The Tale Of Georgie Watts

By Georgie Abay Published May 13 2014

My uniform is stripes and denim...

I’m very concerned that stripes may one day go out of fashion…what would I wear then!? I also love a ‘Canadian tuxedo’ (denim on denim!) and leather pants….fortunately my fave stripes and denim shirts also work well with leather, so I can just rotate! I would say my style is perhaps more practical now, and my stain removal prowess legendary.

I could not have had two MORE different pregnancies if I tried...

Wolfe was a breeze… it was very exciting, so many firsts! With Kinga on the other hand, I had severe morning sickness for the first trimester, and then narrowly avoided being put on bed rest because of placenta previa. Most disappointing perhaps was not having a choice in my delivery with Kinga, having gone natural and drug free with Wolfe, I had no choice but to have a C-section with Kinga, a prospect I found terrifying as I’d never had any type of surgery or anesthetic before. The end result was the same though, healthy babies! At the end of the day, that’s all you can wish for, right?

I manage one or two sessions of Pilates a week, at Evolution Pilates in Annandale...

I also do the Bay walk as often as I can. Next year with both kids off at school I’ll be able to commit to a more regular routine, I can’t wait. I was very active while pregnant with Wolfe, and then with Kinga I was banned from ANY activity as a result of severe placenta previa. It was very disappointing, but of course my only concern was putting Kinga first.

I love that my kids make me laugh...

Kinga in particular seems to really understand funny…her father’s daughter! I love that our home is a happy home, and that there are lots of laughs!

I think being a mother to small children is quite hard...

It can be very repetitive, and until they are able to communicate, it can be frustrating, for both mother and child. The great thing is, it gets easier! One of the hardest things for me has been to see my kids sick. To see your child so vulnerable and helpless, there is nothing worse than wanting to make them feel better, and not being able to do so.

The great thing about motherhood is that you’re constantly learning...

One thing that has been super helpful is to be adaptable. If you can adapt, then you can carry on. Kids can be so unpredictable, so if you can just switch up to suit the circumstance, you’ll be able to get on with it, with hopefully minimal stress.

I’m so lucky to have a makeup artist in the family...

My beautiful sister-in-law Bec always steers me in the right direction. She even sends me hair and makeup tutorials. I keep it pretty simple; Stila CC cream, good mascara, and occasionally a red lip. And always Kevin Murphy Hair Resort spray!

My favourite part of the day is just before I fall asleep...

I reflect on the day that was, and share little stories with Mez about the day, and wonder, what will tomorrow bring?!

Kinga is a bit of a tomboy, so she’s inherited a few special hand-me-downs from Wolfie...

Cotton On is great for basics, and can’t really be beaten on price, handy when your kids seem to grow overnight, and need new everything! I love Mini Rodini for their quirky prints, and bassike mini too, I wish they did a bigger kids size range. Seed is great! My Messy Room in Summer Hill is a brilliant one stop everything shop, great for clothes and books and presents too! Kido has been my fave since before Wolfie was born, we got his cot there, and since then clothes, shoes, linen, toys!

I was pretty overwhelmed at first by having two kids...

I didn’t want Wolfe to miss out on my attention and focus, but at the same time I had a teeny little baby who was entirely dependent upon me for EVERYTHING….Wolfe was in the middle of toilet training when Kinga came along, and immediately reverted to nappies, so I was changing nappies for two for a period. SO bad! It took us a while to find our feet!

Both my kids were shocking sleepers...

Wolfe had a retained startle reflex, which meant he would startle himself awake at the end of most sleep cycles, but was easily fixed with chiropractic care and a few do at home exercises. Kinga was waking up every hour for a feed, until at nine months I couldn’t function anymore. Both times a wonderful, intuitive nurse called Anne Kohn helped me through….thank you Anne!

I managed to avoid buying maternity wear with both pregnancies...

I didn’t want to buy anything I wasn’t going to wear again. I managed by wearing low-rise jeans and doing the hair tie trick, the one where you loop a hair tie through your jean buttonhole then back on itself to make the waist bigger. I did that and wore long T-shirts to cover up. Being pregnant through summer made things easier too, I wore lots of dresses!

Sleep deprivation is the hardest thing to overcome…

Mez and I are joking about having a third, but then we remember those early sleepless nights and we’re quick to say no. I think it’s fantastic that in Chinese culture they have a month long period post birth called confinement, where the mothers family rally around her, cooking and helping out however they are able, so that the mother may rest and recuperate before venturing out.

I had finished working some time before falling pregnant...

I wasn’t in a position to have to leave a job I loved, nor was I faced with maternity leave and getting back to work. With Wolfe going to five days at school next year, and Kinga starting with three days, I feel it’s time to start thinking about new projects! How exciting!

I’m so proud that my kids are caring and compassionate, and that they love each other and their family...

I’m fiercely proud of the funny little individuals they’re growing into!

I LOVE my kitchen...

It’s where the family comes together, it’s where we eat, and entertain, there’s always someone with their head in the fridge, kids drawing at the bench. It’s definitely the focal point of our home.”

We’ve been here for two years now...

We’re so very lucky to be living in our dream home! It’s quite a masculine house, with lots of wood and dark finishes. I love the way the lines between inside and outdoors are blurred, with internal courtyards and an entire side of the house being made up of sliding doors; when it’s hot we open them all up, and the outdoor deck becomes another room! The interior is pretty minimal, and butch, so for special occasions I pop in to see my friend Myra at My Violet who sorts me out with incredible flowers…beautiful flowers and the dark masculine space balance each other perfectly!

To new mothers, though it’s not often the easiest thing to do, try to go easy on yourself...

I think striking a balance between being a mother and a wife, and of course being yourself, the individual, is the biggest challenge of motherhood. I feel infinitely better about everything if I have had a hour to myself here and there. Our families are both interstate, but visits as often as they can, so I have a regular babysitter once a week, just so I can get things done for me, get some fresh air, exercise, and maybe grab a bite to eat and a movie with Mez.

We don’t have a garden in the traditional sense of a backyard with a trampoline in it...

We do have access to beautiful parks within easy walking distance, and we have a veggie patch that the kids love tending to, they love digging and watering, and of course tasting! I love that we live in such an outdoors city with beautiful parklands and beaches so accessible.

I hope they love their space...

I wanted simple rooms and furnishings that would grow with the kids – simple palettes that could be switched on a whim. Five years ago, I found that when it came to children’s interiors and furnishings, the offerings here in Australia were somewhat limited. I wanted their spaces to be simple, so that we could add to them as the kids got older. There has been a lot of improvement since then, what with Cotton On and Country Road doing bedding and with furniture from Mark Tuckey and Lilly & Lolly. I think it’s time for a bit of change in Wolfe’s room; he says he needs MORE Star Wars stuff in there!

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Photography: Trish Lee Hair and makeup: Regina Gao Styling: Kristin Trude Videographer: Sam Hastwell Words: Georgie Abay

I first met the gorgeous Georgie Watts many years ago when she was working as a fashion publicist and I had just started out in magazines. Fast forward almost a decade and the smart, stylish Watts is still just as gorgeous and now a mother to Wolfe Henry, 5, and Kinga Rose, 2, and wife to Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter Merrick Watts who is currently a co-host on 2Day FMs All New Breakfast With The Stars morning show.

The creative couple currently lives in Sydneys inner west in a superbly converted candy factory, which they recently renovated (it was incredibly hard to edit down these photos this house is seriously phenomenal). Weve been here for two years now… I love the way the lines between inside and outdoors are blurred, with internal courtyards and an entire side of the house being made up of sliding doors; when its hot we open them all up, and the outdoor deck becomes another room! says Watts. Her favourite room is the kitchen. Its where the family comes together, its where we eat, and entertain, theres always someone with their head in the fridge, kids drawing at the bench. Its definitely the focal point of our home.

Five years into motherhood, Watts says finding that elusive balance all mothers look for is still one of the hardest parts: Striking a balance between being a mother and a wife, and of course being yourself, the individual, is the biggest challenge of motherhood. I feel infinitely better about everything if I have had an hour to myself here and there. Theres also the sleep deprivation. Both my kids were shocking sleepers, she recalls. Wolfie had a retained startle reflex, which meant he would startle himself awake at the end of most sleep cycles, but was easily fixed with chiropractic care and a few do at home exercises. Kinga was waking up every hour for a feed, until at nine months I couldnt function anymore. Both times a wonderful, intuitive nurse, Anne Kohn, helped me through.

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Georgies little list of loves:
COFFEE! The smell, the taste and the little pick me up it gives!
Early morning walks, solo now that Merrick is back to breakfast radio hours, these are a rare treat, on weekends and on holidays.
Sun and sand.
Family food safari. On weekends we jump in the car and drive, seeking out new tastes. Cabramatta and Bankstown are current hot spots, theres such variety, and great people watching too.
Saturday mornings are spent at the Orange Grove markets in Leichhardt, stocking up on supplies for the week, and most importantly breakfast: killer bacon and egg rolls and gözleme.
Date night.
A nice glass of red wine.
The change of season. Cool, crisp mornings and evenings, but beautiful, warm, perfect Autumn days. Sydney really turns it on! And with the change of season, a change of wardrobe! Fun!
Lately the kids have taken a real interest in cooking. I love that they want to help and watch and be a part of it. They drag their stools next to the stove and help me with meal prep, peeling veggies, seasoning and most importantly tasting.
Holiday planning. Were off to Singapore and Langkawi in July and Im enjoying researching food and activities.
Making new friends through Wolfies school, such cool people!

April 2014