does not happen. She ends up twisting the straps so it makes it impossible to get it clicked in place no matter who long she struggles with it. She gets in such a mood that I cannot show her how to sort the straps out. She does not want me to touch it as that is considered mummy fixing it and she wants to do it. She yells, screams and cries, “I want to do it, me, let me!!!”, however you cannot just stand there for hours waiting for a seat belt to be done up. Lillian the other day has figured it out.  It does not help that she says proudly “I did it”.

The new pre-school fosters independence which is good, but as Julia had this breakdown with the seat belt 3 times yesterday I was so over independence. Just let me do it, so that we can get going. It is a pity that the mood she gets in she will not listen to what I am saying, I am happy that she tries to do it, however I need to show her how and then I am happy to watch her do it, but not when it is all wrong and never going to work.

Both girls are now able to get in and out of the pram themselves. They can put their seat belts on and Lillian can take her’s off as well. Julia can put it on but has some trouble getting it off, this will change in time. It is nice that you can tell the girls to go into the pram and get their seat belts on and they do. Very relaxing indeed.

Let’s hope that school is “too easy” for the girls, and they do well. This might change when they move to big school in 2014, or at least to harder concepts at the pre-school.

Does your child want to do things by themselves? Is it easy for them or do they struggle? Are they doing some things better than others? How do you manage with the child/children trying to do things themselves when you need to be out the door for an appointment? I usually take over if I need to be somewhere and deal with the tantrums and screams.

Categories
3 years and beyond Family

More sunny adventures

Yes another sunny wonderful day today, I am very proud of myself that I managed to do 2 loads of laundry before we left the house and nearly all was dry when we got home.

As it was sunny, we thought that we would take off to Australia Walkabout Park, we had a Cudo voucher that was going to expire. I bought it thinking that it would be great for the girls to see all different animals in their habitat. I am so glad that the weather was good and we were able to use the voucher before it expired. We raced around, got ready and packed our bag.

Julia was out of sorts all day, and we think it was due to the heat, she was moody, wanting cuddles and everything was an issue. Lillian seemed fine.  My car has no air conditioning and we think it needs to be re gassed, it has to wait currently so we aired the car with the windows down. Not great, but it works, the only annoying part is when you have to stop it gets very hot.

We finally arrived to the wildlife park at about 1pm and all had some lunch. The girls saw an emu or two walking around the eating area, and they were amazed at them. Behind the cafe is the koala enclosure and the girls could not see them moving, as they were fast asleep. After lunch we all went to the talk about the diamond python, who is called Neil, (Neil Diamond, someone at this park has a sense of humour). The girls were not interested in touching the snake, petting it, or have it pretend you were a tree and lounge on you. I was not into it and was happy to look also. There were some brave kids and adults that allowed their body to be a tree for Neil the snake. I just could not do it. This idea got met with “NO, YUCK!” by both the girls. So I take it they feel the way I do and so does daddy about this. Happy to watch.

After this we all went off for a bit of a bush walk and ended up at the Tasmanian Devil talk. These creatures definitely should not be messed with, they have heaps of teeth that seriously could do you some damage. Since the weather was very hot, they were not that keen in coming out from their cool log. There was a brief moment when one came out with the coaxing from the ranger with meat and holding the devil in a position that was not cruel but would not allow the animal to eat the ranger either.

We saw koalas being fed, emus, the girls saw kangaroo’s eating and they patted them and were very taken with them. We made sure that they were safe and was around just in case. All in all it was a good day; it was long and a tiring day, the girls saw and animals and had a great experience. So glad it was hot, a taste of what summer should have been. I wonder if we will get more weather like this.

I have only now checked the weather for the week ahead. What a sad state of affairs, the follow is the predication for the week ahead (weather taken from Sydney Morning Herald Weather):

Monday
Late shower
Min: 15°C Max: 24°C
UV: Extreme

Tuesday
Possible shower
Min: 12°C Max: 18°C
UV: Extreme

Wednesday
Possible shower
Min: 12°C Max: 17°C
UV: Extreme

Thursday
Possible shower
Min: 12°C Max: 16°C
UV: Extreme

Friday
Showers
Min: 10°C Max: 16°C
UV: Extreme

Saturday
Showers
Min: 10°C Max: 16°C
UV:

Sunday
Possible shower
Min: 10°C Max: 17°C
UV: –

How disappointing that the weekend is probably the only sunny warm weather that we might have in a while. Let’s hope that the weather people have got it wrong.

When we came home from the wildlife park, I changed the sheets on our bed and the girls beds. Now the only washing I have to do is the sheets and some clothes from today. So that is good news. Aside from sorting, ironing and putting away.

There are 3 more days until the girls go to pre-school orientation; I am so excited that you would think it is me going to school. I hope it is a fun time at the school, not sure what will be discussed and shown for future students, but keen to find out. Now need to get my finger out and start the sewing project for their pants.

I hope you all had good adventures this weekend and that the weather was good. I hope that the weather is going to be sunny and warm tomorrow, I will hope for it. What did you all get up to this weekend? We managed to find some A3 paper from Officeworks this weekend for the kid’s art, so maybe tomorrow we will paint or draw. What have you got organised?