Four times two

The kids turned four last Sunday and we had a nice long weekend in the city (so much good food), save Marielle struggling with a cold.  She fell asleep at our Santa brunch, poor thing, but it was our fourth visit with the big man, so no big deal.

 

We took them to the pediatrician for their annual visit and all is good.  There were lots of shots (their last for years), and Mari decided to get her ears pierced, even though she'd previously been very set on waiting until she turned five (like I did).  She's going to be blowing a lot of my benchmarks out of the water I think. 

 

Dr. Dan said Alistair has "generous tonsils", so while he doesn't seem to be having issues, we'll be taking him to see a pediatric ENT to see if he is.

 

They are each 36 pounds (just above average for their age, though not for their height) and almost identical in height (according to their measure, though I think he has a slightly bigger jump on her which you can see when they stand together).  He is officially 42.5" and she is 42.25", both in the 90+ %ile (their first time since 15 mos.)

She passed out early birthday evening, so Alistair got to celebrate solo with his Sprinkles cupcake.  My sweet little man.

Smiling through tears, our girl's new bling.

Feeling much better the day after

Cupcake time!

She's decided she wants to grow out her hair and now with her earrings, it seems like she's added more than a year.  Time flies!

Merry Christmas!

Wrapping up 2015

The struggle is real...

Our babies turn four next weekend and we'll all be off to the city for a packed long b-day weekend.  We're actually staying at the same great hotel downtown we did for last year's b-day weekend.  The kids are super psyched, particularly about the pool.  I finish up my consulting project this week (thank goodness), though it has been extended through March, I opted out after my original contract, well I did agree to extend for this week to transition.

We'll spend Christmas at home and then it's off on a family road trip!  Long delayed (due to MIL's visit), but we are off to sunny Florida (the Emerald Coast) via Nashville (both new places for us).  We haven't been anywhere new (we're creatures of habit like that) in almost five years (our first trip to the Hamptons when I was expecting the twins), so it was time for some new scenery.  We are all excited for some non-lake sand between our toes.

So I'm returning to life as a SAHM, after my short term FT onsite project, and after turning down another FT permanent job last week that I was recruited for in Lake Forest several months ago.  It was so ridiculous, it's sad.  I actually semi-seriously considered it for a bit (all that money...), but it served as a means for me to flex my long dormant interviewing muscles (they still work!) and at least toy with the idea of trading non-paid manual labor for a position in senior leadership (Sr Director... of never seeing my kids) at a well regarded company.  I guess after all this time, you could call me an intentional SAHM now.  Only 20 months until they start full day kindergarten.

We're finally finishing up our seemingly never ending kitchen remodel, the only missing piece is the perfect backsplash tile, which so far has remained elusive.

Only a few weeks left until 2016, so excited to see what it will bring.  Happy Holidays!

Back on the Market in Greenwich

A few months ago, before she recently resigned her latest gig at Fox to stay home with her kids, college classmate Elisabeth Hasselbeck and her husband Tim put their Greenwich, CT colonial (which they just bought three years ago) on the market.  It's listed for just under $5MM, if you're game.  Remember when I posted the crazy before pictures?  They did some redecorating, and as promised here are the afters...  My favorite room is definitely the dining (nice rug repurpose from the old city place btw).

 

No word on where they are relocating for their new (presumably simpler) life with their school aged kids. (Turns out the winner was Nashville)