And So Starts a Beautiful Dry Season

The dragonflies have been hovering around Darwin for almost a month now, tossed about by the wind, seemingly confused as another cyclone formed almost on top of us.  Then, two days ago, as if God had flicked a switch, we woke to cool, crisp air.  The dragonflies danced against a brilliant blue sky.

And my first thought was - hoorah, I can finally get all the laundry done!

On the First Day I hung sheets and towels and marvelled at how they were dry two hours later.  Really really dry.  I went crazy and stripped all the beds, and washed them, and dried them, and it was all done in a day.  And I stood back and surveyed my handiwork, and I saw that it was good.

All Ye who do not have babies, this laundry obsession is not because stay at home parents do not have a life, but because babies are leaky, and the leaks are kind of organic and start creating funky smells and growing small colonies if you do not attend to them regularly.

As the sun dawned on the Second Day, and I was disappointed that the laundry basket was empty and the sheets did not need washing for a second time.  Then it dawned on me that I did not have to rush to do all the washing because the Dry Season was really here and laundry could be done at leisure without having to worry about rain for months.

I strapped Bethany on my back in a wrap and took a leisurely walk past the Botanic gardens.  We walked through the cool shade with the morning sun dappling the ground and bringing the leaves alive in emerald and gold.  I am getting much better at wrapping.  I joined The Babywearer Forums and learned that the key to wrapping is to get the baby up high and the wraps nice and tight, and learned some tricks for doing this, as well as some various styles of wrapping:

Bethany asleep in what I now know is called a 'back wrap cross carry' (bwcc)

Bethany in a 'ruck', which means the straps go up over the shoulders first.  The trick is you have to get them up high and the wrap really tight.

Through the Babywearer forums I met another woman in Darwin who wraps and we met for morning tea the other day and exchanged tips.  We have both just taught ourselves by watching youtube videos and asking questions on forums.  She showed me how to do a 'superman toss' to get the baby on my back, which is a lot quicker and more fun than the 'hip scooting' method I use (where she sits on my hip and I pass her to my back).

My solarveil Mei Tai from Keoni Slings also arrived today, and it has been excellent for Bethany to sleep in, either on my front or my back:

I cannot describe how liberating getting the hang of babywearing has been, particularly given I have such a velcro baby.

Whinging?  Put her on my back and keep cooking dinner.  Sleep?  Put her on my back and keep doing whatever till she's asleep (then either leave her there or put her down).  Need some exercise?  Put her on my back and go for a walk.  I now get all the housework done while she is awake. When she fell asleep yesterday, I made my lunch, then lay down near her snacking and reading.  It was just wonderful.