Me and The City

One of the gifts DH gave me this year was a weekend in the city (sans stroller, as he put it).  Since this past weekend was a veritable heat wave around these parts, I decided to go ahead and "cash it in" before the New Year.  Why waste time, right?

I got a nice hotel on Hotwire (The Whitehall) and finally booked my massage at The Peninsula.  I wore real clothes, ate at nice restaurants (Fred's, Ralph's, etc) and shopped the north end of the Mile, though I didn't buy much.  I didn't even tell my city friends I was coming in, since the idea was to give my introverted self some breathing room from never being alone.  I haven't done a very good job of meeting my goal of "balance" this year.  Next year will be better...

What some people don't understand about big cities, is they are about carving out your own little space and getting lost in the sea of many.  I love the anonymity.  I read some books (the latest by Malcolm Gladwell and Elizabeth Gilbert, which I recommend) and walked a lot and sat and soaked it all in.  Sometimes you just need to be by yourself (in a city of millions) and trade caregiver for doing nothing much to get back to center.

Enjoying the fireplace at RL...

Happy New Year!  

The Twins are Two Years Old

Merry Christmas!!  Hope you are having a restful holiday.

The twins turned two on the 20th, and we spent the day celebrating at home, then visiting the pedi and having lunch out in the city, and driving up to WI (nearly seven hours) to see the fam, and then celebrating with all of them. It was a good long busy day.

The advantage to having their birthday during Christmas week is not buying them less than if they weren't near each other (of course), it is just buying a bunch of presents at once and then choosing a handful for their birthday. Terribly creative, I know. They were a hit too. Mari's favorite is her first "baby", a doll that I chose since I thought it looked a lot like her with brown hair/eyes, though she is "supposed" to look Hispanic.  Alistair loves everything, my easy going boy, especially his shape sorter (which always seems to be on the Spanish setting).

Our pedi visit was uneventful (no issues, no shots) especially since everyone is walking and talking since our last well child visit six months ago. They have both changed so much in the last few months, which is why we decided it was time for them to go to school. We also had their hearing checked recently and it seems they just ignore me on purpose. They are both just hairs shy of 3' tall (OMG) and they weigh what seems like a lot, though it is only about 25 lbs. Their heights (and heads) are in the 90th percentiles, and their weights are 30-40%, which puts them in the 5th %ile relative to each other.

They eat a lot (and very well), especially Mari, and are still on whole milk (since they don't have a weight issue, which is what gets littles on low fat), since the fat is good for their brain development and calcium absorption. So they must have inherited whatever metabolic issue I can claim as one of my key life advantages.

The complete two year rundown:

Alistair
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
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%)

So no big party like last year, thank goodness, it'll be awhile before we go back there (kicking and screaming).  Big parties for little kids are for adults (as we know), so I decided not to go there with all we had going on this season and instead focused on what they do like: balloons, cupcakes, and their cousins.

I got them big gold "2" balloons  (among others) from Party City, and since they are learning their numbers and how to talk, they can say "two" and it is the cutest.

I made cupcakes from a mix (the horror) from Whole Foods, which was AMAZING.  It is called European Gourmet Bakery mix and we had both the vanilla and chocolate (cake and frosting).  Again AMAZING.  And organic (cuz I'm a freak like that).  Add organic eggs, milk and butter and enjoy.

Decorations (which amounted to cupcake liners (big and mini) and décor (picks and pinwheels)) from Meri Meri (like last year) from Sur la Table in Toot Sweet, which is the most adorable design.

They are really expert gift openers now and had so much fun celebrating turning two (and Christmas) with their cousins.  Happy Birthday kiddos!!

*The kids' shirts are from Old Navy



A Passage to India

We made it to India and back, but since this is not a vanity blog, I figured I'd spill the dirt on how things really went down. In hindsight, while I never really considered it an optional trip, since it was to take the kids to visit DH's family, I wish that we had spent as much time contemplating whether it was actually a wise decision to go at all, as I ended up spending preparing us for the reality that we were in fact going...

Kicking it at O'Hare

The kids actually did pretty well, much better than I even expected them to do, which is a testament not only to them, but the adaptability of toddlers generally, I guess. They didn't suffer terribly for the jet lag going over (there is a whopping 11 1/2 hour time difference), though we are struggling more than we probably should be (as it is supposed to be easier going West) now.  We are just now (over a week later) getting back on a good sleeping schedule.  I read some of the travel tips from the travel clinic (where the kids and I got a typhoid shots and meds for malaria and TD before we left) after we were already en route (my bad), so I didn't get the melatonin they say can sometimes help with that.

As anyone with kids knows, taking them on the road in any fashion just takes your routine and makes it more complicated and difficult to adhere to. And if there is one tip I have for anyone contemplating children (and especially multiples) is to live by the routine, it will save you (even though it may seem like a pain) and your kids will (hopefully) be as happy as mine are with theirs.

Anywho, if you are not familiar with travel to "developing" countries, among many other rules, you can't drink or brush your teeth with tap water, so we use(d) bottled. And in the kids' case, you are also not recommended to bathe them or wash their dishes in it. This obviously adds time/effort to the routine. We tried both boiled (and obviously cooled) water and then iodine added (and then evaporated) for their baths and washed their dishes in boiled water. We fed them almost entirely at home, which helps lessen the likelihood of food borne illness, and they miraculously made it through the trip without getting sick at all. MAJOR VICTORY! (Though in full disclosure they were both sick the week before we left)

Sadly, DH and I weren't so lucky. He got sick soon after we arrived and was very ill for the first several days (including his bday).  I was on a similar trajectory and even with the meds I brought over (and three drs. visits in six days for many many more) an infection took pretty good hold of my body and it was Thanksgiving (over halfway into our trip), before I started to get any relief and feel even remotely human. At one point I was laying in bed, as I had to do most of the time, was nearly delirious from the pain and wishing not only for my own demise, but cursing DH (for bringing us there), and the whole of India (for always making me sick). Not exactly a high point.

We bought the kids their own seats on the flights, which is the only way to fly IMO. We brought their travel car seats, the CR top rated and wonderfully light (and inexpensive) Cosco Sceneras, which they kind of inexplicably love. We brought their workhorse Maclaren Twin Techno stroller and (since they were gifted) the lovely Fjallraven Kanken backpacks (which fit perfectly in the stroller storage) as busy/carry on bags. We flew Lufthansa, which was generally satisfactory but unremarkable, though as DH always notes you must fly international carriers (rather than U.S. domestic) when flying abroad, as the booze is free in coach. (ah, the important things...)  It worked out that there were four of us, as on three of the four legs, we were on 747s, which have four seats in the middle, so we reserved and commanded the entire row, with the kids facing us in the middle seats and each of us on the aisle. The other leg, we were in continuous rows in a similar fashion.

The kids got to see Grandma again, since she left when they were five months old, and meet their uncle and new aunt and baby cousin for the first time, not via Skype.  Mari was a huge fan of her baby cousin, her constant refrain around the house was "baby, baby, baby..."  She also had a major language explosion while we were there and has so many words now.  There was a naming ceremony/party for the baby, which, unbeknownst to me, our kids were included in too, since they obviously hadn't had one of their own yet, which resulted in a heap of generous, yet many much to big to transport easily, gifts, that I was not expecting. DH's mom comes from a very big family, and since they now live in the town where she is from, after raising DH in Bombay, they are all nearby. The party, for immediate family, topped out at 150 or so.

The baby's name is Raayna, changed at the last minute from (my preferred spelling) Raina, which is pronounced "Rye-na" rather than "Ray-na". She is a cutie pie and in the three weeks we were there (starting when she was four months old) she really changed a lot, starting to roll and generally be more and more adorable. She is chubbier than my kids could have ever dreamed of being and I honestly barely remember my kids being such little squishy peanuts.  I got my baby fix, but am so so glad we are forever done...

  

While DH's family is lovely, few of them speak English, so it is sadly difficult for me to get into much of the socialization aspect of going to India.  This was my third trip (the first was for our wedding, the second after FIL's passing), and our longest and most unscheduled.  We didn't get out much on this trip, for logistically reasons, so when we did, it was nice.  I don't do well as a shut in. 

We went to Sula Vineyards on Thanksgiving, which was nice since I love and missed Thanksgiving with my family and I was just starting to feel better.  We had talked about staying over at their resort (sans kids) after we decided against going to the Maldives on this trip, but they book out several months in advance, and it wouldn't have worked out anyway given the kids wouldn't sleep on the trip without us.  Nashik is the "Napa Valley of India", so this has been an increasingly large part of their tourism industry (it is also a religiously significant city, so that accounts for much as well). 

Our vineyard pics are still trapped on my DSLR, so these are all Iphone pics...

Another highlight was when two of DH's best friends from childhood made the trip from Bombay to visit.  It was a meeting of the Alistairs...

  

We also made it to the mall to visit one of favorite stores there, Fabindia.  I had found some pillows for our room on a previous trip, so I figured it was a good stop for looking for textiles for the kids' big kid rooms.  I found a great sari bolster cover and shams for Mari that I think will be a good start as I start mulling over ideas.

MIL may come back in the spring, though I have no idea when we'll be going back to India.  DH would like to go every year, but every other is probably more doable since it takes so much time.  I don't know if/when I'm going back honestly, so he may take them himself when they are four (I'll be on an island somewhere).  BIL has repeatedly gotten turned down for a U.S. visa, he missed our wedding here, but he is going to try again.  What will most likely happen is that we'll meet up in Europe every few years, with various visits all the way interspersed between.

So, long story short, India kicked our asses, but we're back and raring to go for the twins' birthdays, more travel, Christmas, New Year's, and back to (pre)school (for the first time)!

Happy Holidays!!

When in Munich

So we made it to India intact, and our brief layover in Munich last week gave us a little taste of the local Bavarian flavors. Pretzels, of course... Yum! 

And I've never seen so many beer steins, though I betray my German (and quasi-Wisconsin) roots by not being a beer drinker (it tastes nasty and makes me sick).  Thankfully, Germany also makes great wine.  Gewurztraminer and Reisling anyone?

That Santa was super creepy, but of course the kids were totally into him.

And how 'bout these outfits? If we'd had more time, the kids would have gotten fitted for some of these gems. Classic yodeling gear, a la The Sound of Music or something.

Love the hair babe... ;)

Happy Halloween!

The kids dressed up for music class today and kicked off Halloween!  Since we were out of town and missed our classes last week, we were the only ones who missed the message to dress up on Monday.  Apparently Halloween is a week long affair, yep mom of the year, right here.  And since I'm a buyer and not a maker, thank you Carter's/Costco for the cheap, easy, warm and comfortable costumes.
 

 

 

Insisting on holding the big pumpkins, rather than the gourds...

 

 

 

It is supposed to rain and be nasty tomorrow, so I think we will just dress up and hand out candy, which I think/hope they will get a big kick out of, we shall see...

Six strollers

It might seem a bit silly to be buying (and posting about) strollers as we near the twins' second birthday, but I thought in case anyone was interested... An overview on how we somehow got to six, my goodness...

I'd bought a single Maclaren jogger (which they no longer make) before we even started trying to get pregnant, and I actually got to finally use it while we were waiting for Alistair to start walking independently, and Marielle was adamant about walking (I swear that girl would be driving if we would let her).
 

Checking out minivans for fun while daddy gets his car serviced

I haven't taken the kids out separately but once, so it hasn't gotten much use, mainly walks to the park (around the corner) this summer and fall. I was going to sell it, but now we are thinking we might take it to India for our newest niece (who will finally be named in a ceremony when we go to visit).

Now they could be taking me for a walk...

When we finally found out we would be having not one, but two babies at a time (well actually after I was already on bedrest with said babies), we ordered a Baby Trend double snap and go. We only used it and their infant seats for a few short months before unloading them, but worth it for certain. We also started with a Baby Jogger City Mini double (which I also later sold to pare down) and a Maclaren Twin Techno (their fancier double, since I'd long loved their Techno XLR) which we still use and love, especially for travel or whenever space is an issue. The Bumbleride Indie Twin is a wondrous machine, it might be my favorite (since I can't pick one kid, I will pick one stroller).

So Mari loves to walk even more than her brother, but still needs to be strapped in sometimes (for speed and safety), so I'd been thinking about getting a single wide double since I'd had so many frustrating times when the double wides were just too much of a pain in tight quarters.  Ironically, kids' stores seem to be unusually bad offenders, too bad they just won't get my business.  But at this point, I just couldn't justify to myself buying an UB Vista w/a rumble seat or a BJ City Select double, and I'd looked at the Britax and the others out there. But when I recently came across an amazing deal on a new Hauck Freerider double on Woot, I decided to take the plunge.

It has its quirks, but overall I'm very pleased with it. I call it my German bullet train, as it is a German brand.  Super slick. 

Taking our new ride for a spin at one of our favorite Swedish stores

Mari rides in the jump seat, for as long as she can stand to, and Alistair loves the front.  The ride is very smooth and steady, though I wouldn't actually jog with it, not that I do. It came with a car seat adaptor for the front, so like most single wide doubles it is aimed at (and likely perfect for) those with an infant and a toddler.

Still one of his favorite rides

22 months old

Going for a stroll in the city

(when did they get so big?)

The time just goes too quickly, it seems like mere days between my monthly updates.  Alistair has started walking exclusively (and much better) lately, so I felt very confident not going through with his approved physical therapy, as we'd planned (you know, after we didn't... ;) ).  Additional therapies (and children) wouldn't have/don't cost us any more, so you are welcome fellow taxpayers of Illinois. ;). We've just started speech therapy for both of the kids, so we'll see what comes of that.  Coming out of the first session, our first job is to get their hearing tested, which is standard protocol when receiving speech.

Marielle continues to do well.  As time goes by, I realize just how much she is not only my daughter, but basically my clone.  Always trying to help, cleaning up whenever there is a mess (and even when there's not), even rearranging the rugs and furniture.  She is so eager in our classes, it is like watching myself as a girl, it's a little mind bending.  I hope that I'm able to foster her needs and her little joyful personality, minus some of the negative experiences I had as a child.  And keep up with that metabolism, the girl can eat!  I got her those cute pink sparkly shoes for fall, but she much prefers (and is a bit obsessed with) her brother's grey Chucks.  That's my girl! :)

Alistair is, not surprisingly, behind his sister a bit in development which we've known for a long time, but he also seems like he might (or might not) be on a bit of a different trajectory.  We noticed when he was tiny, that he appears to definitely be left handed as well as having a strong affinity for music.  He is more sensitive than Mari, but is also acutely aware of others and (usually) their feelings and is very charming (he's such a huge flirt with the ladies, DH jokes we don't need to question his love of them).  He giggles like I've never heard before, it almost always pushes me over the edge.  He is so in love with animals, especially dogs, it makes me (kind of) sad we'll never have one, due to DH's severe allergies, even though he's been getting shots for years now.  It will be so interesting to see how their personalities develop over the coming months and years.

We are headed off to the thrill that is very small town Iowa for a few days, as DH has leadership training at his company's headquarters there, and we decided to tag along instead of staying behind. Our big trip is coming up soon, this time next month we'll be in India.  We'll be connecting through Germany this time and gone for nearly three weeks.  If we can stay healthy, which would be a first for me, I think all will be well.  Happy Weekend!