But then we were sent some Millie-sized Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl outfits to try.

Something in me changed when I popped her into the mini Wonder Woman suit. A mini Wonder Woman suit. Stop. It.

Just look at this.

It’s one of the outfits in the new DC Comics infant apparel range, exclusive to Big W.

Rompers, onesies, T-shirts and socks can transform your bubba into Batman, Batgirl, Superman, Supergirl or Wonder Woman.

The cheap and cheerful range (in collaboration with Warner Bros Consumer Products) is to celebrate Batman’s 75th anniversary year, comes in sizes 0000-1 with rompers priced at $14.

They are ridiculously cute. And Halloween is SORTED.

This week I’ll run an Instagram comp so you can win a superhero outfit for your own baby boy or girl.

Big W store finder click here

MillieMummyMelbourne on Instagram click here

The post Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane? No, It’S Super Baby! appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.

The sun was shining despite the winter temp and Millie and I headed off for a walk.

Mum and daughter gleefully going about their day – until an opinionated nosy parker decided to ruin it.

My hubby was called interstate on business for a few days, so I decided to go to a cafe with Millie for lunch to save myself cooking a big dinner for one.

In a high chair, Millie Moo played with her toys, ate the lunch I had brought along for her and sampled the eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and toast from my plate. She was such a good little bub, happy to munch away and occasionally smile or wave to fellow customers as they passed through.

A journalist by trade, I relished the chance to read the paper while sipping a latte. How lovely. Well…

Millie started to grasp at the edges of the newspaper so I passed her the catalogue that was lodged in the middle. The shiny, crunchy paper kept her occupied for a couple of minutes as she waved it about and slapped it against the table.

A woman, probably in her 60s, came over to tell me she used to give her kids the toy catalogues to look at. I smiled, thinking she was just being nice.

“I would never have given them that one though,” she continued.

Say what?

“You have to watch what you give them. I had to look twice at what she was holding,” she said.

Oh my goodness, I thought – have I given Millie a catalogue laced with poison? Was it covered in pictures of naked men? Had she grabbed someone’s book and was scrunching it up?

No. It was a Dan Murphy’s catalogue. Shock horror.

“She doesn’t know what she is reading,” I said to the woman, assuring her that Millie was still a long way off talking and walking let alone ducking off to the bottle-o.

“Well it won’t be long,” she said. “Naughty mummy.”

I was shocked, otherwise I would have come up with something witty to say.

It didn’t matter that Millie had a morning nap, was quiet, happy, warmly dressed, eating vegies or had a clean nappy on? Or that I had triple-sterilised her utensils, love her dearly and am a new mum still learning how the hell to be a good one?

I wish I had told her to mind her own business.

Millie didn’t see the pictures on the catalogue and even if she did, she doesn’t yet know what they are.

Most households have bottles of wine on display at home. We have a small collection in a rack in our lounge. It will be years before Millie realises they’re there.

I could count the number of alcoholic drinks I’ve had in the last 11 months on one hand (and none in the 9 months before that).

I don’t need to justify myself. I was just mad at this stranger judging my parenting after a quick glance.

Why do people of a certain age feel the need to be critical once you’re pushing a pram?

A girl from my mother’s group was chastised by a shop assistant for taking her 6 month old son into the supermarket bottle shop. She was getting a bottle of wine for guests that were coming for dinner that evening.

Other friends have had older people tell them their child needs warmer clothes/a hat/a sleep/all of the above while out with their baby. Those pregnant with their second or third have been told with raised eyebrows how tough they’re going to find it once the new bub comes along. Just a smile or “congratulations” would be nice.

I don’t get it. Why do some people only say negative things to mothers of babies – mothers who are probably running on minimal sleep and are pleased just to be out of their pyjamas and out of the house?

How about it rude lady? Next time you see a mum and her baby, how about telling her that her baby is lovely and remind her that she is doing a damn fine job.

If you haven’t got something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

Have you been confronted by people with opinions on how to raise your child? What did you say?

The post Back Off Rude Lady, I’M Doing A Stellar Job appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.

It happens to me all the time.

It often happens when I strip off and step in the shower…that’s a guarantee I’ll hear it: a faint waaaaaaaaa.

I tilt my ear toward the hallway.

Waaaa.

Ok then. Shower off. Towel on. Up to Millie’s room. Open the door. She’s snoozing. Hmm.

Hubby comes home from work and starts talking about his day. I shoosh him. “Is that Millie?” I say. He rolls his eyes. It’s not.

Settled on the couch with a cuppa, ready to watch the latest Game of Thrones episode (yeah, yeah…don’t tell me you aren’t stupidly excited that it’s back) and I’ll suddenly hit the mute button on the remote. I can hear a sob. Oh no I can’t.

We laugh that there’s a crying baby ghost in our house. Or that Millie pretends to be asleep again when I check on her.

I suspect it’s something engineered in mothers. Once that baby is put in our arms we are wired to jump up at the tiniest peep.

I think it stems from those first weeks with bub, those weeks when you’re so nervous and lie awake listening to every cry, snuffle, breath, squeak and sigh from the teeny little person beside your bed. Your hearing is so finely tuned to them that you hear their cries ringing in your ears.

I thought it might have been the lack of sleep that was sending me round the twist, but no, Millie’s almost 9 months old and a champion sleeper – and it’s still happening to me.

I won’t ignore it, the day I don’t take a peek at her or check the monitor is the day it’s actually Millie awake and crying.

Please mums, tell me it also happens to you? Or am I going batty?

The post The Crying Baby Ghost appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.

As a little girl I was happily immersed in my world of pink, Barbie dolls, Cabbage Patch Kids and jazz ballet. Following a football team was not something I planned but I kinda knew I would. After all, dad loved the Tigers. Mum did too. There was no choice for the kids in this family but to be one-eyed yellow and black.

I was born in 1979, in the middle of a very successful era for the Richmond Football Club. The Tigers won the flag in 1980. Dad still talks about it. Time has shown us that this success is yet to be repeated. Sigh. We move on…

I’d go along to matches with dad and my brother Matt to grounds like Windy Hill where it was either dusty and hot or cold and wet.

Matt was kitted out in his Richmond jumper, footy Record in hand and was VERY excited – he was a good little player in VicKick (now Auskick) and couldn’t wait to see his idols run out onto the field. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing there.

The years went by and with each one I grew to like and understand the game more and more. My teenage years arrived and a healthy crush on Matthew Richardson helped notch up my attendance to Tigers games.

I’m now a Gold Richmond FC member and just love my footy. There’s been tremendous joy, times where I’ve lost my voice, tears and disbelief.

Just your typical footy fan

When Millie was born, I knew that she’d be a little Tiger.

She was gifted a black & yellow onesie with a sash, a beanie, a Richmond Tiger teddy and Richmond socks.

We dressed her up last September for Richmond’s first finals appearance since 2001.

Millie has a full yellow and black ensemble

Millie only had to wait a few weeks for her team to make the finals, while her mother had been cheering them on for more than 30 years and had only seen them compete in finals twice. I was hopeful for Millie’s sake that the game was the start of a new era of ongoing success for the Tigers. It was not to be. Sigh. We move on…

Following the Tigers means there will be plenty more days like this

Millie, I apologise in advance for making encouraging you to be a little Tiger. There will be wins – it’s not all bad – but there will be disappointment.

But every Tiger has its day and I hope that your mum, dad, uncle and Grandpa are by your side when the mighty Tiges prove they can be ‘strong and bold’ and win the premiership cup.

Did your family influence your choice of sports team?

The post Oh, You’Re From Tigerland? I’M So Sorry. appeared first on millie mummy melbourne.