I had one very basic thought...

We spent Sunday at the beach. Just packed the car with a moments notice, drove an hour and plonked ourselves on the sand for the whole day.

We stayed until tea time, ate fish and chips and then drove home and put the kids to bed.

This week, Immy will start school. Deep inside I have those 'my baby is growing up' feelings.

I loved baby hood. I loved my babies. I struggled through Popps' nightmarish non sleeping years but still was pig in shit happy to have a baby.

On Sunday as we sat at the beach, a very family orientated beach, and I looked around at all the families still in the baby hood years, I had one very basic thought.

THANK FUCK THAT IS NOT ME.

There was the Mum in the car park changing the toddler in the back of the car, at that age when they don't really fit in the back of the car and really don't want to be changed.

There were Dads dragging strollers backwards across the sand, because we all know it drags on two wheels backwards best.

Mums of tiny babies with 45 bags surrounding them.

There was the Dad who asked his little boy if he needed to do a wee. The toddler nodded. Dad picked him up and had not remembered that those swimming nappies are no good for keeping in wee. Dad needed a quick swim.

Beside us was the cutest bubba boy happily playing in the sand, except when he needed to be lathered in suncream and the 47 moments his mum tried to tie his hat back on.

A baby covered in designer togs kept her parents up and about by crawling straight into the water over and over while they tried to build castles with an older child.

At afternoon nap time there was a big exodus of families, heading home for nap time.

But me?

I walked on the beach with the girls, we laid around on our towels and ate lamingtons. Mr H and Popps went walking around the rocks while Immy and I built a castle for a snake made of seaweed. We buried Immy and made her a mermaid. When the beach cooled down we drove to the next town, played at the park, ate fish and chips, played some more and finally drove home.

Days like this never happened when we were in babyhood. Or if they did, they required much more organisation from me, much more stress, more thought about the needs of the baby.

Babies are so sweet and lovely and gorgeous. They are hope, they are fun, they give so so much. Babies are hard work.

Little girls are also sweet and lovely and gorgeous. They are hope, they are fun, they give so so much. Little girls are not quite so much hard work.

So when I wave my baby off to school this week, I will be sad. I will be thinking about how she is taking a teeny step into a new world where so many other people will be there to influence her and I won't always be there to protect her.

But there are good times ahead, and I won't be carrying a nappy bag or pushing a pram during them.

Week 4: #MyFamilyandMe Broken Phone

At only week four of my personal #MyFamilyandMe challenge I have hit trouble.

Two words: DEAD PHONE.

My trusty pal, my extra limb, my life in my palm, she simply curled up her toes, switched herself off and will not be returning. I have lost my contacts, my photos that were not backed up and my connections to the world outside my home.

It's not such a bad thing. I can't check my work emails, facebook accounts, twitter, blogs, readers, ebay, text messages, instagram, and no one can call me. I have found many extra hours in the day.

So this week, my photo is a little more arty farty. It's me, it's my family, but we are faceless, I am but a shadow, capturing the moment on this magical day. The Halls Gap fires were still burning, but we visited the Halls Gap zoo and had the entire place to ourselves. We walked the with zoo keepers and got to feed and pet animals like no one else does. We got to feed ALL the deer, but these wallabies were a particular favourite. We feed them for half an hour and they sat quietly while the girls patted them and tried to coax joeys out of pouches.

It will be a couple of weeks until my phone is fixed, if you need me, you will need to act like it is 1984 and send a letter or use the home phone - if you still have one!


I love seeing all the images on instagram each week. Please remember that if you have a private account I am unable to see your images, you would need to tag me with my instagram name @Claireyhewitt and let me follow you for me to see them (not necessary but I don't want people to think I am not seeing their pics!)


Linky is open for those that like to link up.

Week 3: #MyFamilyandMe The Grampians

It's been a really big week.

Our holiday at Halls Gap has been interrupted by mother nature who became very feisty and unleashed her anger at the Grampians, causing a heatwave and fires that you don't want to be near.

To escape the heat we spent wonderful days by the water, at pools and lakes but once the fires began it was time to leave.

We had to change the plans to celebrate Popps' 8th birthday, but there was still a cake to finish the day.

It's been a week of broken car air conditioner's, driving away from fires, trying to keep cool during 45 degree days and celebrating.

And moments of me and the girls just doing the everyday. Probably the best moments. This year, they are here in full colour, not glossy professional shots, but our moments, captured forever.

For more about this yearly challenge read the My Family and Me details.

Week 2: #MyFamilyandMe The Pinnacle

It's Week 2 of #MyFamilyandMe and I am thrilled that I have made it through the challenge so far. Only 50 weeks to go.

This week we took a little walk. A walk that was going to be one where we drove to a carpark and took the short cut walk to the top of the mountain, but then the guy at the Adventurers R Us shop where we went to grab a new back pack suggested we really should try the full walk.

Make sure you go through the Grand Canyon he said. Don't miss the best bits he said. Stop as you go and you will find it easy he said.

So we did.

It is the middle of summer and it is really hot, we probably didn't have enough water with us but we had a few packs of sultanas and some Monte Carlo biscuits and we also had the promise that anyone who makes it up and back without whinging gets a DOUBLE CONE ice cream.

Up we went, over rocks, through rocks, under rocks, slipping on rocks,

Stopping for the usual photo. The type we usually take of just one of us or just the kids.

I seemed to be the weakest link and had to take a selfie to try and show what I was climbing through. During this section the girls were yelling out "Dad's bum won't fit through here!"  I was just thankful they were not yelling that Mum's bum wouldn't fit through.

See the crack of light down low behind me, that is where we came through.

We climbed and climbed, ate sultanas, rested, ate more sultanas and gazed at all the lizards.

We got to the top and Mr H made the effort and asked another couple to take a photo of us. Of course they were happy to do so and he returned the favour for them.

So here we are, week two and there is another photo for our yearly album that includes us all.

Exhausted, untidy. Together.

The Pinnacle Mountain climb (long scenic version) was 5.45kms.

Three Hours return.

It all ended with double scoops.

Link up if you are playing along on a blog, or use #MyFamilyandMe on Instagram.

Week 1: #MyFamilyandMe

I set myself the challenge of adding 52 new photos to our family albums. 52 photos of us as a family rather than just the kids or my selfies.

Thank you to the many of you who have indicated you would like to play along. Lot's of people are not bloggers, but you do have Instagram or Facebook that you are playing with or you are just wanting your own personal images for your photo albums. However you choose to join in, it all makes for a great recollection of the year in 12 months time.

We had a really pleasant, laid back, simple New Years Eve. There were fire works, and there were picnic rugs, there were glow sticks and there was Bjorn Again the Abba cover band for me to dance to, and when they threw in version of Living on a Prayer, it was just ridiculously good.

Usually I would just try and click a few photos for the night, but the effort was made, all five seconds of it, and we now have an image of us as a family to kick the year off.

The lighting wasn't perfect, the kids were not lined up and we are wearing glowsticks.

But this is us.

Link up, use the hashtag #myfamilyandme and share your image for the week!