at the drive in

We're back from holidays but before I share about our fun two weeks away I'm going to share about something close to my heart.

Harry Potter.

When we first found out we were pregnant the only forseeable problem was how we were going to watch the final Harry Potter movie. We figured we would have a three month old. A bit too young for a babysitter and not old enough to join us for the potentially violent magical fun.

We had a few plans in place. We could have someone look after Lucy out side of the theatre, we could go to the "mums and bubs session", we could (heaven forbid) wait till it comes out on video.

But then one of our lovely friends gave us the idea on Sunday of going to the drive in.
It was the perfect idea. Baby in the back. Us in our little "soundproof" box.
Not to mention it's the DRIVE IN. How cool.

So that night we went. It was so ridiculously awesome.

Oh and most importantly Lucy slept the WHOLE way through. She fell asleep on the drive over and woke up when I was walking into our house when we got home. She really loves her parents.

I'm so sad now that it's all over. No more new HP. The end of a very long and lovely era. Thankyou JK Rowling.

Birthday Post

It was my birthday on Wednesday.
It was a long day.

It started with some coffee (Hot Choc for me) with some friends at 7 30.
Yes getting up at seven is early for me.
How things will change when the little one is here.

When I got home Myl had a surprise adventure for me.
We got on a bus to a mystery location.
The Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages!



While we have been married for well over a year we hadn't gotten our actual marriage certificate yet and in order to change your name you need to buy a special certificate not just the one you get on the day.
So we got it. And now I'm officially an Elton.



Then Myl took me (pregnant lady) on a wild goose walk around Chippendale/Ultimo/Glebe.
I had no idea where we were going. We turned up at the Broadway shops and I got a free Boost Juice for my birthday. We then went to the cinema and watched Tomorrow When the War Began.
It was still only 10am.



After that he took me to a surprise lunch. It was going to be Yum Cha but the picture on the front of the restaurant made me feel a little queasy so we went to Chinatown instead and had a lunch special.





After lunch we walked down to Darling Harbour and went to the Chinese Gardens. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place.
Myl made me get dressed up in these Chinese clothes and took my picture around the garden. I looked quite un-chinese but it was fun.



We walked round the harbour and saw some sweet little baby ducks then we caught the tram home.

I had a 20 min power nap before going off to nanny and then we had bible study.

It was a really nice Birthday.

Baby Flicks - For Keeps

For Keeps is one of the original teen preggo movies. Set in the days of Degrassi Jr High it tells the story of Darcy and Stan, two lovers in their senior year at school.

They have been accepted into college and have bright and shiny futures ahead of them. But one dark and stormy night they do it... and get pregnant.

Both sets of parents are less than chuffed at the news of their new grandchild and Darcy's mother books an abortion for her. However, Darcy can not go through with it. She and Stan agree to raise the baby even if it means they will have no support from their family, no college and boring jobs.

The life they lead seems to not be as bad as it definitely could be but they do have their share of troubles. It is a movie after all. Although slightly unrealistic this movie made me think of all the anxiety that comes with bringing a new life into the world. Whether you are old or young, rich or poor, married or trying to finish high school having a baby is a bit of a scary thing.

Things change and parts of life end never to be recovered. Darcy types;

"When they ripped my baby out of me it felt like they were ripping all the things I love about being young away too."

This movie deals with a lot of the scary issues that go with having a baby and having responsibility. It is no longer possible to think only of yourself. It talks about Post-partum depression but gives a somewhat limited perspective on it. It shows the relationship strain that can come from having a baby.

(Oh dear. Babies are starting to sound like the most awful thing in the world!)

BUT

It is also about love. That to give up things and to endure hardship is not the worst thing in the world when you do it for someone you love. And that is why I like it.

Image Credit: Wikipedia
New York Times

Baby Flicks - Father of the Bride Part 2

This is a weird baby movie.

The sequel to (unsurprisingly) Father of the Bride in which Steve Martins character narrates the wedding of his one and only daughter. Its pretty funny. There is a crazy French?? man named Fraaank not Frank, swans and a lot of money.

In number two the daughter gets pregnant. But that's not all. The mother, Steves wife gets pregnant too. She thought it was just menopause. So the mother daughter team go about their pregnancies together with the help of Fraaaaaaank creating beautiful baby things wherever he goes.

We watched both movies the night before I got married. Mum, Dad, sister, brother, brother in law and soontobesisterinlaw. Everyone thought the dad was a little bit like my dad. Not sure why we watched the second one but I wasn't going to go to bed early so it didn't really matter.

I guess the movie is pretty cute but it would be pretty odd growing up with an uncle or aunt who is younger than you or having a sister that is younger than your own child. I guess its do-able and I'm sure its been done.

I love these movies though. They are set from the viewpoint of the dad as he worries about all the things that Dads worry about most notably money. He gets cranky and crazy but at the end of the day all that matters is that his family are safe and happy.

The funny thing about this movie is how quickly time goes. Its kinda obvious as a movie cant really be longer than about 2 hours but from the first news to the delivery room time goes like a whiz. There seems to be no long wait, no time between doctors appointments and no time to just get on with life. The ultrasounds are beautiful. (Not at all like mine) And bellies develop in an instant. Its all very nice but not very real. But I guess a real movie might shock people away from ever wanting to have a baby.
And that baby when it gets born??? no way its a newborn. It looks about 3 years old (slight exaggeration.)

Altogether a nice nice movie. Good for a laugh.

Image Credit : Imp Awards

Baby Flicks - Away We Go

This is a film about belonging.

Verona and Burt are having a baby. They see themselves as irresponsible f---ups. But they want to love their little baby and find the perfect place to bring her up. Their parents have decided to move across the country one month before their baby is due so they decide to go on a road trip to find the perfect place with the perfect friends.

Hilarity ensues.

They visit several friends from their past who are all a different kind of messed up.
The definition of a dysfunctional family is one with more than one member.

This movie has a cute quirkiness that I really adore. Verona and Burt are pretty bohemian and seem to have a deep love for each other. They may not be so organised at everything and don't own a house but they love each other and seem to genuinely have fun together. They get horrified at parenting styles together. They go help people together.

Maybe they do things together too much? I think their love is really special and cute but maybe part of life is letting messed up people in. Being able to do life together with other people is a pretty precious thing. Verona and Burt leave each place with things they didn't like about each family in stead of staying because of the good things.

Weighing up the good and the bad its a pretty sweet movie. Pretty sweet soundtrack too.

The baby never makes an appearance so I guess it's not technically a baby movie but that's ok.

4/5


Image Credit: namrataalltheway.wordpress.com

Baby Flicks - Intro

This is a weekly post which will review a baby movie and comment on how realistic etc it is.

The first review will be coming next week. I have to decide on a movie and then watch it!