myolena cottage

Chasing Summer

Posted on June 16, 2018 by fortheloveofgherkin

We were blessed with an extraordinarily long Summer and unseasonably warm Autumn which left us with plenty of time for extra family adventures.

Right before the weather changed to cool for good there was one last weekend that was forecast to be stunning. We jumped at the chance for one last Summer-ish camping trip and began searching for the ideal location.

We have been exploring the NSW South Coast, stretching beyond my childhood holiday location of Huskisson. At first I wasn’t thrilled to be leaving the comfort of Husky but I have been quick to fall in love with exploring new places.

Coming back from another trip we drove past the Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park and thought it looked nice. A quick glance at the website and Facebook page was all it took and we booked.

Originally we had to book for 2 nights even though we were just staying the one ( I wasn’t kidding when I said it was a whirlwind trip!) however as no one else had inquired about the site for the second night, they happily dropped the second night charge for us when we arrived. We were suitably impressed with such hospitality.

We were warmly welcomed and handed a map that showed us where our campsite was located. I was very pleased to see that it was directly across from the jumping pillow and playground, something that is a definite bonus when camping with little people in tow.

The site was easy enough to find, with sites clearly marked. It was located under a large tree which resulted in the site being littered in large pine needles and twigs. Not the end of the world but it took some time to clear the site enough to put up the tent.

The tree was great keeping the tent cool in the shade but it was also home to quite a few birds which meant that our tent was covered in poop by the end of the weekend and we constantly had seeds and twigs bouncing off the tent roof all weekend. Hardly a deal breaker, but it did make life interesting trying to dodge the poop, particularly during meal prep.

The park was incredibly clean and was only at half capacity if that. There was a large group using the park as a base for a training/group bonding weekend however for the most part they were friendly enough and aside from one night, they didn’t hog any of the park facilities.

The park is large and split into two sites, River Side and Beach Side with an underpass meaning children can navigate the road dividing the the two park sides safely.

We stayed Beach Side and found it to be lovely and well maintained. The was a swimming pool that was covered by shade cloth, well fenced and had plenty of seating/sun basking options.

The camp kitchen was on the smaller side but it was cosy. It has an indoor kitchen, outside BBQ’s, couch and TV, dining tables and an older style racing video game.
Aside from the one night the group took over and left things in a mess, the kitchen was always clean and the park was quick to return the kitchen to it’s normally spotless state when several people complained after the groups party night.

The showers and toilets were clean and well maintained throughout the day and there was also a laundry and a dog wash bath available of necessary.

The path to the beach was located behind the camp bathrooms and was well marked. It was a short walk along a sandy path before you spilled out onto the beach.

We didn’t spend much time over at River Side but thats where the main office was located, the bird aviary with the friendly cocky who greeted everyone and the little shop. kayaks and bikes could be rented from the main office and the shop sold last minute necessities and did a delicious but pricey fish and chips for dinner. The River Side also had it’s own playground and swimming pool.

The weather was perfect all weekend, warm enough to go swimming but not so hot that everyone was miserable and sweaty.

We spent a lot of time just chilling at the camp site with Gherkin playing on the jumping pillow in front of us. There were a few kids in the park, mostly older but they were very inclusive and made sure Gherkin was looked after when he was hanging with their group.

It was quite windy when we first checked out the beach and we were delighted to discover that it appeared to be a water sport day of sorts with multiple windsurfers and boarders out on the water. Gherkin was fascinated by all this going on and we happily sat and watched the action.

The sand was white and the water crystal clear. It’s a lovely beach for families with the surf not being too rough at all and lots of shallows to splash in. The water was cool to begin with but we quickly adjusted. Gherkin was totally loving the waves and jumping over them with Diesel Dad but he also didn’t let go of the vice grip he had on his father’s hand.

He started shivering so we kept asking him if he wanted to get out and go back on the sand but he was having so much fund he kept saying no. We finally forced him out once his teeth started chattering. Toddlers and their ability to ignore the weather is really something at times!

Overall it was a great weekend and Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park is now amongst our favourites. We gave it a rating of 8/10.

If you’re looking for a quick getaway during the cooler months, they have some great Winter deals on at the moment.

Soon He’ll be Two

Posted on October 29, 2017 by fortheloveofgherkin

Long before I had Gherkin, I knew kids grew up fast. I saw proof of this everyday at work. Little ones that were still breastfeeding when they started in my care are now lively little characters at school.

Having your own child though, is something entirely different.

It seems like only yesterday I was coming around from a general anaesthetic, dazed but knowing that somewhere in the hospital was my newborn son.

Now I sit here with a number 2 balloon floating above my head and a pile of presents wrapped int he paper Gherkin chose on the table in front of me.

I wrap and Diesel Dad hands me pieces of sticky tape. Gherkin chose Minion themed wrapping paper and it’s a little too yellow for my tired eyes.

Late that night, I scroll through photos. Those early days at the hospital, our first night at home, back at the hospital, back at the home, back at the hospital and so it went on for 2 months.

Aside from that first day that is etched into every mothers memory forever, those hazy days are hard to remember. My brain suppressing them, protecting me from the trauma.

Protecting me from the doctors who failed to see that Gherkin was failing to thrive, the midwives who scoffed at the “anxious first time” mother, the comments from friends and family who meant well but due to their lack of understanding, said words that crushed me.

Protecting me from the screaming that went for hours at a time, the memory of a baby truly angry with the world.

My brain remembers the feeling of relief when we found the paediatrician who listened and who truly looked at Gherkin and saw how miserable he was. Her kind eyes as she expressed her concerns and agreed with all that we’d been thinking since those first few days in hospital when we despaired all was not right.

My brain remembers the endless round of appointments and tests, the answers that came with and starting medications. The feeling of wanting to go back to every doctor, nurse and midwife who doubted us just to tell them we were right and they were wrong.

I remember the relief of finding a new normal but then getting frustrated when problems still arose.

Gherkin was never going to be an “easy” baby by any stretch of the imagination and that’s still applies today. As a toddler, he is still the very definition of challenging.

“Is he always this full on?” has the record for most asked question when it comes to our son.

The answer to this is complicated.

Do we tell them about his diagnosis, both confirmed and suspected? Do we try explain sensory seeking behaviour? Do we explain the link between toe walking and language delays? Do we explain that he has an entire therapy team working towards goals that change every 3 months?

In the end, we decide to tell them the simple truth.

“Yes”

It’s surreal to think that soon he’ll be two.

Myolena Cottage

Spring has Sprung!

Posted on October 22, 2017 by fortheloveofgherkin

The sun is shining, finally!

According to people in the know, this past Winter was one of the warmest on record. I’m assuming they average everything out but I can tell you I definitely wasn’t feeling warm during our record minus 10 degrees celcius mornings which left everything frozen solid, water pipes included.

Never the less, we survived and now Spring is finally swinging into action.

The days are finally warming up although our nights are still cool and mornings, foggy.
We bought one more load of wood just in case the weather turned cool again but naturally we haven’t needed to light the fire since.

To celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, we packed up the car and drove an hour and half to the coast. After a winter filled with germs and bugs, salty ocean air is exactly what we needed.

It was a nice day back at home but it was even nicer at the coast, with the temperature heading up towards 30 degrees celsius. We found a parking spot and went for a walk a long the rock wall.

Gherkin was very happy to be free of all of the layers that had restricted him all Winter and immediately headed to the park. After he did the slide a few hundred times, we went off to watch one of the large catamarans testing its engines. Walking a little further, we reached the pier and Diesel Dad’s keen eyes spotted a school of small fish. A lady joined us and her dog jumped in for a swim, much to Gherkin’s amusement. “Doe-g” was shouted several times, one of Gherkin’s few words. Coincidentally, it’s also one of his favourites and probably most used too!

Diesel Dad headed to the burger shop to grab our lunch and I ducked into the $2 shop to grab Gherkin a bucket and spade kick for the beach. We piled back into the car and drove back down to our favourite spot.

Huskisson is where I spent a lot of my childhood Summer’s so it really does feel like coming home. Having said that, raising a child is the same place where I spent my childhood is also a really weird feeling. I love watching Gherkin enjoy everything I did as a child but for me, it also highlights how fast life moves.

We had a choice of going to Moona Moona Creek which is popular with the families due to the shallow water however that area was quite busy so we decided to set up camp at the beach. We found a shady spot under a tree and Gherkin immediately busied himself with digging.

Last Summer when we came down with my family for our annual Summer holiday, Gherkin wasn’t even remotely interested in beach life. He would stroll along the sand, look at a few things and then head straight for the stairs to make his way back to the cabin.

The several attempts we made to get him play in the water ended in tears so I was somewhat curious to see how today would go. His love of sand meant that he stayed on the sand rather than heading for the stairs but he still seemed reluctant to have anything to do with the water,

Diesel Dad coaxed him down to where the water lapped the shore. It definitely wasn’t warm enough for swimming but was quite pleasant for wading. Satisfied that he didn’t have to go any further, Gherkin laughed as the water tickled his toes.

He got a little braver and took a few steps further in. It was the first time he’d properly felt the drag as the water returned to sea and it freaked him out a little. He didn’t know what to do and looked somewhat perplexed with the unfamiliar sensation. He started leaning forward to counteract the drag and that ended up with I’m eventually falling over.

I won’t lie, I had a good giggle because he just looked so confused about the whole situation. Surprisingly, he didn’t cry when he fell forward, something that would have been a sure thing last Summer. Clearly swimming lessons had done their thing for water familiarity as there was no panic this time.

Diesel Dad and Gherkin spend some time going back and forth between the water and our spot where they built elaborate castles. Well Diesel Dad built elaborate castles. Gherkin just channelled his inner Godzilla and smashed them all back down intween peals of laughter.

I took Gherkin for a walk amongst the rock pools while Diesel Dad had a breather. I showed him sea snails and we spent some time collecting those. I let Gherkin choose where he wanted to explore and he headed over to the creek where he immediately spotted another school of little fish and set about chasing those through the shallows.

It became clear that Gherkin was getting tired but our hopes of him having a snooze on the beach were dashed pretty quickly so we packed up and headed home. Gherkin was asleep in his car seat before we’d even really left.

I really didn’t enjoy Winter this year so I am so excited it’s finally behind us. We have lots of trips to the coast planned, both day and overnight camping trips. I love living so close that mean we’re able to pack up and go for the day. The weather at our place is often sunny but extremely windy so it’s nice to be able to escape the wind.

For anyone who is keen to visit the NSW south coast, Jervis Bay is such a stunning spot.
We stay at Huskisson Beach Holiday Park.

I won’t lie, I’m not a fan of their camping spots which seem cramped and close together but I can’t recommend their cabins enough. They’re amazing! We usually stay in the Beach View ones, however last Summer we hired out the big Family Cabin and stayed with my family and it was great. It came with a washing machine – heaven!

Where is your favourite spot to holiday or go for the day?

Myolena Cottage