Motherhood…that’s what it’s all about!

I have been having ‘moments’ lately. ‘Moments’ that make me stop and think, ‘Oh my God, what has happened to me?’

I suppose being, what the medical profession endearingly call, of ‘an advanced maternal age’, I had more time than some to become more set in my ways before being initiated into the world of parenting.  So much so that these ‘moments’ often bring me to a screeching halt, asking of myself…is this what this mothering gig is all about and why didn't anyone warn me?

Just let me put these notions to you and see if you know what I mean...

1. You feel it is necessary to animatedly discuss subjects such as haemorrhoids, nipple cracking, constipation and flatus with anyone who cares to listen and even those who don't.
2. You think that discussing bowel movements is acceptable dinner party conversation.
3. Romantic time with your partner is now subsumed by conversation around the price of nappies at Coles this week.
4. All of a sudden you start to refer to yourself as ‘mummy’ and your partner as ‘daddy’ and your mother as ‘grandma’.
5. You think any movie screening on free to air and out of prime time season is a new release.
6. You keep a second fridge downstairs full of milk and frozen bread, just to have that conveniently located corner store feeling.
7. You keep a tube of antibacterial waterless hand wash in your handbag for those escaped faeces moments.
8. You have thought long enough about point 7 to do something about it.
9. You can’t remember the last time you read a book that wasn’t illustrated.
10. You spontaneously burst into song whilst rocking down the aisles of the shopping centre…’wiggerly woo, wiggerly woo, let’s all do the wiggerly woo’
11. You know the names of all of the toys and presenters on Playschool.
12. You think the maker of ‘In the Night Garden’ clearly had a drug problem.
13. You seriously consider replacing the child’s birthday with annual celebrations of parenthood.
14. Your iPhoto gallery is completely focused on one event…the child.
15. You can’t relieve yourself without a short person helpfully proffering wipes.
16. You have to pack three bags every time you venture out of the house; a food bag, a toy bag and a nappy bag; as if you were heading into the wilds of Borneo for 6 months.

But then…you know you have hit rock bottom when you hear yourself saying what you always said you would never say if you ever had kids…those golden moments when you become your own mother!

How many times do I have to tell you…

Do that again and you’ll know about it…

I’ve told you once…

Try that again, madam, and…

That’s it!

Precious moments that will live long in our memories…and no doubt will repeat themselves in the next generation.

Travelling tots tips

From our experience, when travelling to Europe, there is a whole different approach to baby shopping!  General baby supplies are mostly available at larger grocery stores but these are not always easily found in the centre of major cities.  Pharmacies (apotheke) do not as a rule sell nappies etc – they sell medicines and drugs only. Conversely, ‘drug stores’, such as Rossmores and DM, do generally stock some baby supplies, but not medicines or drugs!  One DM store that we went into was next door to our hotel in Berlin.  Being a drug store, it stocked mostly toiletries, perfumes, cosmetics, vitamins etc.  It did have a small baby section with a limited selection of nappies, but what impressed us was right in the middle of the baby section was a change table and complimentary nappies and wipes!

The range of nappies was quite surprising.  Clearly Australia has a huge market for disposable nappies.  Every store we tried overseas only stocked two brands of nappies (usually some sort of generic one, as well as another more recognisable brand, usually Pampers).  The size range was mostly limited to two, new born and other. The sizes covered a huge weight range, unlike Australia where there is different size for every milestone; crawlers, toddlers, walkers, juniors, teenagers, middle age, geriatric.  You will also quickly notice that they are gender neutral, not like the ever stereotyped pink and blue boxes we get at home!  I have to say though, the three different types we tried were nowhere near as good as our ever-popular Huggies!  

Back to that burning issue of where to sit on the plane...from our recent experiences we have had a change of tune. Despite the short one being too big for the bassinettes on the planes, these bulkhead seats afford you much more legroom and I think, are a better option.  

The armrests do not lift so you can’t stretch out much, but the reality is you can’t anyway if your flight is full.  Standard seats (non-bulkhead) give you absolutely no legroom and the added benefit of moveable armrests gives you no relief in this regard, unless of course your legs sprout from your armpits.  When the seat in front is reclined you literally are pinned in with nowhere to move.  During the two flight sectors that we were in standard seats, the short one found it very difficult to get comfortable (and as a result so did we!)  The challenge here is she is just under the 2 year old age cut off where babies can still sit on your lap to fly, but she is too big for the bassinette and too big to comfortably nurse.

Short one decorating daddy in-flight

Still, we take comfort in the knowledge that the next time we fly (in 6 months time), she will have to have her own seat.  No option!

Next time we fly?

What?

Have you completely lost your mind?