It's been a real treat to have K home on holidays and spend time as a family. The 3 of us. (I just love saying that). Saskia is just that wee bit older, we feel confident taking her out and about, the weather is warm, and there's a gentle rhythm to our days...They usually start with a walk when the day is fresh and finish with showers and lullabies.
It's been lovely to watch K and Saskia together. She spends just as much time in his arms than she does in mine. I think her smiles for her Papa are much wider though. I love watching them chat: he lying on the floor, and she sitting propped up on his belly. It's going to be so hard to leave her when I go back to work, he told me tonight. It feels like there is a much stronger connection between the two of them now. More so than when he left to go back to work after 2 weeks paternity leave.
But we still have a few more weeks together, and some time away by the ocean. Our first beach holiday as a family. We're staying near a quiet cove and Mum & Dad will be sharing a house with us. I've bought a beach shelter, a sunhat for Saskia and a swimsuit for me. We plan to make trips to the beach in the early morning, roll around with the Little One, nap in the heat of the day, do crosswords and read books, eat our weight in gelati here and rustle up easy summer salads for supper on the deck.
So, those of you who have taken a 3 month old to the beach, any hot tips? Or general advice for travelling with a young child? And do tell if you know of a good sunscreen for babies or a natural insect repellant...
Hi there - this is going to sound completely like something from internet stalker territory but this is Kimberley Rose, Soph's old housemate from Bondi Junction. I recently stumbled across your blog via Che and Fidel which had a reference to a baby being born called Saskia Rose, and Soph had told me a wee while back that you had welcomed a lovely baby girl by the same name. Congratulations! She is so very sweet. We also welcomed a darling daughter in May 2011, Felicity Rose, and it's wonderful, no? My heart expands more every day. As for the sunscreen question, we have used Soleo Organic Sunscreen on Miss Fliss's very fair skin (note it is a little expensive and says to seek doctor's advice before using under 6 months - we used from 4 months). I'd be interested to see the recommendations for repellent as we haven't used one yet. We also use a Phil and Ted's travel cot when we go away as it packs away quite small (handy for our little car) and mozzie-proof, and was brilliant for a trip we took to Japan in November (ooooh, the amount of extra stuff you have to take when travelling with a babe). Anyway, I'm sure you are treasuring every moment of motherhood. I am back at work on Tuesday and I am sitting here thinking how unfair it is that time seems to have gone by so quickly since Felicity's birth!
ReplyDeleteHi sweetie, have been trying to comment on your blog for the past few days but blogger has been playing up. I so love reading your posts as everything you write about reflects our life with Sophie in some way. Getting out and about has slowly become easier here too and I didn't want my husband to go back to work after his holidays either. The trip away you have planned sounds perfect, lazy days relaxing with your bub will be bliss. My only beach tip is shade and plenty of it! X
ReplyDeleteHi Claire! Have fun at the beach!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have any tips.. But we did with a 6 week old and it was totally fine! I didn't use sunscreen as it seemed to be a 6 months + thing, but I didn't really investigate and maybe should have as Gus looks like he's been to a solarium, oops. Going away was all much less of a drama than I thought, and having parents and in-laws meant lots of lovely breaks for me!
We just used our pop-up beach shelter, and kept a muslin over him in the pram. And at night the port-a-cot we used (mother-in-law bought one for the beach house) had a mosquito net cover which was essential, but you can just use a big piece of tulle or something draped over whatever Saskia normally sleeps in.
A friend had this cool little pop up tent for her baby when she travels - looks much smaller and probably cheaper than a port-a-cot, but probably no use once baby can crawl and realises they're stuck in a tent!
No tips but wanted to wish you well for your travels. I hope the beach proves to be a fun little holiday :-)
ReplyDeleteSal x
Sounds like you are going to have a lovely times. No tips but I just went on a beach holiday with a 15month and it's go go go all the time.
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