It's Complicated

There is nothing quite like going on your first real family vacation, you know as a "real family", where everyone has a great time, the weather cooperates, all goes to plan, you make it there and back 2,000 miles safely, to find the house just like you left it. No papers or mail piled up, the lawn guy actually came like he was supposed to, and your neighbor even decided to trim back that tree hanging over your garage that fills your gutters with junk. It's a really good feeling.

Well that lasted less than two hours. I ended up in the ER last night with a "complicated head laceration" from a run in with my pantry cabinet door (warning: pic below). I guess what's more surprising is that I don't injure myself more frequently than I do. I'm kind of a klutz.

I got five stitches (my first ever) because that is all they could manage. Most of the wound is too wide and too much of a "gouge" to bring the wound together. So now I get to wait until it heals to see what we'll be dealing with as far as scarring from the tissue damage. In the meantime, I'll be planning my new life with bangs and open shelving or whatever...

Happier times by the seaside (aka what my forehead used to look like)...

The aftermath...  Maybe I can be Frankenstein for Halloween.

19 months old

So we are closer to two than not and everyone is very busy, which is why it appears we've taken the summer off of blogging. Marielle is getting the rest of the mouth of teeth that her brother has had for months (since he got a six month head start on her) and for whatever reason eluded her, but she is a tough cookie. Alistair is getting better at walking, he can stand by himself going from downward dog to squat (my kids are funny like that).  Summer here is the best, when it's not raining or a hundred degrees, but that is enough for a whole other post.

This is what happens when there is an ant on the floor...  The NSA has nothing on these two.

Taking a break from playing 

We are getting ready for our Hamptons vacation. I am very excited, though we decided to drive, so that part of the trip will be kind of a drag (I hate driving across PA with a passion, and since we aren't headed farther north/to the Cape, going the NY way doesn't make sense).  We had wanted to fly in preparation for our big trip to India in December, but honestly driving the 1,800 miles round trip is a probably a more accurate proxy (if there is one) for what traveling to India will be like (time and schlepping wise), plus we have a lot of crap to take for the kids and flying just didn't seem feasible. 

We are looking forward to spending time with their auntie Jen, since we don't get to see as much of her as we'd like now that she lives in Brooklyn, instead of the Twin Cities.  I'm a New Englander at heart, though after college (and then again in 2002, after I'd moved back to Boston again) I made the difficult decision to move back and settle in the Midwest to be closer to my family (trading the ocean for them), though they are still 300 miles away (which is close enough). Happily now we can enjoy both together.

It looks like I'll be starting a six month project when we get back, so we are getting the kids geared up for "school". DH has also taken on a large project for his/our business (on top of his FT job), so things are busy busy around here. It's hard to believe we are already on the back half of summer.
Hope you are having a great one!

It's a GIRL!

My guess was right! (in India, you can't find out ahead of time)  Our newest niece was born yesterday, well actually today in India.  The name thing there is a long drawn out saga, so we are just celebrating that all are happy, healthy, and here (and on her due date no less!)  Still awaiting pictures...

Congrats to Vishal and Vrushali!

Adventures in pediatric orthopaedics

Based on our pediatrician's recommendation, we took Alistair to a pediatric orthopaedist with Lurie Children's Hospital last week.  It was a very uneventful visit, as we'd hoped and expected.  He checked out fine and the physician noted that he thought Alistair's laid back temperament and extreme joint flexibility (likely inherited from me, insert joke here) are likely why he is just lately putting together the final pieces and getting around to walking.  He's made a lot of progress lately and he may even be on his own by our much anticipated beach vacation next month.

I asked about therapy and while the doctor said Alistair would likely qualify for physical EI through the state, for a therapist to come to our home to work with him, he also thought given where Alistair was already, that it would not necessarily get him walking independently any faster than if we just skipped it.  So that is what we are planning to do. 

I'm all for intervention when needed, obviously, but I'm also well aware that there is a wide range of "normal" and given that I am able to be home with them  (we had looked at child care programs where they need to be walking to move to the toddler program, forcing them to be separated) there is really no rush to getting him to meet arbitrary milestones.  He is making good progress and the physician's only concern was if he were to regress.

18 months (& 500th post)

The kids are 18 months old as of Thursday, and it is finally Summer (officially). Yay!

We went to the pediatrician for their check-up on Saturday and all is well, though he suggested getting some physical therapy exercises from an orthopaedist to help try to speed up Alistair's walking progress (while he is aggressively pulling up, climbing and cruising, he is not yet walking independently).  They are both in the exact same percentiles for height and weight for their gender, which is kind of wild.  85% for height and 44% for weight, which is a little bit of a leveling off from their more recent extremes.

Alistair
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
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%)

I lost the post that I had put together for my update, so that'll be it for now.  Happy Summer to you! (and don't forget to check out the super moon, biggest/brightest of the year, tonight!)

Honestly...

...I should start selling this stuff out of the back of my car. I promise (to try) not to have too many more posts on Honest products, but I just thought I'd give a quick update. As I mentioned, Costco just starting carrying their awesome shampoo/body wash and given their low mark-up rule, they are selling it for half as much as when purchased in an Honest "bundle" ($7 by mail bundle ($10 retail) vs. $15, for 4x as much). Run, don't walk people! Because if you know Costco like I do, as soon as you completely fall for something they carry, they will stop carrying it. :)

Swimsuit shopping

Two words to strike fear in most any woman.  Well that was the mission that I took on recently.

I'd been wearing a black CK swim dress (kinda like this one) for pregnancy and postpartum (the last two summers), which I'd gotten a million years decade ago in Boston for $30 for just that purpose, and have now clearly gotten my money's worth out of it.  I have a closet full of bikinis, thanks to my long torso, and though I didn't have any trouble losing the baby weight, thanks to breastfeeding and an insane metabolism, my bikini wearing days are (happily) over given my stretch marks are so large and severe I look like I got into a fight with a bear. 

I would have to wear one that looked like this to cover below the navel. 

And though it is cute, I just couldn't.

This is why one pieces were invented and honestly who wants to be that mom at the pool that looks like she is trying way too hard to cling to a meaningless vestige of her previous life.  Not this one.

I've been looking at suits online, since who has time or the sanity for trying them on in store with kids, which narrowed my focus significantly.  Places like Garnet Hill had lovely options and others like Land's End were very practical, but I ended up going with J.Crew swim yet again, since I had to finally decide, just like I have for most of the last 20 years (and hate if you must, I wear the same size I did then).

Ruched femme tank

(in long torso)

I got this recently (in dark blue) and am very happy with it.  My only critique (besides not having more long torso choices) is it has wider straps, which I don't usually go for given one of my least favorite things are strap lines, but I like the way it is cut and hangs.  Their swim sale is over, but the entire site is 25-30% off now w/code "SUMMER".