Summer holiday mornings are idled away watching Ember back stroking on a sea of hardwood floor. With a cushion under her she frog legs along, ceiling gazing, until she disappears under the couch. This new activity seems to have usurped quacking and no new words have surfaced if you don’t count the odd “ungee” which can’t yet be confirmed as “hungry”. We pass the rest of our lazy days playing cards (together), painting and surfing (separately). Sometimes this routine is punctuated with baby sized adventures.

We took Babu on her first Bush walk, that turned into more of a Bush bash thanks to grandad by association, Phil’s neglect of the path. Emby enjoyed the view while dad, hampered by the baby backpack and mum, hampered by her choice of sundress scrambled, ducked and scampered over branches and through overgrown scrub.

Some sections were veritable fairy glades with moss covered carpet, fern umbrellas and mauve fan like flowers. Once out of the eucalptus, enjoyment dipped as the tea tree scramble was accompanied by a path that suddenly sprouted blades of grass or reed like a corridor of paper cuts.

It was pretty, many parts like a Totoro forest maze (thanks aunty Jessie for the lend of the dvd, we finally found time and a dvd player to watch it) but spirits were high once we exited into open air and spied that flat ocean horizon.

Little one was just about napping due to the gentle rocking of the walk but perked up a plenty once a snack and sand were on the table.

On the way back the scrub beside the path crunched and swayed like a dinosaur was barging its way through and Ember and I held our breaths to see what monster would emerge. Out of the wildly dancing ferns appear a snout and then the hilarious little body of an echidna. No wonder they need the spines for defence with the racket they make. I’ve only seen an echidna once before at Grey so it was a real treat. I suppose Emby will think it’s standard as she’s 1 for 1 echidna sighting per trip.

After her adventures she has some of her best naps and our strict routine is still rewarding us with much better sleeps.