19/52

Home time. Long lush grass in yard. Milla reacquainting herself with her home (and back to sleeping well). First glance at childcare centre. Last days and weeks of leave for me (and Charlie). Swimming lessons for Milla. Trying new yoga studios for me.

Milla learnt how to grin, hug, and say 'bird' on the trip. Breastfeeding is a thing of the past (nearly... just one half-hearted feed ever other morning).

First try of chocolate.

18/52

Milla roughing and racing on the trampoline in the Newcastle sun. She's eating heaps, can stand for a tiny moment. Can climb stairs. Really hates getting her nappy changed. Has had some huge splinters. Said 'tea' today. Has perfected cuddling. Is waking at 2am for a feed. Her only breastfeed now. Babbling sentences now. Understands that 'no' means 'stop what you're doing'. Knows the words 'apple', 'button', 'flags'.

So much fun with this kid.

Day 15

In sunny Newcastle. It's been a long crazy  week. Milla teething, not sleeping, crying on the drives.

We arrived in Newcastle to a forecast of fine weather. The city displayed uprooted and broken trees from a mad Anzac storm.

Last night was a milestone of a different sort. Charlie and I went out for dinner, like the old days. Ten months!  My dear friend and host looked after Milla and we came home (90 minutes later!) to a sleeping baby who slept the night for the first time in a while.

In the four days here we've had a very relaxed pace, walking along the foreshore, visiting new café, going for runs, a visit to the playground, Charlie riding and Milla being spoilt with games and attention from the 5 and 7 year olds.

Crawling in Newcastle. 

17/52

At groovy New Acton in the warm Sunday sun. Milla looks changed. And very beautiful. Charlie looks into her mouth and sees perhaps four or five teeth. Far out.

Peaceful and curious.

Day 10

In Canberra. Changing plans. Last night the new plan was to head home today, abort the mission. We had a very clingy tearful baby at Kosciusko and it was hard. The drive on to Byron Bay seemed an absurd challenge.

Sitting in suburbia amongst beautiful autumn leaves and mild weather, warm sun. Our first difficult dinner out last night. My friend, with her twin three year olds, us, Milla howling and refusing to be put down. The little ones sung to Milla.

We camped in the backyard, mild night and Milla slept well. We got up at 6:37. New plan. No Byron, on slowly to Newcastle. 

National Portrait Gallery. 

Ten Months

Day seven of the adventure. A new day dawns after a good sleep for all. Milla has a new tooth and is ten months old. We walked up towards Mount Kosciusko today. It felt like a very long time since I had hiked or walked along in the Alpine air.

Mt Koz National Park. 

Ten months. Milla is cheerful, crawls and crawls and wants to walk. Talks lots in her language, said Dad, says Mum but not really to me. Gets loud before she sleeps. Still loves books, beats her heels with excitement when sat down to read. Plays games with her mouth and stills chats sternly with Alpi.

Yesterday was tough as Milla didn't sleep well, we had to pack up and head off the mountain and on to the ACT for our stay near Jindabyne. Milla was great during the extended pack up but at some point began crying inconsolably. It was horrible. At some point, just before lunch at Corryong, I discovered a new tooth. Hallelujah. We celebrated with 1.5 ml of Panadol.

Tallangatta. Worst day of trip.

Day 5 sick baby

We (I ) overheated Milla and didn't quite clue on to the reason for her unsettled night until yesterday morning. Poor lil sausage was baking. I'm not used to sleeping in a place with such effective heating!

Was anxious to rehydrate Milla in the morning and she had a good breakfast, but when we had to wake her from her morning nap so we could head to Mt Beauty for lunch, she was lackluster. Refused lunch and gave us a sooky face for 90 minutes. Refused to use her cup, which she usually attacks with gusto.

Getting in the car to head back to Falls, she vomited. First time in her little life. Definitely out of sorts. We spent the afternoon trying not to worry and giving her cuddles. A relief when she ate dinner, had bottle, boob and went to bed. Her snot woke her and us a few times but upon rising we have less worry and more pep. Milla was pointing at the currawongs and eating porridge, good signs of life. 

Monitoring birdlife.

Wheels up tomorrow as we begin the delayed trek north. It's been great at Falls and from Day One I wanted to make an Anzac stay here an annual event.

View towards dam wall from aqueduct on my run.

Day 3 first hike

Such a perfect day. We decided to extend our stay at Falls Creek by two nights and skip a big back country camping traverse. So we'll take main roads straight to Jindabyne.

Weather has been perfect, bright days and freezing overnight. We are very cosy and the days seem so long. Our mini routine is: up 7ish for breakfast, I go for run, get back and Milla naps while Charlie does some mountain biking. Then lunch and out for short hike along the snow gum lined high plains tracks. Back for play, nap, relaxing and then on with dinner prep. Milla to bed around 7ish. Reading, lounging, plotting or TV. Sheer luxury.

The baby hiking pack was one of the last pieces to come together. We ordered one and it never turned up, so bought one from trusty Bogong the day before we headed off. Milla liked it so much she fell asleep immediately.

Cheesy grins.

16/52

Dinner time at Falls Creek. Wearing my blue jumper from decades ago.

Trying to eat a whole plum. 

Day 2 Snow

Woke to heavy rain then snow. More than a dusting. We stayed in the tent for it to ease off before starting the day. Milla sat and ate cold sausage for breakfast! Some hunting dogs came sniffing around.

A long dirt track driving day, like the old days. Crisp high country air and mud all over Sooty. Milla napped and we stopped and snacked at Lake Buffalo, then late café lunch in Myrtleford.

We'd searched and searched for accommodation at Falls Creek and eventually found a lodge that sleeps... oh maybe 30? We're the only booking so it feels terribly palatial, especially given the fancy kitchen.

Charlie and I are drinking cups of tea and listening to Milla shriek, debating a little whether to retrieve her from her cot two floors away. 

Morning snow on tent at Stirling. 

Day 1 Stirling

Spirits high as we left our somewhat empty house and nestled into our nicely packed truck. Our familiar trek to Mt Stirling starts the month of adventure.

Lunch and play in autumn leaves in Yea then push on with baby crying and tunes blaring. Set up camp in the clouds.

Packing

Oh never straightforward. Cut my hand washing dishes. Hurt my back. Packing to do. Awaiting shipment of Charlie's new bike wheel. Beautiful baby motoring and chatting.

Amidst all this a trip to baby theatre! Saw a beautiful amazing wonderful show designed for little people like Milla. It certainly was worthwhile. I wish we could go every week. Milla crawled around and positioned herself between cellist and cello on the stage.

Mobile

Baby racing through the house. Fast and fun and getting dirty knees. I call to her and she follows me around the place. She's quick and pleased with herself.

Milla discovered crawling at 9.5 months.

Standing, holding, now so confidently, alternating hands and she points points points to helicopters, magpies and leaves waving.

It's nearly time for our big trip and this mobility changes things. How will it be at campsites? Staying warm and clean and dry? We camp Stirling, in a house at Falls Creek, a few camp night backcountry to near Mt Kozi, on to Canberra to stay who-knows-where, then the big push north to Byron, staying maybe Crescent Head and somewhere... on the way. Byron! Then back down, to Newcastle, to Blue Mountains, then a week of who-knows-exactly then home.

I cut my hand tonight and grabbed a tea towel to soak the blood. Milla in her high chair was having a snack, idea was to put her to bed in a tic for a late nap. I knelt by her chair, hand aloft in the bloody towel. She swung her arm out of the seat, and patted my arm and was peaceful. I felt so comforted.

15/52

Eating dirt. Getting dirty. Being a big baby. Crawling, climbing, trying to walk.

You Yangs carpark, eating stones.

Needing a lot more food these days. Talking lots and pointing pointing pointing.

End

This chapter is drawing to a close. Just this week and next remain of this big year of no work and having my funny home life with Milla. This year of backyard activity, gardening and laundry and riding the bike. Of lunch dates and walks and back to bed after morning feeds. Saying goodbye to Charlie and waiting for his return from his work day.

After our trip I'll be back to work. Life rolls on.  

Kere Kere Cafe in Fitzroy Gardens for lunch. 

Training

Milla is suddenly mobile. Only two weeks ago she made her first attempt at pulling herself up to standing. A few days ago she crawled. Now she is good at both and getting quick.

A few weeks ago Charlie pointed out the red clock in the kitchen and now Milla loves to point to it. We are training her to use her excellent pointing skills to indicate 'clock', 'guitar', and her two toys, Aslan the wooden lion who sits with her at mealtimes, and Alpi the knitted alpaca who is her very favourite of the cuddlies. Last night she did all four of the 'points' and yielded lots of congratulations from us.

Backdoor kitchen pan percussion with new hat.

Crawling

Milla crawled yesterday. She has been doing some downward dog style poses and lots of pivoting. Yesterday after an epic grocery walk, I unpacked her and the groceries and working in the kitchen while she played in the hall on the carpet. Fifteen minutes playing with a packet of chewing gum. Then she crawled towards me.

When Charlie got home she did he customary shrieks, actually holding her breath with excitement. He knelt to her and put his wallet with keys down and she crawled forward to it. Yays! Milla has been so into standing lately that we'd thought she might not crawl, just go straight to upright.

Yesterday we also dropped the 5pm breastfeed. I realised it's been months since I breastfed in public. Now it's just morning and evening, in Milla's dark room.

At State Library for Baby Bounce session.

14/52

Nine months, five days. Dissecting dried fig.

Nine Months

Almost as long outside as in.

New Milla. 

Milla is very interested in the world. Loves pointing. Watching people walk down the street. My hands on the steering wheel. Wind moving the tree tops. Listening for birds.

Milla is trying to stand up. Does not crawl. Loves to be tickled and wrestle with me on the bed. Is overwhelmed with joy when Charlie gets home.

Milla plays with my googles, a remote, the beautiful wooden blocks, her soft toy collection (somewhat roughly, very enthusiastically), my water bladder.

Milla can sometimes clap on command, can sometimes guide a spoon to her mouth, loves to bounce in her high chair and on her feet.

Milla points at the little black cat in the Maisy book, is soothed by recitation of Each Peach (cos I don't sing), will drop everything for Charlie's guitar playing.

Milla is loved and is lovely. Nine months old today.

Sleepy. On the road. Nine months.

Baby Jail

We're at this stage.

Baby jail purchased not for punishment but because Milla is now trying to pull herself up. It's awesome. Nine months old tomorrow.