Weekend Away

Last weekend we went away with our Bible Study group to Hawks Nest. There was another couple with a little boy (18months old) and 2 other people. It was our first trip away with Daniel sleeping out of the port-a-cot so we really didn't know how he would go. On Friday afternoon I headed there with the kids. James was to join us on Saturday morning as he had a concert on that night. The kids travelled really well in the car which was fantastic. Eliza slept the whole trip which I was pleased by and Daniel slept for half of it and then just chatted with me which was nice. When we arrived we unpacked the car and I fed Eliza then Kelly and I headed to the park with the kids. Eliza went to sleep in my arms while Tom and Daniel ran around the equipment. We then headed to the shops to get some dinner and food for the weekend. They had some awesome trolleys which had 2 spaces for kids so Tom and Daniel looked very cute sitting next to each other. Eliza was very relaxed as she slept in the pram. 

When we got home it was dinner time and then bed time. Daniel played with Tom while I put Eliza to bed. She went down pretty well for her first time being in our port-a-cot. Then it was Daniel's turn. After changing into his pjs we then followed the rest of his bedtime routine - brushed teeth, story and his Bible then light out, turn on the gro-clock and then prayers in bed. It was Daniel's first time in his ready bed. He seemed quite excited by it but I wasn't too sure that he would stay in it. He has just become good at going to sleep in his bed at home so I didn't know how he would be in a new place. He was happy to climb under the covers and lay there for prayers. When I left the room there was a lock that I flicked so he couldn't come out of the room as there were stairs at the end of the hallway. I went up to chat with Kelly and Simon and then I heard Daniel pulling down the door handle and letting go. I went to him and told him to get back into bed which he happily did. I tucked him in again, gave him a kiss and said goodnight then went back upstairs. Again, he pulled down the door handle. I went back downstairs and as I opened the door, Daniel was climbing back into his bed - that was a great sign! I again tucked him in, gave him a kiss and then left. This time I heard nothing. After 30mins I went down to check on him and he was sound asleep in his bed! Winner! He slept well for the night too which was great.

What surprised me even more was that even though I could lock the door to the stairs, the door to the bedroom where I was sleeping and Eliza too was just a sliding door. Not once did Daniel try to go in and say hi to Eliza which I am so impressed by!

The weekend was a very lovely and relaxing weekend. On the Saturday Kelly, James and I went for a walk with the kids because Daniel woke up on Saturday morning with what looked like conjunctivitis. We went to chemist who said it might just be his cold trying to get out of his body by his eyes, as the eyes, nose and ears are all closely connected, particularly at a young age, so we decided to leave it for a day or 2 and see if it cleared up. Instead we just used some eye wipes to clear up the crustiness. We then went to the beach and Tom and Daniel ran around on the grass while James, Kelly and I chatted away. Eliza was great and just slept the whole time.

We headed back for lunch - tasty fish and chips - and then the boys had a nap. Daniel was fantastic and went straight down to sleep! James and I took advantage of it and also had a nap (until Eliza woke up for a feed). In the afternoon we went for another walk to Tea Gardens and then headed back for dinner. After dinner the kids both went down again without a fuss. I'm pretty sure Daniel got up and walked around a bit but when I checked in on him, he was under his covers sound asleep - champion!! 

That night was a lot of up and down, both to Eliza and Daniel. Eliza decided to feed basically every 3 hours which was pretty exhausting and James was getting a cold so wasn't sleeping well either. Oh well. It just meant we were very tired on Sunday!

Sunday morning we packed everything up and then went for a walk to a park, followed by lunch of fish and chips next to the water. We then got icecream on the way home - yum, yum. 

Again, for the car trip home the kids did great! Eliza slept the whole way and Daniel slept for half the trip and chatted the rest of the way. I'm so glad that they both travel well in the car. Winner!