Queensland – we got here at last
September 26th 2007 13:12
Queensland, Australia. This is the next stage of my family’s life.
And what an exciting stage it will be.
We’ve lived in a few different places in the thirteen years we’ve been married … Sydney, Darwin, Yulara, Katherine (also Northern Territory), Burnie (Tas), Adelaide (briefly), the outer Melbourne suburbs and now SE Queensland, but this is the place we finally consider to be home.
We have moved (which is why I haven’t been online). We are home.
After around three weeks, numerous stress attacks and a small amount of shouting (mainly at Bug 1 and Bug 2) we have finally arrived in Queensland. Beautiful one day, bloody hot the next. (We managed to arrive into a particularly hot QLD Spring … just my luck … but that’s another story).
It’s true what ‘they’ say, you know, it is a stressful experience … moving house. Especially when you have three young children, a husband who loves to hoard and no actual home to go to when you arrive. A fortnight into the move, stress was the least of our worries.
Oh, and before I forget, I really missed my blogs. I was unconnected for much of my time on the road (unconnected in the internet sense, that is) and unable to post anything. I also missed my time browsing the blog network and commenting on other writer’s posts … yes, I know … I really need to get a life.
Ennnny-way……………
Queensland is gorgeous, truly stunning, and I can see that all the stress of the big move is definitely going to be worth it.
When we left we were very excited, we had been planning this move for a while, after all. Twelve months ago we took a holiday up here, checking out the area and making sure that this was the place we wanted to be. I was newly pregnant then; now I have a four month old daughter and travelling with a young baby was definitely an experience I don’t want to repeat in a hurry.
My husband drove the truck with all our belongings. His travelling partner was our four year old son. I drove our minibus with suitcases and some personal belongings. My travelling companions were our eight year old daughter and a screaming baby.
All right … so she didn’t scream all the way but I’ll tell you what, by the time we reached our first stop-off point, my husbands’ parent’s house in New South Wales, I was ready to start screaming myself. I think Mac’s decided that she doesn’t like long distance travelling. In fact, I’m pretty sure Mac has decided that she hates long distance travelling.
And, if I thought the trip between Melbourne and Sydney was bad … well there was even more to come.
New South Wales to South East Queensland made me realise just how resilient a young baby’s lungs are. Honestly, it was a trip that straddled two days (with three young children it was easier to split the travelling time over two shorter hops) and in my estimation, she screamed for approximately three quarters of that time.
And if you don’t believe me, ask my other daughter. She had head in hands by the end of the trip.
Did you know that a baby’s cry is perfectly designed to have the maximum effect over it’s parents? Other people just cringe when another person’s baby cries … an annoyance at least, a bloody great big pain in the backside at worse. But when your own baby cries it’s like someone has tuned her in to your frequency, given her the secret code to unlock your emotions and make you need to do something, anything, to stop it.
Some people also reckon you can tell exactly what your baby wants just by listening to their cry. Different cries for hunger, tiredness, cold, hot, dirty nappy, wet nappy, thirsty, needing stimulation, etc etc etc. Well, that’s just rubbish.
Mac has a tired cry where she sounds remarkably similar to a baby elephant but, apart from that, it’s all trial and error with my littlest daughter …
… “are you hungry, Mac? No? Let’s change your nappy then. NO? Hmmmm, maybe a bit of a sleepy? Oh, not that either, well … um … errrrrr … I know, why don’t you go and play with your brother and sister. I know they’d love to listen to your screams.”
Mac’s been pretty good since she got over her minor bout of colic but she is very determined (some people would call her stubborn and she didn’t get that from me!) and if there is something that she wants then nothing else will do.
Nothing!!
And one thing that she wanted was to get out of that damned car … or else.
Apart from that, the journey was pretty good, we had a wonderful holiday on the way, a lovely time with the in-laws and now we are here, we’ve reminded ourselves just why we wanted to come to South East Queensland to live in the first place.
And Mac has stopped screaming …
… what more could I ask for?
Oh? You want to know my Secret Diet and Health Method for beating stress? Well, it involves no herbs, no vegetables and no fruit; it also (thankfully) involves no fat either … can’t be all bad, then.
Do you really need to ask? I’m a practising Queenslander now … so I drink beer! Works every time.
CHEERS!!!
And what an exciting stage it will be.
We’ve lived in a few different places in the thirteen years we’ve been married … Sydney, Darwin, Yulara, Katherine (also Northern Territory), Burnie (Tas), Adelaide (briefly), the outer Melbourne suburbs and now SE Queensland, but this is the place we finally consider to be home.
We have moved (which is why I haven’t been online). We are home.
After around three weeks, numerous stress attacks and a small amount of shouting (mainly at Bug 1 and Bug 2) we have finally arrived in Queensland. Beautiful one day, bloody hot the next. (We managed to arrive into a particularly hot QLD Spring … just my luck … but that’s another story).
It’s true what ‘they’ say, you know, it is a stressful experience … moving house. Especially when you have three young children, a husband who loves to hoard and no actual home to go to when you arrive. A fortnight into the move, stress was the least of our worries.
Oh, and before I forget, I really missed my blogs. I was unconnected for much of my time on the road (unconnected in the internet sense, that is) and unable to post anything. I also missed my time browsing the blog network and commenting on other writer’s posts … yes, I know … I really need to get a life.
Ennnny-way……………
Queensland is gorgeous, truly stunning, and I can see that all the stress of the big move is definitely going to be worth it.
When we left we were very excited, we had been planning this move for a while, after all. Twelve months ago we took a holiday up here, checking out the area and making sure that this was the place we wanted to be. I was newly pregnant then; now I have a four month old daughter and travelling with a young baby was definitely an experience I don’t want to repeat in a hurry.
My husband drove the truck with all our belongings. His travelling partner was our four year old son. I drove our minibus with suitcases and some personal belongings. My travelling companions were our eight year old daughter and a screaming baby.
All right … so she didn’t scream all the way but I’ll tell you what, by the time we reached our first stop-off point, my husbands’ parent’s house in New South Wales, I was ready to start screaming myself. I think Mac’s decided that she doesn’t like long distance travelling. In fact, I’m pretty sure Mac has decided that she hates long distance travelling.
And, if I thought the trip between Melbourne and Sydney was bad … well there was even more to come.
SCARY BABY!!!!!
New South Wales to South East Queensland made me realise just how resilient a young baby’s lungs are. Honestly, it was a trip that straddled two days (with three young children it was easier to split the travelling time over two shorter hops) and in my estimation, she screamed for approximately three quarters of that time.
And if you don’t believe me, ask my other daughter. She had head in hands by the end of the trip.
Did you know that a baby’s cry is perfectly designed to have the maximum effect over it’s parents? Other people just cringe when another person’s baby cries … an annoyance at least, a bloody great big pain in the backside at worse. But when your own baby cries it’s like someone has tuned her in to your frequency, given her the secret code to unlock your emotions and make you need to do something, anything, to stop it.
Some people also reckon you can tell exactly what your baby wants just by listening to their cry. Different cries for hunger, tiredness, cold, hot, dirty nappy, wet nappy, thirsty, needing stimulation, etc etc etc. Well, that’s just rubbish.
Mac has a tired cry where she sounds remarkably similar to a baby elephant but, apart from that, it’s all trial and error with my littlest daughter …
… “are you hungry, Mac? No? Let’s change your nappy then. NO? Hmmmm, maybe a bit of a sleepy? Oh, not that either, well … um … errrrrr … I know, why don’t you go and play with your brother and sister. I know they’d love to listen to your screams.”
Mac’s been pretty good since she got over her minor bout of colic but she is very determined (some people would call her stubborn and she didn’t get that from me!) and if there is something that she wants then nothing else will do.
Nothing!!
And one thing that she wanted was to get out of that damned car … or else.
Apart from that, the journey was pretty good, we had a wonderful holiday on the way, a lovely time with the in-laws and now we are here, we’ve reminded ourselves just why we wanted to come to South East Queensland to live in the first place.
And Mac has stopped screaming …
… what more could I ask for?
Oh? You want to know my Secret Diet and Health Method for beating stress? Well, it involves no herbs, no vegetables and no fruit; it also (thankfully) involves no fat either … can’t be all bad, then.
Do you really need to ask? I’m a practising Queenslander now … so I drink beer! Works every time.
CHEERS!!!
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Comment by DuskDevi
Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007
...you said Wednesday and I've been waiting, waiting... not all day glued to the computer of course but...I just happened to be here....yayyy!!
...boy...I bet you could feel a XXXX coming on...
Damn. Is that what they drink? I'm out of touch...
BIG BIG HUGS MY CARA!!!!!
Dusk
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
HA... who cares as long as it's wet, cold and alcoholic.
So glad to 'see' you again, dear Dusk. BIG BIG BIG hugs to you too.
YAYYYYYYY!!
Cara xxxxxxxx
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
Health Focus
Poetry Lighthouse
MS Paint Art
You must be feeling very tired.
I miss the cat.
katyzzz
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Welcome to se Q..(please get an airconditioning unit by February, okay?) ... for the baby.
Otherwise, I hear those screams diminsh a bit when they hit the beach...often? Not a bad lifestyle she'll say in a few months ...
I hope you really do love it... we moved up about five years ago, and with the exception of January and February, really enjoy the othe 10 months of perfect weather and bliss here ... settling in, all takes so much time.
Caio for now
Lilla ...
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
A very big job but worth it. Thanks for stopping by.
A.
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
I must admit, I'm not looking forward to the heat of the summer months but, like you said, the other ten months more than make up for it.
After all, I managed to survive five years in the heat and humidity of the tropics (Katherine in the Northern Territory to be precise) so I think (I hope) I'll cope.
You did the move too? I reckon this'll be the best move we've ever made.
Take care
A.
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Yeah five years ago, because my eldest has Cerebral Palsy and was dying in the cold... no normal reflux to boost the immune system along... so north to the sunshine we came.
It is wierd at first... but now after acclimatising, all I can add is that the only scream babies enjoy, is the ice-cream, and in summer, he drives around every day...
cheers ...
Lilla ...
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Hope your eldest is coping much better now.
A.
Comment by David
I'm looking forward to seeing "Scary Baby" in the cinemas and Bryns review of this horror/road movie.
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
I like your new blog tag piccy.
Scary Baby the Movie is still having its final editing session and, unfortunately, has been relegated to being sent straght to DVD. No cinemas for us.
I'll make sure you get a copy just as soon as it's released. Just be aware that it is pretty scary stuff ... just take that picture and add movement and sound ... damn it freaks me out just thinking about it.
A.xx
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Good to see you back. So were all your kids born in different parts of Australia?
And baby's seem to find the right pitch. For me, it's not so much the volume but the note babies pick that sends me bonkers.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
It's good to be back and thanks!!
My two oldest were both born in Katherine (NT), we left there when my son was about 9 months old.
Mac, of course, is a Victorian.
You are so right! The volume isn't necessarily piercing (although it can be) it's definitely the pitch that matters. Damn, that makes it sound like they're competing in Australian Idol!!
Hope you've been well, Mrs M. I'll get over to your place very soon.
A.xx