***This is not a sponsored post. I was sent products to review and to also giveaway. All opinions are my own and those shiny new wheels definitely belong to the twinions***
Watch out world! Clear the roads!
Like turning 4 wasn’t huge enough this year. Or the fact they started pre-school.
Mr Surfer had to go out and get the twinions a set of wheels (plus training ones, of course…)
And while we haven’t taken them out for a proper spin on the roads yet (Let’s just wait for my heart to physically prepare itself), we’re just letting them slowly ease into their new modes of transport.
For the longest time, they sat on their shiny new Malvern Stars in the middle of the lounge room whilst watching, what else? A Dinosaur Train DVD.
Me thinks that levels of patience will yet again be tested during this time of cycling discovery.
The whole concept of using their feet to push the pedals, to get the bike going either seems extremely foreign or just too much friggin’ hard work.
Just this morning in the kitchen, K-Bear sat on his MX-16 and was getting frustrated that it just wasn’t moving.
“Papa, I think my bike is broken. It needs new batteries. It needs new batteries, Papa” he concluded.
Ah, no kid. You need to get those little legs of yours moving. And trust me. The rate you run and keep me fit by chasing you and your brother constantly, I’m not going to say that often.
Anyway, as you can see, it’s all systems go in Chez Mama Grace.
I bet it’s the same at yours.
To help me cope with the twin ions transition from full speed to turbo, I was kindly given an awesome Panasonic laundry basket. Cool factor? It’s collapsible! Not only great for piles of stinky dino laundry but it stores really well when you’re not using it.
I also got to try out these great reusable pouches from Pouched. Great for making healthy smoothies for the twinions’ preschool lunches.
And woohoo! I have a basket and pouches to giveaway!
All you need to do is:
1. Leave a comment and tell me:
What are the big transitions your little one/s going through this year and how are they (and you) coping?
2. Subscribe to With Some Grace by Email
Terms and conditions:
This giveaway is only open to Australian residents
Closing date for entries is 10pm AEST Tuesday, 25th of February .
The winner will be contacted via email on the following Wednesday.
If the winner does not reply to my email within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.
Entries will be judged on merit and decision of the winner will be final.
Getting back on the IBOT boat with Essentially Jess
Update 25/02: Congrats to Pauline Stewart who’s the winner of the Panasonic Collapsible Laundry Basket giveaway!!
I love that they are sitting on their bikes watching a dinosaur train dvd. Priceless. Well, my three year old is going through so much change at the moment I could write a book on it. Moved up to pre-school, moved up in swimming, moved up in dance class. Alot of change all at once and the ride has been rocky at times. We are hoping for a better week this week.
Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me recently posted..Little big girl – Tommee Tippee giveaway
My eldest has just started the kindy program and is adjusting to 2 days a week at school, but that is nothing compared to the transition her little sister has decided to make. We are moving from nappies to undies. Or I should say nappies to toilet I suppose. Let’s just say that there is a lot of washing happening at my house while we learn to make the run to the toilet.
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted..Homemade Fruit Leather
Lil Pumpkin started learning to balance on a strider bike last year.. now she does it pretty well and whizzes by so fast!! Think we can get her a pedal bike w/o training wheels later this year! Damn that’s fast haha
Ai Sakura recently posted..Letter to my girl #12 | A Lesson about Being Kind
I got a lovely Panasonic basket too – they are great fun and space saving.
Find a quiet little park and let them go – we have a local one with traffic markings on a path.
Trish recently posted..24 years and ways to say I love you
Oh biggest transition this year will be the arrival of a baby sister for Dora (almost 3). Of course, she has been drowned with attention since she was born and this makes me feel so guilty as to how to share my time with her and a new baby. I know she’s going to be a loving and helpful big sister and hope we all transition with as few bumps as possible 🙂
Kaz @ Melting Moments recently posted..Our Naturally Sweet Pepsi Next Picnic + {Giveaway}
Starting school, and the usually loud, boisterous girl goes quiet when we arrive at the gates. She informed me yesterday that the crazy school has some nutty rule that you can’t whistle (2 of my kids like to roam around whistling, even in the middle of the night, like Tarantino killers). She then elaborated that it is ok, because school is about learning the rules, and she’d now learnt that one.
Lydia C. Lee recently posted..Travel Tips
My daughter started school but two weeks before it started she broke out in a rash. Six weeks later she is still covered and about a third of her face is a nasty rash. She has not only had to deal with starting a new school, but some no very kind comments about her “funny face” and endless Drs appointments. She also isn’t allowed to swim which is her favourite thing in the world. But despite all these huge changes she is happy and still enjoying school 🙂
Eleise @ A Very Blended Family recently posted..Dealing with loyalty to parents as a step parent.
Your boys are just the cutest! I remember trying to teach my kids to ride, it was a long process, but once they got it, they were away. Unfortunately where we live now, they don’t get to do it so much, but when we are able they love it. xxx
Nicole @ Life Living recently posted..I Went Shopping to Buy a Gift For Prince Charmings Ex-Wife
Oh great idea to do the giveaway Grace, as these washing baskets are a bit of an investment… aren’t they great though. Spooky coincidence posting – we must be living parallel lives north and south of the Harbour!
Seana – Sydney, Kids, Food + Travel recently posted..In Search Of The Perfect Washing Basket – A Rant!!
Lots of transitioning here at the moment, with a 10-almost 11-year old. I think I’m the one learning to cope with it all!
Your little guys are so gorgeous Grace, love how they practice in the lounge room 🙂 x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen recently posted..The Zen Files // Lisa from Mrs. BC’s House Of Chaos
I was hoping by 4 my Esther would click together on how to ride a bike because she still can’t push the wheels and expects me to push her. Your twins will work it out in no time I’m sure.
How freaking cool are those collapsible washing baskets?? Such great space savers! We have a big change coming up with the addition of another baby to the family. I will most likely be doing a lot more washing once the baby arrives. 🙂
Bec @ The Plumbette recently posted..How common are snakes found in toilets?
Our big transition this year is changing the boy’s school. Yikes! We are staying in the same area, so are making sure we still make time for them to catch up with their friends from the old school; we are both able to do the drop off and pick up, and we’ve both made time to chat with their new teachers about why we moved schools and how we can be as supportive as possible to our children, the new teachers, and the new routines. So far, so good!
xx
Those bikes look fab we have just bought our son one for his 3rd birthday in a couple of weeks. He had a balance bike before which was great for his balancing but I think he’ll struggle with peddling as well too much like hard work!
The biggest transition we are going through at the moment is trying to transition to a family of four. He is getting used to being a big brother and no longer being the centre of attention. It is tough and we are not coping with it very well to be honest. 🙁 oh well it’s just a phase – this too shall pass.
Rhian @melbs recently posted..From Fat to Fit – Week 8 (10.02.14)
My ‘little’ one started work this month! It’s a learning process for all of us at the moment, adjusting to a new timetable for her and fitting in family commitments/household jobs/work wardrobe laundry/office lunches around a new 9-5-er! But we all know we’ll get there!
My youngest is going into grade 2 without his brother this year as his big brother has just started high school. Definitely some transitions but they seem to be taking it all in their stride, but as they get bigger so does the washing pile!
Oh my goodness Grace, they are growing so fast! My little ones aren’t so little so we are transitioning from dependant teenagers to being independant young adults with Mr 19 fast spreading his wings and my sweet Miss17 turning 18 in a few weeks. The biggest transition for me… the fact that they no longer have to tell me where they are going or with whom. Mr 19 can go to the pub, til whenever he wants and all I can do is ‘suggest’ he not drink himself into oblivion. Hold Me!
Lisa (@lybliss) recently posted..I’m Loving This.
How awesome are those baskets? I love mine so much!
EssentiallyJess recently posted..Famous Last Words #IBOT
Dinosaur + train = win! Genius.
My Miss 7 is travelling smoothly into Grade 2, but my big boy has just started a new private school and loving it. As he’s no longer attending a local for the first time in his life we are suddenly further apart than ever before. AND he’s catching TWO TRAINS and SOMETIMES A BUS as well! We simply couldn’t have imagined this not long ago. So proud 😀 #teamIBOT
Twitchy recently posted..My Kids Say The Darndest Things
The big transition for my little fresh daughter is leaving my warm belly and entering the real world!
I think Mr 19 was 7 before he could ride a bike sans training wheels; Miss 17 was about 5. Funny how I still remember like it was yesterday!
As for life transitions – I am slowly coming to terms with having NO KIDS at school anymore!
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama recently posted..My Driving Playlist
Bee can climb out of her cot now, so we’re about to switch her over to the toddler bed. How are we coping? Ask me in a week when I’m prying my eyes open with toothpicks, cause I’m pretty sure she’s going to think naptime is partytime. 🙂
Danya Banya recently posted..How to cook turkey in an Esky
Our little miss has started school this year. It is a massive transition for the whole family. I have to admit that I didn’t cope very well at the beginning, apparently her starting school triggered a whole bunch of issues for me. She is going well though, which is great. Drop-offs are still a bit tough, but we are getting there.
Sam Stone (@A Life on Venus) recently posted..#everdaypeople three
I don’t have any youngens so probably rules me out of the comp but I love the idea of a collapsible basket and your boys look SO cute just sitting on their bikes! Good luck with that and may they never feel the pain of a bitumen scraped knee!
Zita recently posted..for my second book review…
Riding a first bike is such a milestone – when successful something to celebrate too.
I myself am going through a life transition as I return to study after 15 years.
It is not going to be easy having to be self disciplined but my motivation will be to set a good example – proving that applying yourself to ‘homework’ reaps rewards.
I remember the start of the biking journey well! Now he zooms up and down the footpath like a pro.
This year we have been dealing with a bit of anxiety in my gorgeous little guy and it breaks my heart when he says ‘no mummy I don’t want to leave the house anymore, I’m scared.’ He has always been a bit shy but this is new for us. We have an awesome psychologist though who has given us some great techniques. One of which is blowing bubbles. We carry around a little bottle of bubbles and whenever he starts to get overwhelmed we pull out the bubbles and he blows a few. The great thing about this technique is that he is learning deep breathing and he doesn’t even know it!
Tegan recently posted..Borderline: My Story
My little Miss is getting used to a Big Girl bed as well as big girl knickers! We are so proud of how she is transitioning, slowly but steadily she is turning from a toddler into a little girl right before our eyes
Elise recently posted..The Big Splash – Party At Mine!
Our family is all transitioning to the new addition to our family, our sweet little daughter. I think the hardest of these transitions is for Mr 2, who has suddenly become very cuddly and clingy. Mr 3 has become a very sweet and protective big brother.
My little ratbag Rylie began Primary School this year…at a Catholic School. We are a household with Christian values but haven’t really made a big deal out of it…Rylie has been giving us an education…Telling us about Adam & his girlfriend who ate a bad apple & then wore knickers!
Wowsers that is one COOL basket. Love your boys call daddy their papa, so cute. My 4yo started C&K this year and it’s a stone’s throw, eg over the fence from where he starts school next year, he’s left all his daycare buddies behind and is making new friends at C&K I hope. He’s also going to have to have a major op in just over a week so is going to have to get over his fear of sickness, wish me luck xx
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted..A few of my secret websites to help freelance writers and bloggers!
My daughter is starting to go through puberty quite early. I am at my wits end, because she is not mentally ready for all this, I get stressed just thinking about it. She is coping (or not), by saying she doesn’t want to grow up. The joys of parenthood!!!
Ps, I am already subscribed.
Our year has started on a sad note. My kids are experiencing mass grief following the death of an 11 year old girl in a car accident at their school. Another family from the same school lost their Father in the same tragic accident. This is the first time they have every experienced anything on this scale and I am watching them closely. I too feel very wobbly since the news. Not sure how we are all travelling yet but the school is handling the kids extremely well.
I adore laundry. Sad but true. Loving that basket!
My little one isn’t quite so little anymore. He’s so grown up somedays and yet seems so innocent and young on others. My Boyo is nearly 10 and has feet bigger than half of my girlfriends. He is alarmingly tall and grown up and only two years away from high school. We’ve recently introduced deodorant – he’s not even 10! He is coping remarkably well – me, not so much!
Kim-Marie from Kimba Likes recently posted..Taking Stock | all about my January
Loving the new wheels. How cute when one of them thought that it needed batteries. My little guy started 4 year old kinder this year and is absolutely loving it. His training wheels also came off whilst on a family Christmas trip. Now there’s no stopping him 🙂 x
Neets recently posted..Earn Your Burn – Triple Interval Training
Your boys look so cute on their bikes. My daughter just had her training wheels removed at the end of last year. I thought it would take ages for her to get the hang of it, but no, she decided to grow up faster than I wanted her to and took off two wheeling almost immediately. Surely it was yesterday she was my tiny newborn?
Georgia recently posted..Mahalia-isms: The bedtime edition
The twins look very cool on their new bikes. My girls love Dinosaur Train too, the three of us often hum the tune! We just discovered Dino Dan which we found at the library, very cool show! 🙂
Julie @ Off to the park recently posted..Appreciating the change
My 3 yr old granddaughter is learning to cope with younger sister walking and getting into things of hers…its a daily lesson!
My eldest started High School this year.
For her it has been a a huge adjustment and one month in, it certainly seems a lot harder than it was when she started kinder. And it is not like I can walk her into school holding her hand anymore, or help out in the classroom. So it leaves Mummy feeling rather helpless and anxious.
After years of having 4 at school, I now leave school with 3. Very weird and almost like I have left without a body part.
These are my first wobbly steps to letting her go and be free. I hope it gets easier with my other children.
My son is going through two transitions this year…
firstly he has started primary school and to our surprise he is loving it ( he use to hate kinder ). He has made new friends and loving every bit of it. All of us are very happy and it is a very smooth transition.
Secondly he has started sleeping in his room at night and is not happy with that . We are having a tough time at night. He wakes up in the middle of the night and then its hard to settle him back. We are trying hard and our best to make this transtition as smooth as we can.
My little guy has alot of firsts so far this year he started big school year 1 (i am still trying to come to terms with my baby not being a baby anymore), He just had his first birthday party and the following day lost his first tooth very exciting times but mixed feelings for this mumma of 4 as he is the baby of the family and with no chance of having any new additions i find how fast they grow a little overwhelming at times.
My little angel is currently finding her footing! To help us both transition with this change we are taking baby steps (literally!) and slowly implementing more steps each day. There are encouraging rewards when she goes from myself to her dad and we increase the distance each time.
I don’t have little ones any more, but I am going through letting go of another son as he is in year 10 this year and no longer wants or needs us for anything!!
Also letting my 8 year old go….he is now “big” enough to join Taekwondo 🙂
Lisa recently posted..How to Travel Stress Free
Bahaha! Too cute… reminds me of my son’s friend who was given an acoustic guitar. He looked it over carefully and asked “Where’s the ‘on’ switch?” (I am new to this, sorry of I am doing it wrong.)
JM Peace recently posted..Confessing to Police