The Rubinator’s little face was all screwed up and bright red, he arrived screaming at the door the mcplayground with tears running down his face. I grabbed, my bag started to get the baby out of the mchigh chair, prepared for a trip to the emergency room, had to be a broken arm. No, no it wasn’t, we had dropped our mchappy meal toy into an unreachable abyss of the playground. In the time it took me to assess Ruben didn’t have a broken arm, Maxamillion had found a new Nana.

It was love at first sight, Maxi was patting her hand and she was gazing into his hazel eyes and getting ready to squeeze his chubby cheeks. We started to chat as you do when you’re in a mining town, everyone talks to anyone. She was from Victoria and had just picked up one of her son’s, his wife and their son (Nana’s youngest grandchild who was playing with the Rubinator) and they flown in as a surprise for the 18th birthday party of her oldest granddaughter. A bit of a shindig at the Bowlie. Only a little one though, they were saving the big one for her 21st.

Nana was so excited. Every inch of her beautiful, soft, smooth skin radiated and her sharp, recently trimmed and coloured, caramel hair shone as she chatted about her family. One daughter, her granddaughter’s godmother, had been unable to make it, she was disappointed about that. Her daughter also lived in Victoria and had a litter of co-dependent Labrador puppies born on April 23 to take care of otherwise she would have been there too. One son was in nearby mining town, the head of a mining services maintenance department, they’d visited him to. As Nana and her family departed it got me thinking.

You have a relationship with your kid’s Nana that you never had with your parents even though they are one and the same. As Nana, your Mum takes on this god like quality to your children and you. They are always happy and never cross or mean. They teach your kids things that you don’t have the patience or the time to do. When they visit they are on 24/7 park, pool and play detail and they never complain. They help out around the house, they give you time to regain your sanity and they listen to your woes. They talk to others about their family with the look of a cat who’s just swallowed the canary.

That time that it took to go from being Mum to being Nana has softened them or maybe it’s just that time that has faded your memories of when you disagreed with them, when you were sure your life as you knew it was over, when you were sure that you had the meanest Mum in the whole wide world. These thoughts all become distant memories because now you have the most amazing Nana and Grandma and they light up your day whenever you see them or you run into a new one at McDonald’s. Just like Maximillion’s new Nana in McCafe.

It was lucky we met McCafe Nana because her grandson had slightly longer arms than the Rubinator and he rescued the motorcycle wielding Teenage Mutant Ninja toy. A crisis was averted and Hayden found a forever friend in Ruben. Happy Mother’s Day McCafe Nana and a Happy Mother’s Day to all.

http://www.miningfm.com.au/component/content/article/43-mining-towns/731-why-little-or-big-mining-towns-make-great-places-to-live.html

Located on the corner of Bathurst and Kent Street Sydney is the Medina Grand Sydney. With car parking on-site* and self contained suites that include full kitchens, washing machine, dryer and a separate bedroom with television, they are the perfect choice for families with kids.

We have two boys 16 weeks and three years and the one bedroom was a good choice for us. Stealing a clever tip from my sister-in-law we tucked the travel cot into the second bathroom and had an instant bedroom for little Maxi. For master three, we installed him in our luxurious king size bed and then simple moved him to the couch each night. It worked well, both boys had a place to sleep where they didn’t wake each other or us. Awesome as Ruben would say!

The hotel is centrally located at the base of the Darling Harbour bridge fly over, around the corner from a mini-mart, diagonally opposite a medical centre and only five minutes walk from the mall and major shops.

There’s plenty to do in and around the hotel.

The first day the boys and I took a 15 min walk up to the Australian Museum’s Dinosaur exhibit. On our last day we discovered the awesome playground outside Darling Harbour McDonalds and of course there’s the aquatic centre at Darling Harbour.

For grownups there’s plenty of culture and nightlife to take in. I got some grown up time out (thanks Uncle Andy!) at the Sydney Opera House taking in Tim Winton’s new play Signs of Life showcased by the Sydney Theatre Company. Not as good as his classic Cloudland but still pretty enjoyable.

I followed up my cultural interlude with a progressive late night treat trail along the Sydney Harbour foreshore. A glass of bubbles at the Opera Bar, coffee, chocolates and macarons at Guylan Desert bar, before a slow stroll back to the Medina Grand.

Did I mention that the Grand also has a heated pool, sauna and gym? Ruben was loving the pool. I was loving the cafe at the bottom of the Medina.

The cafe catered for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. It was fast service and at very reasonable price. It was great. It meant I could phone, order and duck down and pick up a coffee or a snack while the kids slept or on the way back from a trip into town. Perfect.

All in all Medina Grand is a great stay for those who are driving into town that want to be able to do some self catering and be close to all the action of the city. It’s not too bad in price but keep an eye out for the specials by subscribing to their bulletins or checking on wotif or one of the many great discount accommodation sites.

*Car parking around $30 per day unless included in accommodation offer

A lump came into my throat, my eyes misted and I saw the next six years of a tiny little life flash by.

What happened? My Maxie boy went from his cosy little cocoon tetra bed, into his big boy cot.

My littlest boy is six weeks old on Monday and I have no idea where the time went.

From a big boy in a little bed, to a little boy in a giant cot.

Time is flying.

From capsule straps at the bottom, to capsule straps at middle

Time is flying.

From bottle teat no1 to bottle teat no.2

Time is flying.

From new born hearing test to six week needles

Time is flying.

From eyes wide shut to wide eyed boy

Time is flying

From big inside my belly to little brother

Life is time flying by

And I can wait while I keep watching Maxie’s little life happen