Happy Accidents

What a day! We got up and got ready for a very simple, easy morning. We were going to get a bus to Rose Bay and get Tucker's haircut at a place called, "Kidz Lidz."  We tried to get his haircut at a regular shop a week ago, but he would have absolutely nothing to do with it and the stylist was obviously not "equipped" to handle a resistant 2 year old. So I searched the web and found a kid's haircut salon- you know the kind that have airplanes and cars to sit in and tv screens on every wall.

We had a 9:30 am appointment and we were all ready to go. We got on the bus with the craziest driver ever. She went so fast that I felt so sick when we finally arrived. When we got off the bus Coop said, "That was a crazy driver."  We found the salon and also happened across a toy store. Wooohoo! A nice, independent, kid-friendly toy store. I told Coop we could go after the haircut.

We waited a while to get our turn. There was a family before us whose little one was getting her first haircut and her parents, grandma, aunt and cousin were all there snapping pictures and ooohing and aaahing over her. It was a little annoying and you could tell the stylists just wanted them to go.  Finally, it was Tucker's turn.  He was so sad and mad.  He screamed the whole entire time with tears streaming down his face. He had hair everywhere- including on me because I was holding him.  The stylist tried every trick with him-- jelly beans, toys, tv, water sprayer-- nothing worked. Finally it just came down to "mean mama" holding him tightly and the stylist working fast as she could. It was one of the most trying 20 minutes of my life (and I am sure the stylist's too), but happily, Tucker survived and is sporting a great, new haircut. He looks so adorable and so much older.

After the drama was over, we headed to the toystore. It was a great place. Tons of good, quality toys and games and it had the ever-important train table for the boys to play at.  We played for a while, browsed and even purchased a new fire hat for Tucker (Coop stepped in his hat:( ) and a great game for Cooper.  It was totally by accident that we found this store.

I had no intention of spending anymore of our morning in Rose Baby, which by the way is a gorgeous area on the water, but as we walked away from the toy store towards the bus we came across a bookshop- an independent bookstore and we had to go in.  After about 4 minutes Tucker was pulling books off the shelf left and right and needed a diaper change, so we had to go.  I think Coop and I could have stayed for hours reading books.

So, we were on our way again planning to stop only to change Tuck's diaper and perhaps grab a snack for the way home.  We turned the corner off the main street. I was going to just change Tuck's diaper quickly in a somewhat secluded spot (I am getting really good at the standing up diaper change). Well, when we turned the corner what did we see?  A beach!  Now, there is no way were not going to explore it.  The weather, by the way, is sunny and mid-70s- nice winter, huh?  We spent about 45 minutes at the beach. Just enough time to get really hot and for the boys to get soaked from the knees down.  The view of beautiful, the weather perfect, but the beach itself was filthy. There was so much trash at the water line it was gross and disappointing and tricky to keep the boys from digging into the "treasure of trash" (balls, straws, cups etc).  I finally pulled them away from the beach and headed for the bus-- this time for real. At least I thought, but Cooper was hungry...

Beautiful Views

The Boys

The Icky

So, we decide to look for somewhere to eat where we could sit outside because the boys were covered in sand.  We walked up and down the streets and half the shops were closed, closed down or not appropriate. We got a little turned around and ended up walking a while to a completely different area.  I was beginning to get aggravated and so was Cooper.  Just as we were about to give up, we came across a little shop called, "The Grub Store."  We walked in and it was perfect. Great sandwiches and drinks.  A perfect little Jewish deli complete with gelfilte fish and pickled herring.  Ah, it was like home. Coop got a tuna sandwich, Tuck a bagel and cream cheese (a real bagel!) and I got the best egg salad I have had in forever. Reminded me of when I was younger. MMMMM. We sat on a bench outside and ate then headed back to the shop for some dessert. Ice cream all around. They sold Ben and Jerry's ice cream there- what a treat! Except that is was something like $11 for a pint- Yikes! Anyway, once again we headed for the bus and this time, we boarded and went home.

So a simple, easy morning became a morning of happy accidents full of little treasures- a bookstore, a toyshop, a great deli and a lot of fun for the three of us.

Happy Accidents

What a day! We got up and got ready for a very simple, easy morning. We were going to get a bus to Rose Bay and get Tucker's haircut at a place called, "Kidz Lidz."  We tried to get his haircut at a regular shop a week ago, but he would have absolutely nothing to do with it and the stylist was obviously not "equipped" to handle a resistant 2 year old. So I searched the web and found a kid's haircut salon- you know the kind that have airplanes and cars to sit in and tv screens on every wall.

We had a 9:30 am appointment and we were all ready to go. We got on the bus with the craziest driver ever. She went so fast that I felt so sick when we finally arrived. When we got off the bus Coop said, "That was a crazy driver."  We found the salon and also happened across a toy store. Wooohoo! A nice, independent, kid-friendly toy store. I told Coop we could go after the haircut.

We waited a while to get our turn. There was a family before us whose little one was getting her first haircut and her parents, grandma, aunt and cousin were all there snapping pictures and ooohing and aaahing over her. It was a little annoying and you could tell the stylists just wanted them to go.  Finally, it was Tucker's turn.  He was so sad and mad.  He screamed the whole entire time with tears streaming down his face. He had hair everywhere- including on me because I was holding him.  The stylist tried every trick with him-- jelly beans, toys, tv, water sprayer-- nothing worked. Finally it just came down to "mean mama" holding him tightly and the stylist working fast as she could. It was one of the most trying 20 minutes of my life (and I am sure the stylist's too), but happily, Tucker survived and is sporting a great, new haircut. He looks so adorable and so much older.

After the drama was over, we headed to the toystore. It was a great place. Tons of good, quality toys and games and it had the ever-important train table for the boys to play at.  We played for a while, browsed and even purchased a new fire hat for Tucker (Coop stepped in his hat:( ) and a great game for Cooper.  It was totally by accident that we found this store.

I had no intention of spending anymore of our morning in Rose Baby, which by the way is a gorgeous area on the water, but as we walked away from the toy store towards the bus we came across a bookshop- an independent bookstore and we had to go in.  After about 4 minutes Tucker was pulling books off the shelf left and right and needed a diaper change, so we had to go.  I think Coop and I could have stayed for hours reading books.

So, we were on our way again planning to stop only to change Tuck's diaper and perhaps grab a snack for the way home.  We turned the corner off the main street. I was going to just change Tuck's diaper quickly in a somewhat secluded spot (I am getting really good at the standing up diaper change). Well, when we turned the corner what did we see?  A beach!  Now, there is no way were not going to explore it.  The weather, by the way, is sunny and mid-70s- nice winter, huh?  We spent about 45 minutes at the beach. Just enough time to get really hot and for the boys to get soaked from the knees down.  The view of beautiful, the weather perfect, but the beach itself was filthy. There was so much trash at the water line it was gross and disappointing and tricky to keep the boys from digging into the "treasure of trash" (balls, straws, cups etc).  I finally pulled them away from the beach and headed for the bus-- this time for real. At least I thought, but Cooper was hungry...

Beautiful Views

The Boys

The Icky

So, we decide to look for somewhere to eat where we could sit outside because the boys were covered in sand.  We walked up and down the streets and half the shops were closed, closed down or not appropriate. We got a little turned around and ended up walking a while to a completely different area.  I was beginning to get aggravated and so was Cooper.  Just as we were about to give up, we came across a little shop called, "The Grub Store."  We walked in and it was perfect. Great sandwiches and drinks.  A perfect little Jewish deli complete with gelfilte fish and pickled herring.  Ah, it was like home. Coop got a tuna sandwich, Tuck a bagel and cream cheese (a real bagel!) and I got the best egg salad I have had in forever. Reminded me of when I was younger. MMMMM. We sat on a bench outside and ate then headed back to the shop for some dessert. Ice cream all around. They sold Ben and Jerry's ice cream there- what a treat! Except that is was something like $11 for a pint- Yikes! Anyway, once again we headed for the bus and this time, we boarded and went home.

So a simple, easy morning became a morning of happy accidents full of little treasures- a bookstore, a toyshop, a great deli and a lot of fun for the three of us.

Our Australian Playdate

Yesterday was a big day for us. We have now been here just about 2 and 1/2 months and in that time we have had no social life outside the family.  In a desperate attempt to find some other parent/child combination to interact with I started searching the web for meet up groups, playgroups-- anything that we could get involved with.  While searching, I came across a great blog called, Florida Girl in Sydney.  I began reading and I thought, my goodness, someone who has gone through the same things as I am going through.  I immediately emailed her thinking she would never respond thinking I was some freak or a serial killer. Well, lo and behold, about a month later, I got an email from Florida Girl in Sydney. I was ecstatic! We emailed a bit back and forth and talked about getting together, but nothing really came of it as we both were super busy with sick kids and life in general.  We continued to chat a bit via Facebook and read each other's blog, but still hadn't met up. Then yesterday, we took the plunge and got together.

The boys and I boarded a bus for Rose Bay- about a 30 minute bus ride through some beautiful areas- and then a quick walk up hill and we arrived at Florida Girl's house.  We spent then next 2 hours or so chatting while the boys played.  It was SO good to first of all talk to another adult (remember Doug has been gone two weeks and still has two weeks to go) and to find out that we had lots in common- we are both Jewish (had a great talk about food), we both have 2 boys and 2 dogs and we have some geographical commonalities as well!  She shared some tips about schools with me which is so helpful as I am totally struggling with where to send Cooper.  The boys played beautifully. Her boys are a bit older than mine, but they were so welcoming and took a genuine interest in my boys.  I enjoyed them too!

And, in true Jewish mother fashion- Florida Girl did not send me home with platefuls of leftover food, but instead bags full of toys and clothing her boys no longer need.  The boys have been in heaven ever since playing with their "new" toys and I have some new outfits to put them in. Thanks Florida Girl and Sons!

Tuck on his new "computer"

Coop loving his new fire station

Our Australian Playdate

Yesterday was a big day for us. We have now been here just about 2 and 1/2 months and in that time we have had no social life outside the family.  In a desperate attempt to find some other parent/child combination to interact with I started searching the web for meet up groups, playgroups-- anything that we could get involved with.  While searching, I came across a great blog called, Florida Girl in Sydney.  I began reading and I thought, my goodness, someone who has gone through the same things as I am going through.  I immediately emailed her thinking she would never respond thinking I was some freak or a serial killer. Well, lo and behold, about a month later, I got an email from Florida Girl in Sydney. I was ecstatic! We emailed a bit back and forth and talked about getting together, but nothing really came of it as we both were super busy with sick kids and life in general.  We continued to chat a bit via Facebook and read each other's blog, but still hadn't met up. Then yesterday, we took the plunge and got together.

The boys and I boarded a bus for Rose Bay- about a 30 minute bus ride through some beautiful areas- and then a quick walk up hill and we arrived at Florida Girl's house.  We spent then next 2 hours or so chatting while the boys played.  It was SO good to first of all talk to another adult (remember Doug has been gone two weeks and still has two weeks to go) and to find out that we had lots in common- we are both Jewish (had a great talk about food), we both have 2 boys and 2 dogs and we have some geographical commonalities as well!  She shared some tips about schools with me which is so helpful as I am totally struggling with where to send Cooper.  The boys played beautifully. Her boys are a bit older than mine, but they were so welcoming and took a genuine interest in my boys.  I enjoyed them too!

And, in true Jewish mother fashion- Florida Girl did not send me home with platefuls of leftover food, but instead bags full of toys and clothing her boys no longer need.  The boys have been in heaven ever since playing with their "new" toys and I have some new outfits to put them in. Thanks Florida Girl and Sons!

Tuck on his new "computer"

Coop loving his new fire station