Real Aussie Mum – April

Nicole is mum to Zoe and Riley (What a gorgeous photo!)

Each month I’d like to share with you a Real Aussie Mum.  Despite the differences we all have as mothers, we can learn so much from each other just by sharing what works for us.  This month, meet Nicole from sunny Brisbane, Qld!  Before becoming a mum she was a teacher, and she has two kids:  Zoe is almost 3 and Riley is 7 months.  Here are her five faves:

1  Favourite outing with kids – a fortnightly trip into the city!  We catch a train in, play in a park, then head over to the library and museum.  The State Library (Qld) has a wonderful kids corner much like a playgroup with art, stories, kids yoga, music and more.  It changes all the time!  The Qld Museum has a wonderful dinosaurs area that just reopened.  Plus it has a huge whale and an aeroplane to wander under.  Then we have lunch and a play in the park at Southbank before hopping onto a CityCat (speedy river ferry).  We leave home at about 8:30am and get back any time between 2 and 4 in the afternoon.

2  Favourite at home activity with kids – Our favourite outside activity is the trampoline.  We all get on!  I sit with Riley while Zoe bounces.  It is an enclosed tramp so I fill it with balls from our ball pit.  Lots of fun!  Our favourite inside activity is getting lost in the playroom for hours at a time.  We dance, play music, read books, build with blocks, play playdough… You name it – it’s there!

3  Favourite family meal – We often eat funny faces (ok, this is a must at least four nights a week)!  Our favourite meal to prepare for is take-out night.  We have a picnic on the family room floor, with a rug and plastic plates.  Zoe loves helping to dish up, and makes sure everyone has sauce, water, napkins, etc.  We love to cook chocolate brownies too, though I’m not sure they qualify as a meal…

4  Favourite bedtime story – Going On A Bear Hunt (by Michael Rosen).  Zoe can read it herself now, without looking at the words.  She loves acting it out with her bed friends and makes a cave under the covers.  Riley loves being a lion in the cave!

5  Favourite way to unwind! -  I don’t think I have unwound in three years!  I don’t have “just me” time, but I do enjoy sitting on my lounge swing out the back while I watch the kids play.  One day soon I will be able to have a cocktail on it while swinging.  I went from being pregnant to breast feeding, back to pregnant and more breastfeeding with about six weeks off in between!

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Would you like to share your five faves, or do you know about an interesting Real Aussie Mum I could feature next month?  Email me catherine{dot}oehlman at gmail{dot}com