Deane's do it bali style

Wednesday was one of our friends 30th birthdays, part of the reason we're in bali, and it was the first day I actually felt like we were on holidays. we hung out at our hotels pool and drank cocktails from the swim up bar. The kids played, the babies slept and the adults relaxed, it was pretty much the best thing ever. Thursday we spent the day at a house about 30 minutes from where we're staying, right on the beach. It's been the best thing, coming to a foreign country with people who are friends with locals. The house belongs to a local man and b it was magnificent and the view was spectacular. Too bad my dear husband was too hungover to enjoy the day with me but he totally learned his lesson. I went and got my first balinese massage Thursday night and oh my lord so good, she was the tiniest lady with hands of steel, I was so sore Friday but it was so worth it. We've been using the scooters here, something I said I would never do but actually being here and experiencing the roads and the people, the way it all works is really not as bad as it seems, obviously being cautious is a must but we're all safe and going on the bikes is the highlight of sebs day. We've been having some major meltdowns from Seb since being here, I think it's a mixture of being overwhelmed and tired, its been embarrassing at times especially having to pick him up and carry him screaming from the pool and then the restaurant. Guess that's the joys of traveling with kids!

Deane's Vs Bali

Yesterday we made the journey, all four of my family members, the six hour plan trip, to Bali. Yes we survived.
We had to wake up at 3:30 am to leave the house by 4 am to make it to the airport in time for check in etc.
Everything went so smoothly, im still shocked. I was prepared for chaos and am so glad we had smooth sailing.
Seb had one little meltdown half way through the flight, because he 'wasn't tired' yet fell asleep five seconds later and slept for two hours. Right kid.
Daisy was her dreamy self, ate played and slept.

I was prepared for a culture shock after getting off the plane but seriously it wasnt that bad, it's a different yet beautiful place filled with the kindest people.

We had dinner and a cocktail, while Seb played then we watched the sunset on the beach. Pretty perfect if you ask me.

The time difference is only two hours but it has screwed the kids up. They were awake at 7:30 am our time which is 5:30 am here in Bali. So we went with it, had breakfast followed by a trip into Kuta for some haggling, so fun! The people here are kind and funny and obsessed with the kids, Daisy has been held by more people today then she ever has in her whole life.

It's 6pm now and my Dais is out cold while J and Seb are still down at the beach. Daisy needed a bit of dinner/bath/bed structure and I'm happy to have some down time before it's crazy town again.

Numbers

F O U R - Daisy has slept through the last four nights! Hoorah! I thought her waking once a night was amazing, this is just a whole new level of awesome.

T H R E E - There is three sleeps until J is home, three is also the number of weeks we get to spend as a family. I don't even think we had that long together when Daisy was born.

T W O - The amount of hands I have (duh) sometimes I wish I had an extra set though, I'm getting braver with taking the kids out on my own which can be an interesting experience. All I want to say is, thank god for baby carriers! I am in love with the ergo 360, I've had it under a week but it has changed my life. I can have both hands free to do what I need and Dais could pretty much hang out on my chest all day.

O N E - In one week we will be in Bali! I'm pretty excited/nervous. So much can and probably will go wrong but I can't wait for the stories and memories we are going to get out of this trip.

Daisy at 8 months.

Little Daisy lady is 8 months old. I pretty much thought she was just over 7 until my sister in law corrected me. I know time flies but this is new level.

She's still the tiniest little doll, wearing 3-6 month clothes but I've seriously gotten so much wear out of everything unlike with Seb, he was a total porker.

Shes still dragging herself around the house not crawling on all fours yet but she's determined to pull herself up on things, it's madness.

We still have zero teeth but are growing lots more hair. She babbles like crazy and honestly, she's the happiest baby I know.

She's eating 3 solid meals plus snacks and breastfeeding about 4-5 times a day. She's sleeping 9 or 10 solid hours at night, wakes in the early hours for a quick feed and goes straight back to sleep. She's turned into such an angel, I don't know what I'd do without my girl.

Still

We're still having a tough time over here but it's getting better. Seb is still being an argumentative butt head but it's easing. I'm finding it worse in the afternoons, maybe it's the transition to no day sleep? I'm not sure but that kid should be a lawyer when he grows up.

Even though it's been tough for me, I know it's just as tough for him. I don't remember being 3 but I remember what it was like being told what you can and can't do, how frustrating it must be for my tiny boy to not understand that I say no to things because I love him.

"You cannot have that biscuit instead of dinner because I love you and want you to be healthy"
"You cannot only wear a singlet to school because I love you and want you to be warm"
"You have to wear your hat because I love you and I don't want you to get burnt"
"You have to go to bed now because I love you and we'll all be happier with some sleep"

There's plenty of other things I say no to because I'm the adult and we have rules to help shape seb into the amazing respectful boy that we know he can be.
He may turn into super brat sometimes but hes still the sweetest funniest boy I know.

3 is..

Im about to spill my guts right now, sorry in advance.

3 is tough, its also super magical and hilarious but tough.
Seb has wore me thin today, thats probably the understatement of the year because holy god, that guy.

His listening ears are turned off 99% of the time. He drives a good bargain but if it doesnt work in his favor,  they'll be trouble.
He is so strong willed which will be a blessing but at the moment, for me, its a curse. He fights me about breakfast cereals, then he fights me on where he wants to eat. It carries on to what clothes he wants to wear to what music we listen to in the car. It continues all day, whatever he wants,  he'll try and get.

Im all for compromise but arent I the adult? Tonight was fucked to put it bluntly. He wanted biscuits when I was literally serving dinner, he didnt get them. He was told to sit and eat, he didnt. He started smooshing food under his feet..I was done. He got sent to bed and he threw an epic fit screaming for dinner. I let him try again but low and behold he wouldnt eat.

Screaming in the hallway

Screaming in the bedroom

He awoke a sleeping dais.

I was livid. That was it, we were both done. I love that kid but im glad im not looking at his face for the next 10 hours.

I feel like im failing him as a parent, I want him happy but I cannot give in to his every request. I want to be calm, I want him calm. I want it to be smooth sailing instead of constantly rough seas but smooth seas don't make skilled sailors. Tomorrow will be a better day.

Last post on sleep (maybe.)

So it's no secret that Daisy has been a shit sleeper. I feel like it's consumed my life, I think I talk about it a lot and I think about it even more but we are doing good. Great actually. We've had our shit weeks and we had an awful 3 months before we took action and bought in a sleep consultant. She's an incredible lady and I now consider her a friend. She pretty much saved my sanity.

So now my little miss is sleeping 10 hours straight from 6pm until 4 am wakes for a quick feed and goes straight back down until 7. This is most nights, she can still be off sometimes but that's completely fine with me, the good outweigh the bad and that's a-okay! 

I'm feeling so much better which reflects on the rest of my people, I can be a better parent and a better wife. J isn't receiving horrid messages in the middle of the night while he's away and he isn't being kicked in the middle of the night to get up while he's home. 

People judged, people told me it was normal for her to wake as many times as she was but it definitely was not normal. I'm so glad I found the support and help we needed.