Whitewater World

The three munchkins waiting to head in!

Another theme park down, with all three in tow!

Themeparks with a young baby can be hard... Especially when having three kids means we are outnumbered.  Majority of rides/activities our children (who are shorties) require a parent... where does that leave the poor baby?!

We visited White Water World, the water park attached to Dreamworld, with very little expectations.

Zavian is notoriously known for his fear of water - any time we've gone swimming (pool/beach/anywhere!) he has clung to me like a koala and pretty much cried.

We went to White Water World with my friend Kylie, and her little girl Taya and I think that his fear of water was overpowered by the desire to impress his little girlfriend ;)

The day was dreary... not too cold, not too hot.  Rain apparently keeps people away from places they will be getting wet anyway?!  Go figure!  I love that it wasn't packed - made it a lot nicer for us!

OMG a family photo!

I've wanted Zavian to find his confidence in water for a long time... it's hard because Lexi LOVES water.  She'd happily spend all day paddling away in the water, whilst he would spend the entire time trying to get as far away as possible.  So I may have been beaming a little over the top when he wandered tentatively into the water and then without a lot of hesitation ventured up to the childrens water slides and ACTUALLY WENT DOWN.

Sure, he stood at the top and refused to go down until someone was firmly planted up against the bottom of the slide - but he still did it.  There was still water on the slide and he still landed and then walked through water.

This one goes in the Proud Mummy bank

Lexi LOVED it.  She's naive, I admit - and will go on anything with Ty and I without really realising what she was getting herself in to.  She now stands at 101cm, and as such was actually allowed to go on a few big slides accompanied by an adult (you know the ones, with big tubes!)  I didn't LOVE taking her on, worried she would let go mid-slide.  There was one ride Ty was so determined to take her on, that I breathed such a huge sigh of relief when I saw she had to be 130cm to go on (hahah so when she is like... 10 haha).  But she did SO well!

Cheeky and adorable - Lexi had a blast

Baby Memphis had his first ever swim, on a rather cool day no less!  He wasn't sure, but I think it was the temperature that put him off.  Half an hour in the water in an over sized rashie, he started to grizzle so I gave him a feed and popped him in to something warm and bam, out like a light.  He slept in his pram for the remaining 3.5 hours!  

Memphis has his first swim

Going with a third person was good.  One parent would stay with the kids at the kiddy pool (Memphis in his pram alongside) and the other two would go and do a ride.  We alternated and all got to do something.  Which was nice!  I am not a huge fan of rides... water... you know... water rides... however I did it! I went on 2 that I admit I did look at when I got to the top and tried to think of any other way possible to get down!!!!

I will say that I am sad we didn't attempt White Water World earlier in our passes - we left it to the last day with the assumption that Zavian would be his usual self and panic and refuse to participate.  Oh well, good to know.  And we do have Wet n Wild passes, so we will definitely utilise those!

Waiting for Lexi to come down the slide!

All tuckered out from half an hour of being held in the water hehehe

"Hmmmm, yes I do think I'll come back here!"

A day in the water = pruney fingers!  Lexi wasn't pleased!

Good way to tire them out, if I do say so myself ;)

Movieworld (48)

Family time at Movieworld <3

Lets cross another theme park off of the list -that we have taken all 3 children to.  We will have to re-do Seaworld, as we haven't taken the baby there yet!  I didn't think about how some of these goals could/would change with the arrival of our little guy!

We actually quite love Movieworld, the kids get a lot out of it, and it's not too far away.  There's plenty of rides that they can go on to keep them happy, and they enjoy the characters.  Lexi adores Tweety and Marilyn Monroe.  Zavian loves Batman, Scooby and Wonder Woman.

I really wanted to have a photo of the kids under the Movieworld sign... alas, they were mobbed by Asian tourists and instead of a photo I got 2 crying kids and Ty trying to stop a woman from taking the baby from his arms.  Not fun.  I say this as a parent - Asian tourists over here are bloody awful some times.  Some are beautiful and respectful, they ask to take photos.  Others are sneaky, pushy and rude.  This particular trip was hard - it was Chinese New Year and there were many tourists there to celebrate (they had a special parade).  We always attract a lot of attention - our children are pale, blonde, petite and charismatic.  They're cute.  Asians have always loved taking their photos and we've had it happening since Alexis was a baby (Ty's mum handed her over to a beautiful Japanese woman for a cuddle and photo in front of the War Memorial in Melbourne when she was 9 months old!)  I am usually pretty good about it, if people ask I generally say yes IF the kids are ok with it.  Some are so sly though... one man was leaning his camera over the top of the kids not realising Ty was standing right beside him... he pushed the mans camera aside and told him NO and put his hand up to indicate stop.  So the man laughed at him.  I know there is a language barrier but I'm pretty sure NO can be interpreted in any language.  I am the only one allowed to take sneaky pics of my children!

A good day starts with Batman

One of those photos you just have to get!

Zavian's first time on a ride that actually leaves the ground!

Lexi and I at the front of the roller coaster... she commended my bravery as we got off, making me look like a total sook!

Marvin the Martian tried to steal Memphis :P

Adorable!

Pretty lil lady!

Zavian is in that boat!!!!

Wild Wild West

Ty's fave - The Joker!

All together now!

Super Spud!

Another attempt at baby theft!

Missy and Marilyn!

Loving Sylvesters car!

Wonder Woman catches a glimpse of Lexi... they bonded over a bandaid earlier in the day!

Highlight of the day!

I really really really must note!  After a day of being bothered (I'm talking all day) by tourists, Lexi and Zavian were personally approached by Wonder Woman during the parade, given an ice cream each, and came out for a photo with her.  She was SO lovely to them!!!  It really was the highlight of their day and they still talk about how she gave them an ice cream!  Zavian is, in fact, madly in love with her for it hahaha!

Dreamworld (48)

3 cheeky monkeys visiting Dreamworld

One of my 101 goals is to take the kids to all 3 theme parks.  We've been to others, but I've been slack and not documented very well hahah.  However here is our first family visit to Dreamworld.  We bought 30 Day for $30 passes for the month of March, and that allows us access to Dreamworld and White Waterworld.  We have annual 3-park passes that give us unlimited access to Movieworld, Seaworld and Wet n Wild, and were wondering about perhaps getting Dreamworld ones instead when renewal came up.  Having spent a day here with all three, and a day with just the boys, I can say that whilst we will get our $30 worth - well and truly - I can't see it being suitable for use to purchase an annual pass until the kids are older (or at the very least, taller... the poor lil shorties just aren't big enough for anything age appropriate for them).  

I will also say - Dreamworld gets the award for the WORST ride I've gone on at any theme park.  Their Wiggles Big Red Car ride is just... well it should just be closed down.  It's the most ridiculously poorly timed, slow, boring ride.  Ever.  It completely brings down a) The Wiggles and b) Dreamworld.  I can't believe it's even a ride.  Even Zavian, who is generally entertained by a spot on a wall, found it boring.  We were bumped to the front of the line due to other people having large groups, and let me tell you - if I'd actually have waited more than the 10 minutes I did for that ride, I'd have been really pissed off.  It needs a total overhaul.

Daddy and Zavian on the flying Donkeys.  Under 4 require an adult, so in they squished!

Lots of cool characters to pose with around the park.

Lexi and Memphis stop for a rest

The kids really enjoyed Tiger Island.  Me, not so much.  After attending places like Australia Zoo and Seaworld - where their areas are large and the animals well stimulated, seeing these tigers... they made me sad.  They seemed sad.  The tiger in these pics spent the whole time pacing this tiny enclosure.  In fact all the animals we saw seemed sad.  One of the llamas they had was slightly neurotic and skittish and only one kangaroo was out whilst the others all huddled together in their time out zone.

Lexi poses not realising that the Tiger has wandered up behind her

Minor freak out moment when she catches a glimpse, never seen her move so fast.

This moment was unexpected,  I think they both panicked for a second there!

We weren't sure these guys were even there anymore, but the boys met them on the way out

Highlight of Zavian's whole day - these guys sporadically spurt water from each of them

Sometimes I feel like I live in a zoo....

That moment when King Julian tries to steal your baby

So much love for these guys!

We're never going to get a happy smiley family photo are we?!

Being a Koala (painted by an Aboriginal woman in the Dreamworld Corroborree area...)

Ride time!  Mummy doesn't do spinning things... they enjoyed this ride, one of few they were able to go on.

Will we return to Dreamworld?  Look, I dunno... for the duration of these passes, sure.  We will also go to White Water World.  However I am not really jumping up and down desperate to purchase annual passes for our family.  It's run down and tired... I could see it getting old pretty quickly.