35 months old

We are rounding the final month to three, which is crazy...  Even though it has felt like winter for weeks, it's been a busy fall around here. 

Playing in the leaves at the rose garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden

It was 30 degrees (with 50 mph winds) and snowing, but the twins went trick or treating to a few of our neighbors for the first time this year.  They had three Halloween parties in one week, so of course we all came down with some sort of plague, that took a good two weeks to get everyone over and done with. 

We kind of glossed over Halloween prep last year (one of several fall slights due to our India trip prep), so this year we started planning early.  When I asked them over the summer what they wanted to be, they both answered, "ELSA!".  So yeah, that didn't happen (mean mommy), but we settled on Anna and Olaf (after some searching) instead.  But then Halloween week came and Alistair didn't want anything to do with his (admittedly cumbersome) costume.  So I went back to Party City the Tuesday before Halloween and exchanged it for Thomas.  Crisis almost averted...

As the doors to the preschool party open...

Somehow there were no other Frozen characters at any of our parties.  Yay for non-conformity!

Since the kids started school in January, they missed out on school pictures last fall.  Well, now they are in two preschools, so they had two sets of pictures done.  One was decidedly better (and correspondingly more expensive) than the other, but I'm just amazed they were able to get them to cooperate. 

Just a proof, but this pic is like seeing a unicorn...

 Yes, they look like an ad for Old Navy

At least one is smiling...

On that note, we had our very first parent/teacher conference recently and of course (as is typical) they are a dream at school.  Great at listening, helping, sharing...(ha ha!)  Still trying to figure out how to make that the norm at home...  It was interesting to see them interact at their one preschool Halloween party that was mom led/run.  They don't really interact with each other that much at school, which the teacher confirmed is kind of their norm.  They are all over each other at home, so I guess another of the many benefits of school is it gives them a well earned break from each other.

Somehow Thanksgiving is next week, so we're headed north to spend a few days with the family and another few lounging (and seeing Thomas) at the Grand Geneva.  DH is turning 39 (for the first time), and I'd hoped to squeeze in a birthday/Christmas beach trip this year, but right now we're just staying over in Chicago for a few nights and trying to plan something for spring. 

I'm trying to get our kitchen done by the end of the year (new buffet and FR built-ins are nearly done, kitchen is part way there).  When I couldn't find a new house I liked, I figured we might as well keep making this one what we want.  Happy Thanksgiving!

New Sarah Jane Be/Virtue Prints and Enjoying Fall

Remember the adorable be/virtue prints I got for the Twins' nursery way back in the day (almost exactly three yrs ago)?  Well Sarah Jane has added two more to the line (be patient and be friendly) and they are so sweet!  You can see/buy them here. (She also has amazing new wallpaper.)

I know I've been scarce around these parts.  With the kids in school four mornings/12 hrs a week, I've been busy doing everything but blogging.

We are enjoying fall so much this year, the kids are getting big.  Last weekend was ponies and pumpkins et al at Goebberts.

Early last month, we went back up to Harvard for apple picking (train rides, animals, etc.)

In the barn

On the train

Back home, watching the apple crisp baking

And the week before that, we went back to school, which they are rocking

Happy Fall! :)

Cape Cod/Nantucket 2014

We've been back for a few weeks, but then we've been away most of August.  Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and then back to back trips to Wisconsin and Iowa (and not a single new state for the kids among them).

You know you are doing better than you think (and it often feels) when the only big issue on a cross country vacation with two very busy toddlers, one (working on Indian time) husband, one mom/gamma, two sisters and an honorary BIL is something you definitely can't control.  Namely the weather.  I should have known that we'd have rain (over half of our days), since it's been such a rainy summer at home, but boo.  You can't help that you have to book months in advance.  So for those who were wondering what happens after the polar vortex...  It rains, a lot, like monsoons.

But we still had fun, and eeked out just enough good weather to enjoy the Cape and Nantucket.  I hope we can stay longer next time.  I'd love to count it in months instead of weeks.  Someday...

Hyannis

Hyannis Light

 

A and the big boat heading to ACK 

Shell hunters

Beach time!

Chatham

Osterville

 

M showed us she's going to put even my shopping skills to shame

Nantucket...love the Children's Beach

It was so hot on Nantucket, melting...

These two start school again this week (4 days!), they are getting so so big and ridiculously chatty.

So we just missed the President, who was vacationing on the Vineyard, but since I am a political junkie of course there was a Kennedy wedding while we were there (RFK Jr. and actress Cheryl Hines wed in a rainstorm in HP), and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy of RI and his new family shared our fast ferry to Nantucket.

Our rented van ended up being a Chrysler Town and Country.  Not necessary something I'd buy, but it worked out well.  Kind of funny because I learned to drive an automatic on a Chrysler minivan (my parents had a series of them over 20 years), but I hadn't driven one since then.  We got such an amazing deal through Costco.com, it basically paid for itself in gas (30MPG!) and tolls vs. taking two SUVs.

The house we rented also worked out really well.  We filled up all five of the bedrooms, but it thankfully didn't feel crowded.  It had an amazing deck and views of the harbor, though it would be even more fun in better weather.

Waiting for the rain to go away, again

 

Many of these pics are courtesy of my sister, official trip photog, Jen Brinley

If we had another baby...

Which is so not happening...  But if it were, there are some new beauties out there.

It's hard to believe it has been three (or maybe thirteen, but who's counting?  ;)) years since I was buying baby stuff.  I think I would wait to find out (could I deal?  highly questionable...) and just go neutral.  When you already have a boy and girl, all pressure would be off, so why not just wait?

The new Gonatt convertible crib from IKEA...  Love the grey color, the drawers, and would definitely go convertible again.

If I was feeling extra spendy, the Honest Company Collective/Babyletto cribs are cute too.  Now in white as well as grey.  And when you buy one, they give one to charity, which is cool.


Not new, but I've always loved the Dylan line of bedding from Serena and Lily.  Sadly, the prettiest part is the bumper, and who even buys these anymore?  They are actually illegal to sell in Chicago, which seems a little extreme.

In that same vein, I just love the French Stripe line from Skip Hop.  So simple (preppy) and pretty.

I found myself using bags I already had more than not with the twins, so I'd likely skip the Duo special edition bag and just go for the Soho clutch.

Also love the special Duo bag in Aztek, super cute.

Do you have favorites? (whether you are actually in the market or not...)

Our (extended) family vacation

After taking our summer beach vacation in the Hamptons the last few years (2011-Montauk & 2013-Southampton), since my younger sister Jen moved to Brooklyn that first summer, and since I'd always wanted to go, now we are headed back to Cape Cod this summer. 

We haven't been since 2010, since we stayed in Boston last fall, which is a stretch for me to be away.  It's a bit of my spiritual summer home, though Maine is a close second, the first place I chose to live and return, besides Boston for college.  I first went with my mom just before I went away to/while visiting college (20 years ago), so I guess it is fitting that she decided she wanted to join us this year, her first trip back since I lived there.  She and my eldest sister Sara were going to fly out and then decided to drive, so we had the idea to leave our SUVs behind and rent a minivan instead of caravaning it as an extended family of six. 

We might just be crazy, ask me when we get back... ;)

Jen and her boyfriend will also be joining us, so we rented a big house for all of us, which is a big change for our summer jaunts, but it will be nice to have plenty of room to spread out and extra company/hands for the kids, so we can actually relax a little bit.  We got lucky and found a great place on Hyannis Harbor, near the lighthouse and not to be confused with Hyannis Port to the west, so we can walk just about everywhere, the beach, the ferries to the islands (where we'll go on daytrips), and to downtown restaurants, etc.  They even have a Trader Joe's there now (and as of May a Whole Foods too) for stocking the house with groceries, thank goodness.

I wrote about a few of my favorite places to go on Cape Cod and the Islands here and here.  The Islands, Chatham, Osterville (and nearby Centerville for Four Seas ice cream)...   And if you want entertainment, there's always the Melody Tent.  It's no Ravinia or Tanglewood, but it's the closest on the Cape.  And the Boston Pops is coming to Nantucket and Hyannis too.

Since I've been so many times over the years, the last few times I've done both islands in a day via Hy-line which is much more efficient, lunch in Nantucket and dinner on the Vineyard (or vice versa now, if you prefer), but that's a bit much with the kids, so we'll take the regular high speed ferry (the only way to go, if you're sans car).

Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket

If you are headed that way, there is a great deal on mid-week daytrips on the high speed ferries from Hyannis to Nantucket via The Steamship Authority.  They also offer the quickest/cheapest way to the Vineyard via Woods Hole, for all of $8, though Hy-line is the only company to offer high speed ferries to both islands via Hyannis.

To get ready, I've got a pedi and a new favorite red, Forever Yummy (Mummy), and I've raided the sales at VV, RL, JC, and STS (who was so kind as to name a shoe for us ;) )...

And the likely reality of beach vacations with family from The Onion...

Two and a Half Years

The kids' half birthday was last Friday, but we just went to the pedi today, hence the tardy update.  They are both rocking and rolling skinny giants (3% BMIs for them both), and have each added exactly an inch and a half in height and nearly four pounds since our last visit in December.  While they are officially "underweight" (less than 5 BMI %ile), the pedi is unconcerned since they are healthy eaters and children overall, and we are both tall and thin.

They are both talking (and singing, counting, spelling) like mad, she's telling elaborate stories, and are in the midst of the twos and their challenges.  She is very mature for her age and knows what she wants and he is mostly having trouble with transitions (leaving somewhere he is having fun, etc.).  She is eagerly potty training and he is just starting to get excited about it now.  They are loving camp and swimming and playing outside (when it's not raining).

They have been awesome sleepers from the get go, but the last few weeks have been like infant redux, so we are all still recovering.  I'm not sure the cause, since milestones and teething (they have all their two yrs already, and a great dentist report as of this week) have never phased them.  They loved seeing their auntie Jennie and we had a nice albeit brief little getaway.  Counting down until our next trip together...

Alistair
30 months: 29.2 lbs., 37.25", head: 50.75cm. (45th & 83rd %ile, resp.)
24 months: 25 lbs. 6 ozs., 35.75", head: 50 cm.
18 months: 23 lbs. 12 ozs., 33.5", head: 49.25 cm.
15 months: 21 lbs. 12 ozs., 32.75", head: 48.5 cm.
12 months: 20 lbs. 10 ozs., 31"
Nine months: 19 lbs. 5 ozs., 29 1/2", head: 46.1 cm.
Six months: 16 lbs. 15.5 ozs, 27 3/4", head: 44.7 cm.
Four months: 14 lbs., 25", head: 42.2 cm.
Two months: 10 lbs. 2 ozs., 22 1/2", head: 39.5 cm.
Three weeks: 6 lbs. 9 ozs.
Two weeks: 5 lbs. 15 ozs. (he surpasses her for the 1st time)
One week: 5 lbs. 6 ozs.
Four days/hospital release: 5 lbs. 2 ozs.
Birth @ 36w4d (breech/IUGR?): 5 lbs. 7 ozs. (5%), 18.25" (10%)

Marielle
30 months: 27.4 lbs., 37", head: 49.25cm. (33rd & 85th %ile, resp.)
24 months: 24 lbs. 12 ozs., 35.5", head: 49 cm.
18 months: 22 lbs. 2 ozs., 33", head: 49 cm.
15 months: 20 lbs. 1 oz., 32", head: 49 cm.
12 months: 18 lbs. 8 ozs., 29 1/2"
Nine months: 16 lbs. 11 ozs., 28", head: 44.9 cm.
Six months: 14 lbs. 10 ozs.,26 1/4", head: 43 cm.
Four months: 12 lbs. 7 ozs., 24 1/2", head: 41.2 cm.
Two months: 9 lbs. 9 ozs., 21 3/4", head: 38.7 cm.
Three weeks: 6 lbs. 7 ozs. (finally surpasses BW)
Two weeks: 5 lbs. 12 ozs.
One week: 5 lbs. 7 ozs.
Four days/hospital release: 5 lbs. 3 ozs. (unexplained 14% weight loss, day one)
Birth @ 36w4d: 6 lbs. 1 oz., 19" (25%)

On their half birthday, at the market/town pond watching the brand new baby ducks

There was one family with six babies and this one w/nine (head spinning)

 

Nap + dinner = horns

 

My big girl enjoying a picnic lunch and concert at Ravinia

 

Getting serious about her grilled corn

 

Their new favorite thing...

And mine...

PB market in cool Emerson stripes

 

Happy Summer!

Reunions, Ghana, and goings on

Thank goodness it is finally summer!  Obviously, I'm still doing a lousy job of keeping up with the blog, but this is never much of a good season for that.  The kids have started summer camp and we've been to the pools and parks and the farmer's markets, though much else is on hold until we get word on Ghana.  DH is going for work for ten days and we've been waiting for several weeks now on the final go. 

My college reunions were the last two weekends outside Boston.  Unfortunately, not the same weekend like the last time I went a decade ago (five yrs ago we were in Bermuda after my first TTC surgery).  Last weekend, my Wellesley friends who made it were listening to Cokie Roberts ('64) interview Madeleine Albright ('59) on campus and Hillary Clinton ('69) stalking, as she not so much blends in as kicks off her book tour (and some say '16 campaign).  I'm sure next year Julia Collins ('05), of recent Jeopardy winning fame will be the big draw.  A bit of trivia for you... The Secretary of State between Madeleine and Hillary, Condi Rice, was a student of Madeleine's father.

Anyway, no travel for now.  I was going to go to NYC to visit my sister, but instead she is coming for a long weekend (yay!).

We usually spend Father's Day picking strawberries, but this year we are going to Ravinia and then Jen and I are heading into the city for a little girl's weekend away.  We're staying at The Public, which I remember reading about the grand opening while in bed w/the twins.  Should be fun!  Happy weekend!