"After I have my coffee"

We are two weeks into our spur-of-the-moment road trip to the Gold Coast, and sharing a two-bedroom apartment with 9 people (including 4 children) which has necessitated regular 7am coffee's for my lovely husband (after hours of sunrise beach-play, surfing and running up and down sandy footpaths) and take-away chai latte's for me! At a quick pit-stop, where we throw down a body-board, a skate-board, floaties and all sorts of other beach sport apparel, Layla gives me this look (can you tell she is from a Sicilian mother?) when I ask her if she wants to go down the slide "I will have my coffee first!" she declares very seriously, giving me the evil eye as if I would dare defy her. 

As it is probably a little early to start a caffeine addiction off at 26 months old, we head back to the apartment to make her a hot water and soy milk 'coffee' which she drinks copious amounts of!  This little soul is way too funny to be only two years old!

Beach dancing

Three weeks into this spur-of-the-moment trip to the Gold Coast, we enjoy another day stepping into this post-card beach - pristine and almost impossibly perfect. The girls and I embark on a mission to walk a few kilometres up the road to purchase a special request for my husband Ray, from the Sunday markets, which starts innocently enough, until we realise that the pram we had brought along (to fit all of our fresh food into!) would need to be transported down the huge sand-dunes to the beach!

 A lost thong (a shoe-thong! you can never be too sure in the Gold Coast!) and a very sandy pram later, and Bella and I took turns pushing the loaded pram over kilometres of wet sand! 

Oblivious to any of the fuss, Layla squeals with delight, kicking up water and running in fits of giggles as the waves splash over her feet, and she runs up and down, toward and away from the frothing sea. 

We are counting down the days until we can move closer to this wonderful part of Australia! 

Me and my big brother

Beach baby