9 to-do's before baby arrives

An ex-colleague of mine had a spate of amazing, off-the-beaten-track holidays during our time working together. He and his wife had been married some years and I guess I missed the 'about to start a family' vibes (at the time I was happily single and had never been married). With five parenthood years and two-point-five pregnancies of hindsight, here are 9 things I have learnt are best enjoyed before wee ones arrive...

1. Date night - the sort without a babysitter curfew.
2. Babymoon - possibly a modern, fashionable thing, but since Papa and I missed not only the babymoon but the honeymoon also (work followed our wedding and the pregnancy came shortly afterwards) I recommend that others learn from our oversight. Our "honeymoon" included a very young Miss.
3. Take a 'day' - spa day, golf day, fishing day - whatever sort of day suits you. Thanks to a dear friend (who clearly knew better than me about such things) I indulged in one delightful spa day after Miss and before Master - absolute bliss.
4. Lie-in - as often and as much as you can enjoy. You may not have such opportunities again for a long, long time.
5. Live music/theatre - I am yet to see a live performance all the way through without a "Mama, I need a wee..".
6. Travel - most especially to intrepid locations. It will be far easier without all the baby stuff (even with children, I travel light, very light) and without worrying about any dangers to wee ones.
7. Snowboard/Ski - Miss and Master cannot join ski school until age three and a babysitter would be needed for apres ski activities (see "Date night" per curfew).
8. Movies - catch a latest release on the big screen, at nighttime. Kiddie movies and "baby screenings" are always during the daytime.
9. Study - while not out of the question as a parent (many of us do it), things are far easier without juggling study with morning sickness or family life.

Cruising: packing and prep'ing

I had always thought that cruises were for 'old' people (maybe I am one of them...). But it turns out that cruises are fabulous for families and I have just enjoyed one of my best holidays ever - on a cruise ship! I have packed for many types of travels and Papa always ribs me for my minimalist packing style, but packing for a cruise is something else. Here are a few things I have learnt about packing and prep'ing for cruises.

Lanyard - for your all important 'cruise card'. All on-board transactions are conducted via the cruise card - no cash, no cards, no cheques. Your cruise card serves as your identification, cabin key, restaurant key, spa pass, meal ticket, bar tab, credit card and more. It is needed when you swim, sunbathe, eat, drink, sleep, shop and relax. You will use it more than your mobile (well, I did). You need it nearby, always. I purchased a lanyard (with my cruise card) and it really was the most convenient way to ferry and flash it about.

Chiffon-fabric type outfits - and 'male' equivalents. If it is light to pack, hard to crease, easy to wash and quick to dry then it is a winner. Evening dress code is formal and day dress code is casual - so a stash of light-weight, wash & wear, dress up or down items is essential.

Sun dress - the sort that suits for over-swimwear pool-side wear and daytime-casual restaurant wear.

Drinking bottle/receptacle - pinterest gifted me this tip and I dutifully packed three (Miss, Master, myself), plus my Victoria's Promise travel mug for tea. These were a massive over-pack. Our package deal included all the drinks we would otherwise pay for (large bottles of water/soft drink etc). If you do not arrange a such a package deal then, yes, pack your drinking receptacles because complimentary drinks are available at designated points in small cups (and if you like to enjoy your drinks pool-side or in-cabin then you will be purchasing them - with your cruise card).

Beach/Day bag - big enough to hold your 'stuff', but small enough to not be a burden. I recommend a bag with compartments or one that holds one of those handbag organisers as it makes searching for cruise cards (if no lanyard) and small items much less hassle (first world problem, yes, but then cruises are for relaxing, yes?). Items for your bag might include: cruise card, sunglasses, hats, mobile/walkie talkie, suncream, pool towels (provided on board), reading material, music device(s), ipad (etc).

Spa treatments - do your research at least a week before you leave home and book all your treatments upon embarkation. My package afforded me one treatment every day (bliss, I assure you) and it cost me the same, if not less than similar treatments at my local estate house spa (Hampshire, UK).

Food/drink packages - booking our cruise included purchasing an "all you can eat/drink" package. Food was available 24 hours of every day, as were drinks, and included in-cabin breakfasts (necessary to combat morning sickness). All cruise providers offer packages of this genre (and varieties beyond) and I recommend these as a serious consideration!

Paperwork - you will probably find a pen in your cabin but a highlighter (my Mama status means I always carry crayons which work just as well) quickly identifies activities and information of interest on your daily cruise schedule. As we also had Miss and Master's "Kiddie Klub" schedule to take track of I used my mobile to photograph such paperwork rather than filling my day bag with them.

Tiny Tip : 9

Red wine spill? 4 tried and tested clean up solutions

1. Soda water
At the reception for my own wedding a glass of red wine was spilled down the back of my wedding gown. One quick visit to the catering tent plus one bottle of soda water poured down my gown and I returned to the party, red wine free.

2. White wine
Particularly raucous friday night drinks at a friend's house on night resulted in a full glass of red wine being spilled over the carpet, cream settee and a white wall. One cheap bottle of white poured over everything and the red wine disappeared (and Friday drinks continued).

3. Salt
Many years ago when my sister and I shared a flat we were partial to take-away food "carpet picnics" with red wine and of course, the inevitable spills bedecked on our cream-coloured flooring. We would mop up in the usual fashion and then pour salt (the cheap stuff) over the affected areas. Once the salt was saturated with wine and dried it was hoovered up. Depending upon the volume of wine spilled we would sometimes need to repeat the process.

4. All of the above
I went to a house warming the other night and half a glass of red wine was spilled on the (days old) tiled floor. We removed it using two methods (it was not our house and wanted to hedge our bets); white wine poured over the affected grout and baking soda gently rubbed in using a toothbrush (or grout cleaning brush, if you have one). The new home owners were unable to see any red wine in their grout.

Tiny Tip : 8

Peeling bananas - for children (and monkeys)

Have you ever watched a monkey peel a banana? If so, you will know this tip already. For the rest of us that sometimes need to resort to Superman-esk strength or reach for knife, here is how to peel a banana like a monkey (eg the easy way):

Hold onto the banana by the stem (the bit where it once connected to the bunch). Pinch or squeeze (depending upon the size of your hand/fingers) the small dark section at the base of the banana (the non-stem end) and as it breaks away from the banana, peel back the banana skin in the usual way.

It is so much easier to peel a banana using this method that even Miss and Master can do it. 

Parenting 101: as taught by Miss

Miss brought home Ozzie (the teddy bear) from school the other week; Miss would learn responsibility while taking care of her charge and involving him our all our daily routines. While watching Miss and Master (and Ozzie) at play, I suspected that actually, I was learning a few lessons. Here are a few things I have learnt from Miss and Ozzie about being a good parent.

Back to basics

While preparing to take Ozzie for a spin on the ‘spinning donut thing’ in the playground, I overheard Miss quietly reassuring Ozzie “It’s okay, Mummy is keeping you safe. Mummy has you” (meaning Miss, not me, Mama).

Keep taking those quite moments to assure Miss or Master of your love, their safety and security.

Ebb and flow

For the initial period it was ‘Ozzie, Ozzie, Ozzie’ - all about Ozzie. Later, Ozzie was forgotten (literally) and left aside.

We all need ‘me’ time and life cannot be lead solely through those in our charge. Of course, ‘forgotten’ and ‘left aside’ are excessively extreme methods of making ‘me’ time.

Making it count

Whatever it is. The simple, everyday act of enjoying breakfast was made more enjoyable for Miss when she shared it with Ozzie. Miss would sit Ozzie comfortably and proceed to explain what she was eating for breakfast, how it tasted and that because it was healthy it would give her good energy to spend learning and playing during that day.

You don’t need to plan amazing daily adventures to ensure Miss or Master have a great day – just be amazing at whatever activity you are doing.

Document

“Ozzie’s Adventures” is the aptly named journal we (read: Mama) were tasked to update with drawings and photographs as abridged testaments to Ozzie's adventures with our family. Miss loved 'making' the adventures as much as reliving them with images.

This lesson speaks volumes to me. I have a lovely little camera and I have lots of lovely images from it. But I really must get around to printing some of them. Thinking more widely, (and in the context of parenting and blogging), looking at the images of Ozzie’s adventures was Miss’s way of reliving the fun. There are many more ways of reliving the fun with a Miss or Master - write a blog, make a scrapbook or a collage. Share the ‘doing’ with them and/or bring out the final product(s) on a rainy day.

  

Responsibility

The day Miss brought home her charge I am certain she walked an inch taller, stood a degree straighter and gave a tooth-width wider smile.

Be proud of your responsibilities. Enjoy them. And don’t forget to empower Miss and Master by delegating them responsibilities so that they can be proud too.