Yes, you should go on vacation!
Check out my latest LearnVest article, Should You Take the Kids on Vacation?
As always, let me know what you think.
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Friday, April 13, 2012
I'm Going Back to Cali...
I recently received an email confirmation for my upcoming stay in Beverly Hills. It had all my information and it appeared as though I was going to have a lovely 4 day visit. But wait a minute, I haven't been to California since I was pregnant with the babe. I called my husband and asked if he had made plans for a romantic get away to the City of Angels. I think you can guess the answer to that question.
The crazy thing is, the reservation was at a hotel I had stayed at numerous times back in the days when I used to wear suits and travel on business. I had a rush of memories and was struck with a pang to board a plane and head out West...alone. I can't explain how much I miss being able to do that.
After a few phone calls, I learnt that the reservation had been made by a travel agency in Australia and they had incorrectly typed in a rewards number linked to my name. I sadly cancelled the reservation. No Beverly Hills for me.
As I was bringing the little guy up for a nap yesterday (which he ultimately chose not to take), I told him I would read him a story because I hadn't had a chance the previous night as I was at my leadership training class. I told him I had given a presentation and got to be a teacher (which was true, I had to give a presentation with a partner on co-parenting). He looked at me all confused and said "No. But you're a Mama." I looked at him and smiled and told him I indeed got to be a teacher and that I actually do things like write. He didn't believe me. I realized it was a losing battle and I didn't need to try and prove myself to my 3 year old.
Sometimes when I am feeling run down and beat up and like my kids take me for granted, I want to put on a suit, leave the house, go to a meeting or something, and see how they deal with that. I want my kids to see that I am capable of being more than just their Mama. I want them to see a Mama who made the choice to stay home but who also tries to maintain some sort of existence outside of serving their every need.
I think this will be easier in the Fall when both kids are at school 5 days of the week (yay!). I am pretty excited about having the opportunity to try and kick off some sort of freelance career. I love getting to hang out with the little guy so much, but we are both ready to change it up. He is ready to be with people his own age 5 days a week, and I am ready to ease out of the role of full-time child care provider.
We are now on the official countdown to September. I am not going to be boarding a plane to LA anytime soon, but if I can start pursuing more projects outside of the responsibilities of my family and home, it will be good for everyone. Eventually I will be getting on those planes again, but it certainly will not be simple like it used to be. It may, however, be more appreciated, by both myself and my kids. Because there's nothing like leaving, but there's nothing like coming home.
The crazy thing is, the reservation was at a hotel I had stayed at numerous times back in the days when I used to wear suits and travel on business. I had a rush of memories and was struck with a pang to board a plane and head out West...alone. I can't explain how much I miss being able to do that.
After a few phone calls, I learnt that the reservation had been made by a travel agency in Australia and they had incorrectly typed in a rewards number linked to my name. I sadly cancelled the reservation. No Beverly Hills for me.
As I was bringing the little guy up for a nap yesterday (which he ultimately chose not to take), I told him I would read him a story because I hadn't had a chance the previous night as I was at my leadership training class. I told him I had given a presentation and got to be a teacher (which was true, I had to give a presentation with a partner on co-parenting). He looked at me all confused and said "No. But you're a Mama." I looked at him and smiled and told him I indeed got to be a teacher and that I actually do things like write. He didn't believe me. I realized it was a losing battle and I didn't need to try and prove myself to my 3 year old.
Sometimes when I am feeling run down and beat up and like my kids take me for granted, I want to put on a suit, leave the house, go to a meeting or something, and see how they deal with that. I want my kids to see that I am capable of being more than just their Mama. I want them to see a Mama who made the choice to stay home but who also tries to maintain some sort of existence outside of serving their every need.
I think this will be easier in the Fall when both kids are at school 5 days of the week (yay!). I am pretty excited about having the opportunity to try and kick off some sort of freelance career. I love getting to hang out with the little guy so much, but we are both ready to change it up. He is ready to be with people his own age 5 days a week, and I am ready to ease out of the role of full-time child care provider.
We are now on the official countdown to September. I am not going to be boarding a plane to LA anytime soon, but if I can start pursuing more projects outside of the responsibilities of my family and home, it will be good for everyone. Eventually I will be getting on those planes again, but it certainly will not be simple like it used to be. It may, however, be more appreciated, by both myself and my kids. Because there's nothing like leaving, but there's nothing like coming home.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
The Beach
It's official. The kids and I leave for the beach in the morning.
I have a zillion things to cram into our car (which is not a mini van!). I have a lot of sunscreen and many bathing suit options for the kids. I have a silly amount of food ready to go (I'm not sure what we'll be able to track down that is allergy friendly in the little beach town we're staying).
After living in DC for 8 years, I am finally heading to the Delaware coast. I have never taken the little guy to the ocean, and the babe hasn't visited the beach since our trip to North Carolina when she was a wee little 1.5 year old. We're all ready to experience the beauty and power of the water and sand.
I am praying the 3 hour drive goes smoothly tomorrow. I will not be able to pull off the road every time they need something or decide to have a melt down. I am expecting the babe to really shift gears and hopefully rise to the occasion. I know she gets how special this is, and I hope she realizes how much I need her cooperation.
All this said, I will be offline for at least the next week. I look forward to sharing the highlights of our adventure with you. But it will have to wait because as soon as we get back from the beach, we are heading to the airport to fly North. I've managed to coordinate an exciting Canadian adventure to visit our people. August is going to be quite something. I can already feel it.
I have a zillion things to cram into our car (which is not a mini van!). I have a lot of sunscreen and many bathing suit options for the kids. I have a silly amount of food ready to go (I'm not sure what we'll be able to track down that is allergy friendly in the little beach town we're staying).
After living in DC for 8 years, I am finally heading to the Delaware coast. I have never taken the little guy to the ocean, and the babe hasn't visited the beach since our trip to North Carolina when she was a wee little 1.5 year old. We're all ready to experience the beauty and power of the water and sand.
I am praying the 3 hour drive goes smoothly tomorrow. I will not be able to pull off the road every time they need something or decide to have a melt down. I am expecting the babe to really shift gears and hopefully rise to the occasion. I know she gets how special this is, and I hope she realizes how much I need her cooperation.
All this said, I will be offline for at least the next week. I look forward to sharing the highlights of our adventure with you. But it will have to wait because as soon as we get back from the beach, we are heading to the airport to fly North. I've managed to coordinate an exciting Canadian adventure to visit our people. August is going to be quite something. I can already feel it.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
I am slowly coming back down to earth after my marvelous visit to my favorite city. The problem with looking forward to something for so long is that you don't quite know what to feel once it's over. Needless to say, it was a brilliant adventure (thanks, A!). And while I was happy to return to my sweet sleeping children, my tired husband (thanks again, honey!), and my very own home, I am always sad to leave THE place that makes me feel so very alive.
As I don't normally get uninterrupted time to read, I had decided on some light entertainment for my train travels. The book I chose to bring along was about a single professional girl living in Manhattan, about my age. The character is at a point where she is questioning what she wants out of life and whether or not she'd even be able to play the role of the "good Mother" who makes necklaces out of Cheerios and plans blow out birthday parties for her kids. The character passes a comment that stay-at-home Mothers know what every day, month, and year are going to look like for at least the next decade. Their lives are determined by their children's lives and schedules.
Reading that made me feel sick. And as a stay-at-home Mother, I am not sure I agree. Or perhaps I don't want to think about the truth that may lie in her comment. I am a planner, so the idea of knowing what the next decade looks like is oddly reassuring. At the same time, I am not a fan of the next decade of my life being structured only by my children's academic calendars and extra curricular activities.
This leads me to the feeling alive thing. Being in NYC with friends who knew me before I was a Mama reminded me of what it feels like to be me. Just me. Christine. Not the wife part and not the Mother part. The me that used to have a job on Madison Avenue. The me that used to have a seriously active social life. The me that traveled, had fun, and a whole lot less responsibility.
I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I have almost everything I used to dream of having. I realize I am a grown up now and will never be that carefree girl again. And that's more than OK. But something about being on my own for the first weekend in over a year got me to thinking, how can I get this feeling more? Frequent independent travel is not doable for the foreseeable future, but would having a paid job outside the home give me that feeling back? Would having an identity outside of this family give me the independence and exposure to humanity that I seem to be missing?
These are serious questions which I've been facing for some time. And while I go back and forth on what the ideal plan for our family is, I am now realizing that the dream scenario has to include what is best for my family AND for me. While I can't run off to Manhattan whenever I need some feeling alive time, I want to remember the importance of that feeling. My quest for balance between Motherhood and personal independence is not a new one, but it certainly has come back to the forefront of my mind.
While I'm not going to figure this all out today, sometimes it just feels good to spit out my confusion and questions to the universe and see what comes back my way.
As I don't normally get uninterrupted time to read, I had decided on some light entertainment for my train travels. The book I chose to bring along was about a single professional girl living in Manhattan, about my age. The character is at a point where she is questioning what she wants out of life and whether or not she'd even be able to play the role of the "good Mother" who makes necklaces out of Cheerios and plans blow out birthday parties for her kids. The character passes a comment that stay-at-home Mothers know what every day, month, and year are going to look like for at least the next decade. Their lives are determined by their children's lives and schedules.
Reading that made me feel sick. And as a stay-at-home Mother, I am not sure I agree. Or perhaps I don't want to think about the truth that may lie in her comment. I am a planner, so the idea of knowing what the next decade looks like is oddly reassuring. At the same time, I am not a fan of the next decade of my life being structured only by my children's academic calendars and extra curricular activities.
This leads me to the feeling alive thing. Being in NYC with friends who knew me before I was a Mama reminded me of what it feels like to be me. Just me. Christine. Not the wife part and not the Mother part. The me that used to have a job on Madison Avenue. The me that used to have a seriously active social life. The me that traveled, had fun, and a whole lot less responsibility.
I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I have almost everything I used to dream of having. I realize I am a grown up now and will never be that carefree girl again. And that's more than OK. But something about being on my own for the first weekend in over a year got me to thinking, how can I get this feeling more? Frequent independent travel is not doable for the foreseeable future, but would having a paid job outside the home give me that feeling back? Would having an identity outside of this family give me the independence and exposure to humanity that I seem to be missing?
These are serious questions which I've been facing for some time. And while I go back and forth on what the ideal plan for our family is, I am now realizing that the dream scenario has to include what is best for my family AND for me. While I can't run off to Manhattan whenever I need some feeling alive time, I want to remember the importance of that feeling. My quest for balance between Motherhood and personal independence is not a new one, but it certainly has come back to the forefront of my mind.
While I'm not going to figure this all out today, sometimes it just feels good to spit out my confusion and questions to the universe and see what comes back my way.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Bad Blogger
I have been irresponsible. I apologize for not posting to tell you that the babe's food challenge was a success! She has now been cleared for baked dairy (like cake, cookies, and other good stuff). We are all thrilled and so relieved that she seems to be growing out of her food allergies.
In the past week, my husband and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary (yay, us! and, where has the time gone?), went for dinner a few times, went to a movie (it had been a year and a half since my husband and I were in a theater together), bought a mini freezer for the basement (my husband's Mother has been visiting and cooking up a storm for us!), celebrated Canada Day, celebrated the 4th of July, went to a BBQ, hosted a BBQ, dealt with various home owner related issues and have generally been running all over the place like a chicken with its head cut off.
These things do not amount to a valid excuse for not writing, but finding computer time has been challenging.
More news: I am taking off by myself for the first time in over a year. My train to NYC leaves in a few hours and I am so very, very excited. A weekend in my favorite city with my old and lovely friends. How delicious is that?
I will get back into the swing of things upon my return. But I did want to say hello and that I miss updating you on all the excitement and chaos of life in our home.
In the past week, my husband and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary (yay, us! and, where has the time gone?), went for dinner a few times, went to a movie (it had been a year and a half since my husband and I were in a theater together), bought a mini freezer for the basement (my husband's Mother has been visiting and cooking up a storm for us!), celebrated Canada Day, celebrated the 4th of July, went to a BBQ, hosted a BBQ, dealt with various home owner related issues and have generally been running all over the place like a chicken with its head cut off.
These things do not amount to a valid excuse for not writing, but finding computer time has been challenging.
More news: I am taking off by myself for the first time in over a year. My train to NYC leaves in a few hours and I am so very, very excited. A weekend in my favorite city with my old and lovely friends. How delicious is that?
I will get back into the swing of things upon my return. But I did want to say hello and that I miss updating you on all the excitement and chaos of life in our home.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Vegas and Other Stories
There's been a lot going down around here lately. Just wanted to share a few updates to keep everyone in the loop.
I don't usually advertise on the Internet when my husband is out of town, but last Thursday he took off for Las Vegas. It was not a business trip, so it was a unique situation. In the 4.5 years since the babe was born, my husband has rarely left our side, unless it was required for work. To celebrate turning 40, my husband (who I should give a blogging nickname to) and a group of his best friends from high school decided to live it up in Vegas for 4 days. He had my blessings and I really wanted him to have an awesome time.
That all said, I had forgotten what it can be like to be on my own with 2 kids for that long, especially when there is no school on the weekend to provide a bit of relief. There were many highs and lows, and we survived the experience, including yet another power outage at an inconvenient time (is it ever convenient to lose your power?). Needless to say, I was pretty psyched when he came back safe and sound. The pressure of being solely responsible for 2 little lives was a tad much for me....combined with the standard lack of sleep. But all in all, I am glad he went, because that man deserved a break from the madness.
On Tuesday the babe turned 4.5 which is slightly mind boggling. I used to celebrate every month of my kids lives and take a picture of them with a sign indicating how old they were. I did take a lot of pictures of her on Tuesday, but she was holding a chocolate cupcake with a candle and a big grin on her face instead of a sign. It is amazing how a cupcake and a candle can make everything seem so special.
Earlier in the day I had attended my last preschoolers parenting class. I was extremely sad to see it end and will miss the 2 hours a week I used to spend learning about how to be a more patient and positive parent. While I am still trying to put all I know in theory into practice, I am sure that all the time invested in these classes will somehow pay off in little ways I can't even see. A few of us were weepy eyed at the end and it was really hard to say good bye to my amazing teachers and the lovely woman who watched the little guy while I was in class. In fact he loves her so much that instead of calling her "Miss.Mary," he calls her "Aunt Mary." I am not sure how long it will take him to realize that his regular Tuesday mornings with Aunt Mary have come to a close (they have been together every week since I started classes in February). Anyway, if anyone reading this in the DC area wants to learn more about this amazing parenting program (Parent Encouragement Program), you can check them out online at http://www.parentencouragement.org/.
I also hosted my book club on our deck on Tuesday evening. It was an awesome way to wrap up such a intense day. We discussed Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. If you're looking for a good story that has a lot of motherhood and biracial family themes, this would be a solid pick. You may recall I blathered on about loving my home a few months back, and I have to say it felt so good to have all the ladies form my old Street come over to my new home and hang out as the sun set and the sky turned pink. The company and conversation were lovely.
Anyway, apologies for being all over the place. As much as this is a blog, I sometimes treat it like a journal. In the end, it will be a great document of our life, so some blather along the way is OK by me.
I don't usually advertise on the Internet when my husband is out of town, but last Thursday he took off for Las Vegas. It was not a business trip, so it was a unique situation. In the 4.5 years since the babe was born, my husband has rarely left our side, unless it was required for work. To celebrate turning 40, my husband (who I should give a blogging nickname to) and a group of his best friends from high school decided to live it up in Vegas for 4 days. He had my blessings and I really wanted him to have an awesome time.
That all said, I had forgotten what it can be like to be on my own with 2 kids for that long, especially when there is no school on the weekend to provide a bit of relief. There were many highs and lows, and we survived the experience, including yet another power outage at an inconvenient time (is it ever convenient to lose your power?). Needless to say, I was pretty psyched when he came back safe and sound. The pressure of being solely responsible for 2 little lives was a tad much for me....combined with the standard lack of sleep. But all in all, I am glad he went, because that man deserved a break from the madness.
On Tuesday the babe turned 4.5 which is slightly mind boggling. I used to celebrate every month of my kids lives and take a picture of them with a sign indicating how old they were. I did take a lot of pictures of her on Tuesday, but she was holding a chocolate cupcake with a candle and a big grin on her face instead of a sign. It is amazing how a cupcake and a candle can make everything seem so special.
Earlier in the day I had attended my last preschoolers parenting class. I was extremely sad to see it end and will miss the 2 hours a week I used to spend learning about how to be a more patient and positive parent. While I am still trying to put all I know in theory into practice, I am sure that all the time invested in these classes will somehow pay off in little ways I can't even see. A few of us were weepy eyed at the end and it was really hard to say good bye to my amazing teachers and the lovely woman who watched the little guy while I was in class. In fact he loves her so much that instead of calling her "Miss.Mary," he calls her "Aunt Mary." I am not sure how long it will take him to realize that his regular Tuesday mornings with Aunt Mary have come to a close (they have been together every week since I started classes in February). Anyway, if anyone reading this in the DC area wants to learn more about this amazing parenting program (Parent Encouragement Program), you can check them out online at http://www.parentencouragement.org/.
I also hosted my book club on our deck on Tuesday evening. It was an awesome way to wrap up such a intense day. We discussed Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. If you're looking for a good story that has a lot of motherhood and biracial family themes, this would be a solid pick. You may recall I blathered on about loving my home a few months back, and I have to say it felt so good to have all the ladies form my old Street come over to my new home and hang out as the sun set and the sky turned pink. The company and conversation were lovely.
Anyway, apologies for being all over the place. As much as this is a blog, I sometimes treat it like a journal. In the end, it will be a great document of our life, so some blather along the way is OK by me.
Monday, June 21, 2010
It's All Good
In last night's post I mentioned I was happy to come home to my family after my one night get away. But I forgot to mention I was also happy to come back to my life in Washington, DC. For the first time, I was not sad to be leaving the Big Apple, and that is a big deal.
When I moved away from NYC as a single childless professional 7 years ago, I figured I'd only be in DC for a few years, if that. I knew I wanted to move back to New York, and that DC was just a temporary situation. I would never have guessed I'd end up married raising 2 kids here.
In the years since, I have missed New York. And after my many visits back, I would long for it and wish I could be living the life my friends had continued living there without me. That is unhealthy, but it was the truth.
DC started to grow on me once I had my children here. It became their birthplace, and that is something pretty special. It now feels like my home, and I appreciate all the amazing things it has to offer (not that I take advantage of all of them). It still has its issues, but it really is a whole lot easier to raise a family here than in the Big Apple.
I suppose that I now see things through the eyes of a Mother, and since I haven't travelled back to my old home much in the past few years, I had never realized that I actually am in the right place now. Living in the big city comes with a lot of sacrifices and challenges, and it also costs a boat load of money. I love our huge lawn and the fact that I can see the stars and hear the crickets at night. Yet we are only five metro stops from my husband's office downtown. Five stops doesn't get you far in New York.
I will always miss NYC and it will continue to have a special place in my heart. And somewhere down the road it would be very cool to live there again (without small children and with lots of cash), but for now, I have a blessed life here in DC, and I'm grateful for it.
When I moved away from NYC as a single childless professional 7 years ago, I figured I'd only be in DC for a few years, if that. I knew I wanted to move back to New York, and that DC was just a temporary situation. I would never have guessed I'd end up married raising 2 kids here.
In the years since, I have missed New York. And after my many visits back, I would long for it and wish I could be living the life my friends had continued living there without me. That is unhealthy, but it was the truth.
DC started to grow on me once I had my children here. It became their birthplace, and that is something pretty special. It now feels like my home, and I appreciate all the amazing things it has to offer (not that I take advantage of all of them). It still has its issues, but it really is a whole lot easier to raise a family here than in the Big Apple.
I suppose that I now see things through the eyes of a Mother, and since I haven't travelled back to my old home much in the past few years, I had never realized that I actually am in the right place now. Living in the big city comes with a lot of sacrifices and challenges, and it also costs a boat load of money. I love our huge lawn and the fact that I can see the stars and hear the crickets at night. Yet we are only five metro stops from my husband's office downtown. Five stops doesn't get you far in New York.
I will always miss NYC and it will continue to have a special place in my heart. And somewhere down the road it would be very cool to live there again (without small children and with lots of cash), but for now, I have a blessed life here in DC, and I'm grateful for it.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Big Apple
My dear family, friends, and dedicated readers,
It's been a long week. The babe has been off school since noon on Wednesday and the kids and I have had to find numerous ways to pass our days in a fun and peaceful way. I am proud of the babe for being so awesome and I am proud of me for making it through without any major meltdowns. And now on to my reward.
Tomorrow I will be getting on an Amtrak train to the most awesome city in the world. Yes, I, Christine, am going on a one-night get away all by myself. My amazing husband will be watching the babe and the little guy while I am gone (thank you, thank you, thank you!).
My old friends are having a bit of a reunion and I am so glad I'm not going to miss it (again, thank you sweet husband). I am so unbelievably excited to see everyone and to meet their new babies (it's amazing what can happen in a few years!). The last trip to NYC by myself was when the babe was the tender age of 1.5. But I suppose I wasn't really by myself as I unknowingly had the one week old little guy secretly stashed in my belly.
This is the kind of trip I gave up when I became a Mom. When you don't have family to help you out, it is pretty rare to get the opportunity to leave town without your kids. But the kids are getting older, and my husband and I have gotten a bit better at this parenting thing. So off I go.
I'm not sure about my computer access during the 22 hours I will be in the Big Apple, but know that I will check in with you as soon as I can.
It's been a long week. The babe has been off school since noon on Wednesday and the kids and I have had to find numerous ways to pass our days in a fun and peaceful way. I am proud of the babe for being so awesome and I am proud of me for making it through without any major meltdowns. And now on to my reward.
Tomorrow I will be getting on an Amtrak train to the most awesome city in the world. Yes, I, Christine, am going on a one-night get away all by myself. My amazing husband will be watching the babe and the little guy while I am gone (thank you, thank you, thank you!).
My old friends are having a bit of a reunion and I am so glad I'm not going to miss it (again, thank you sweet husband). I am so unbelievably excited to see everyone and to meet their new babies (it's amazing what can happen in a few years!). The last trip to NYC by myself was when the babe was the tender age of 1.5. But I suppose I wasn't really by myself as I unknowingly had the one week old little guy secretly stashed in my belly.
This is the kind of trip I gave up when I became a Mom. When you don't have family to help you out, it is pretty rare to get the opportunity to leave town without your kids. But the kids are getting older, and my husband and I have gotten a bit better at this parenting thing. So off I go.
I'm not sure about my computer access during the 22 hours I will be in the Big Apple, but know that I will check in with you as soon as I can.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Traffic
I'd like to share some wisdom from my almost 3.5 year old daughter.
Yesterday I gave in and took the kids to the park after school. While we were driving over to the "hill park," there was a whole ton of traffic. It was annoying traffic and apparently I was grumbling about it. I asked, out loud, "WHY is there SO MUCH traffic in DC??"
Behind me I heard, "Because everyone wants to go somewhere, Mama."
Right. Thanks, honey.
Yesterday I gave in and took the kids to the park after school. While we were driving over to the "hill park," there was a whole ton of traffic. It was annoying traffic and apparently I was grumbling about it. I asked, out loud, "WHY is there SO MUCH traffic in DC??"
Behind me I heard, "Because everyone wants to go somewhere, Mama."
Right. Thanks, honey.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Why does Santa...
The holiday season has presented many opportunities for the babe to expand on her "why" questions.Why does Santa have hair all over his face? (Some men have hair on their face and it helps keeps them warm)
Why is Santa stuck in that thing? (Santa is overweight and got stuck in the chimney delivering presents to good children)
Why does Santa have a bum? (Everyone has a bum)
Why does Santa have all the reindeer? (They help get him around)
Why does Santa only come to good kids? (Only good kids deserve presents at Christmas)
It is (mostly) funny.
This season has also provided her an opportunity to run around singing "Feliz Navidad" all day. It is pretty cute (except when I'm trying to put the little guy to bed).The kids and I are off to Ottawa this Friday. The 5 hour door to door experience (our DC door to my parents Ottawa door) with a 3 year old and an almost 1 year old should be something special. I always feel like I have survived a battle of epic proportions by the time I get to my folks place at around 11 am (we have a 9:00 am flight which means we have to be at the airport by 7:30 am).
Friday's expected high of 13 below (CELSIUS) is slightly daunting. Time for the cozy holidays to begin (inside!).
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Back Home
Last Sunday the 23 day trip to Canada came to a close. Driving home from the airport with my family, I was amazed at how beautiful Washington, DC is. The grass so green, the water so blue, the joggers so healthy, the beach volleyball players so fit and fun looking. I don't think I have ever been so happy to get back home. And that's what it felt like....home.
The past month has seen a lot of exciting developments. The little guy survived the arrival of his 2 bottom front teeth (about 2 weeks ago) and started to scootch backwards (the pre-crawl) a few days ago. The babe has developed a superior sense of logic and can now direct her parents to their nightly duties ("mama gives me a bath and papa can go clean the kitchen"). We went to 2 splendid weddings, visited with many, many loved ones, and witnessed the blossoming of a beautiful friendship between 2 little girls (the babe and her cousin from Montana).
Since we've been home we've been trying to get ourselves back in a routine. Sadly the little guy's night sleep is completely messed up (after sharing a room and torturing me with a kazillion wake ups a night for over a week). There has been an unfortunate amount of crying and lack of sleep at night around here. I suppose time and persistence will get us back on track.
The babe has been having trouble being alone with just her brother and I. After so many days of so many people, it is tough to come back to a quiet house. I am unable to constantly entertain her and she's not so happy with that. It has made the days long and sometimes painful. The ridiculous summer heat and humidity has not helped matters.
On Wednesday I had surgery for the removal of my 2 skin cancer problems. That has made things more challenging as little kids need moms who can move around freely and aren't in pain. It would also help the healing process if I was able to sleep at night. It's funny how things change so much when you become a Mother. Before I was a Mom, I would have just hung out in bed reading, watching movies and sleeping while I recovered from my minor surgery. But there's no rest for the 24-7 Mommy, even after you've had some chunks of cancerous skin removed. At least it's done and we can move on now (other than the 2 follow-up appointments hanging over my head).
So I will continue to try and get things back in order, get rest and keep my sanity. However, there is only a week left before it will all change again. Preschool begins September 2nd and I think I'm ready...I just hope the babe is as ready as I am. Needless to say, I am eagerly anticipating the Fall.
The past month has seen a lot of exciting developments. The little guy survived the arrival of his 2 bottom front teeth (about 2 weeks ago) and started to scootch backwards (the pre-crawl) a few days ago. The babe has developed a superior sense of logic and can now direct her parents to their nightly duties ("mama gives me a bath and papa can go clean the kitchen"). We went to 2 splendid weddings, visited with many, many loved ones, and witnessed the blossoming of a beautiful friendship between 2 little girls (the babe and her cousin from Montana).
Since we've been home we've been trying to get ourselves back in a routine. Sadly the little guy's night sleep is completely messed up (after sharing a room and torturing me with a kazillion wake ups a night for over a week). There has been an unfortunate amount of crying and lack of sleep at night around here. I suppose time and persistence will get us back on track.
The babe has been having trouble being alone with just her brother and I. After so many days of so many people, it is tough to come back to a quiet house. I am unable to constantly entertain her and she's not so happy with that. It has made the days long and sometimes painful. The ridiculous summer heat and humidity has not helped matters.
On Wednesday I had surgery for the removal of my 2 skin cancer problems. That has made things more challenging as little kids need moms who can move around freely and aren't in pain. It would also help the healing process if I was able to sleep at night. It's funny how things change so much when you become a Mother. Before I was a Mom, I would have just hung out in bed reading, watching movies and sleeping while I recovered from my minor surgery. But there's no rest for the 24-7 Mommy, even after you've had some chunks of cancerous skin removed. At least it's done and we can move on now (other than the 2 follow-up appointments hanging over my head).
So I will continue to try and get things back in order, get rest and keep my sanity. However, there is only a week left before it will all change again. Preschool begins September 2nd and I think I'm ready...I just hope the babe is as ready as I am. Needless to say, I am eagerly anticipating the Fall.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Montreal
The 23 day trip to Canada has been moving along at a rapid pace. Last Friday the kids and I arrived at my Mother in law's house in Montreal. My husband flew in from DC that night, and my sister in law and her husband and 2 kids had arrived the day before. Needless to say we have a full house. It has been amazing to watch the babe play with her cousin who is a few months younger than her.
The babe's cousin is potty trained. I thought this would help the babe get on the potty train. I thought the train would leave the station. I am now sadly losing count of how many times I have had to clean serious amounts of poop out of her panties and training panties. She just doesn't care. She will go pee on the potty when brought to the bathroom but never indicates that she wants to go. This makes for a lot of work and "remembering potty time" for the adults around here. Luckily it has become a family affair. But after the major poop out this morning, I think I am about to poop out. Maybe she just isn't ready and I'm wasting my time. I have no more patience. I have no more positive reinforcement. I am feeling pretty done. So for now, she's off at the park in her pull ups. We'll see if I have the guts and patience to put those darn panties on again. But September 2nd is getting pretty close at this point.
In other news, the fan saga continues. I arrived at my Mother in law's, had a seat in the living room, and found myself staring at exactly the same white oscillating fan with the haunting "Super" written across its front. The fan was kindly moved to the basement by my husband and replaced with a swing for the little guy. I'm not sure if all these folks who own this nightmare of a fan should be throwing them out, or if I just don't want to see them. I suppose that as long as I tell people about my experience with the "Super" fan, then I have done my part.
As you may have guessed, there hasn't been any time to be sitting at the computer blogging or even doing basic emails. Being in a house with 9 people is a constant whirl, not to mention the many folks dropping by for a visit. Next week should be a pretty big change going back to our slower pace in DC. But it will be nice to be back in my yummy bed. And it will also be nice to start thinking about moving on past this crazy summer into a hopefully more peaceful Autumn.
The babe's cousin is potty trained. I thought this would help the babe get on the potty train. I thought the train would leave the station. I am now sadly losing count of how many times I have had to clean serious amounts of poop out of her panties and training panties. She just doesn't care. She will go pee on the potty when brought to the bathroom but never indicates that she wants to go. This makes for a lot of work and "remembering potty time" for the adults around here. Luckily it has become a family affair. But after the major poop out this morning, I think I am about to poop out. Maybe she just isn't ready and I'm wasting my time. I have no more patience. I have no more positive reinforcement. I am feeling pretty done. So for now, she's off at the park in her pull ups. We'll see if I have the guts and patience to put those darn panties on again. But September 2nd is getting pretty close at this point.
In other news, the fan saga continues. I arrived at my Mother in law's, had a seat in the living room, and found myself staring at exactly the same white oscillating fan with the haunting "Super" written across its front. The fan was kindly moved to the basement by my husband and replaced with a swing for the little guy. I'm not sure if all these folks who own this nightmare of a fan should be throwing them out, or if I just don't want to see them. I suppose that as long as I tell people about my experience with the "Super" fan, then I have done my part.
As you may have guessed, there hasn't been any time to be sitting at the computer blogging or even doing basic emails. Being in a house with 9 people is a constant whirl, not to mention the many folks dropping by for a visit. Next week should be a pretty big change going back to our slower pace in DC. But it will be nice to be back in my yummy bed. And it will also be nice to start thinking about moving on past this crazy summer into a hopefully more peaceful Autumn.
Friday, July 24, 2009
We Made It
I managed to pack all our stuff in one suitcase for the 23 day trip to Canada. And I'm glad to say that the 3 of us made it here in one piece by 10:30 am. Not bad for international travel with 2 kids!
I'll be writing from Ottawa and Montreal for the next 3 weeks and am sure there will be some good stories.
Right now the little guy is on my lap whining so I won't give you the play by play of our travels. I'll just say that it kinda gets easier the more I do it, and that I'm relieved my husband will be joining us for the trip back in August.
Off to a family wedding in the morning. Road trip!
I'll be writing from Ottawa and Montreal for the next 3 weeks and am sure there will be some good stories.
Right now the little guy is on my lap whining so I won't give you the play by play of our travels. I'll just say that it kinda gets easier the more I do it, and that I'm relieved my husband will be joining us for the trip back in August.
Off to a family wedding in the morning. Road trip!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
So Much to Say
I don't know where to start! So much has happened in the past few weeks and I haven't had the time to share it with you.
I guess I'll just start with the big news: I'm expecting my second child this coming December 21st (great timing, right?). My blogging has been rather abysmal because of my racing mind, lack of energy, and general freaked outness. We are thrilled and scared and can't really believe it. I didn't realize my body would be able to do this whole human creation thing again, but by the looks of my protruding belly, it is! So, that's our biggest story. It will sure make this blog a tad more interesting with tales of balancing a toddler and a newborn. But maybe I'll be too tired to even remember I have a blog.
In other exciting news, the babe sings along to the ABC song pretty darn well now, and yesterday she counted from one to six on her own...no prompting...two separate times! She did it again today standing in front of the window counting cars. I guess she really isn't a babe if she's counting cars, right?
Oh, and how can I forget. Potty training. We have invested in a potty for her room and a potty for the downstairs bathroom. I am taking a very slow motion, no pressure approach to the whole thing. But I figured seeing the potty would help her understand the concept. I have sat her down quite a few times over the past couple months, but no success. One day, while she was sitting on the potty and I was sitting on the potty (teaching by example, of course) she stood up and ran off to the kitchen. I was not fast enough and she was back in the bathroom before I could do anything. I realized she was wet and cleaned her up. She was wet because she had gotten up off the potty, walked to the kitchen, and peed on the carpet. Not quite grasping the concept of peeing in the potty, I suppose.
Fast forward to last Saturday. My dear friend from NYC was visiting and we were playing with the babe in her room. At one point the babe stood by her potty and started pulling at her pants. "Do you want to go potty?" I asked. She nodded her head, so off came the pants and diaper. To both our surprise, she sat down and went pee right in front of us. Needless to say, I was in total shock. I can't really explain the feeling of seeing your little baby pee in a potty for the first time. It was simply, remarkable. On Sunday we had a repeat performance, and yesterday, she even peed in the downstairs potty (which is much wider and practically swallows her in). We'll see how much training we can get done by December 21st!
And last but not least, a week and a half ago we did a one night family road trip to the Big Apple. It was the babe's first time to New York City, and it was so cool to be with her in my old town. We spent the majority of our time in Central Park (see pic above) and it was a very special 21 hour trip. She even learnt how to say "apple" on the drive back (she had previously just said "app").
My Mother in Law is now in town visiting and the husband and I have very early dinner reservations (5:30 pm so we can put the babe to bed) to re-attempt celebrating our three year anniversary. We went out last night and had to go to four restaurants before we could get a table (it was a tad disappointing). We're going to my favorite sushi place, Sushi Taro, even though I can't eat raw fish. I can't really explain why I want to go there so badly, I just do.
So, three years of marriage, one toddler, and one baby on the way. Who woulda thought, eh? Oh, and happy belated Canada Day!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
"I'm Me"
Much excitement in our life to report on. On Saturday we had an amazingly ideal flying experience from Washington to Montreal. The flight was on time, it was a beautiful day, the flight attendant was a sweet heart and no one was seated next to us. You can't ask for more, and I send my thanks to Air Canada.
We spent Saturday through Monday with my Mother in Law and had an awesome visit that included many of my favorite things (Montreal bagels, cafe mocha, and home made saag paneer, but not all at the same time). The babe and my Mother in Law (who she calls "Dadi Ma") get along famously and it was a real joy to watch them together. Despite the sore throat I woke up with on Sunday morning, it was awesome to be out in the burbs chasing after the babe in the outdoors (such a nice change from our urban living situation in DC).
Yesterday we drove to Ottawa with my Dad who was kind enough to make the morning trek from Ottawa to Montreal to pick us up in the good 'oll mini van. We had a very exciting "first" yesterday afternoon when the babe shared her first sentence with us. "I'm me." Profound words for a one and a half year old! I'm pretty jazzed about the development and am noticing new words spilling out of her at a much faster rate these days. For instance, instead of saying "waa" for water yesterday, she actually said "water" (after my Mom prompted her, but it still counts).
Now, to the real reason we are in Canada (other than seeing our loving family, of course). I signed myself up for a documentary workshop, Interventionist and Participatory Media, which is being offered by the Canadian Screen Training Center Summer Institute (even though it's freakin' cold here). I am seriously nervous about the whole thing as I have been on the Mommy brain track for a long time now and I'm not sure if I remember how to relate to other adults in a professional way, nor if I have the ability to intelligently participate in the course. I just need to remember who I used to be and hopefully I'll get some guts by tomorrow morning. It's my first three days away from the babe and it had to happen sooner or later. I'm ready to do my own thing for a bit, but am not so sure she's at the same place. Thank God she's got a loving Grandpa and Grandma to watch over her.
Wish us both luck!
We spent Saturday through Monday with my Mother in Law and had an awesome visit that included many of my favorite things (Montreal bagels, cafe mocha, and home made saag paneer, but not all at the same time). The babe and my Mother in Law (who she calls "Dadi Ma") get along famously and it was a real joy to watch them together. Despite the sore throat I woke up with on Sunday morning, it was awesome to be out in the burbs chasing after the babe in the outdoors (such a nice change from our urban living situation in DC).
Yesterday we drove to Ottawa with my Dad who was kind enough to make the morning trek from Ottawa to Montreal to pick us up in the good 'oll mini van. We had a very exciting "first" yesterday afternoon when the babe shared her first sentence with us. "I'm me." Profound words for a one and a half year old! I'm pretty jazzed about the development and am noticing new words spilling out of her at a much faster rate these days. For instance, instead of saying "waa" for water yesterday, she actually said "water" (after my Mom prompted her, but it still counts).
Now, to the real reason we are in Canada (other than seeing our loving family, of course). I signed myself up for a documentary workshop, Interventionist and Participatory Media, which is being offered by the Canadian Screen Training Center Summer Institute (even though it's freakin' cold here). I am seriously nervous about the whole thing as I have been on the Mommy brain track for a long time now and I'm not sure if I remember how to relate to other adults in a professional way, nor if I have the ability to intelligently participate in the course. I just need to remember who I used to be and hopefully I'll get some guts by tomorrow morning. It's my first three days away from the babe and it had to happen sooner or later. I'm ready to do my own thing for a bit, but am not so sure she's at the same place. Thank God she's got a loving Grandpa and Grandma to watch over her.
Wish us both luck!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
New York, New York
It's one helluva town.
I finally did it. After an almost two year absence, I got on the train and headed up to see my dear friends in NYC. It was my first night away since the babe's birth (actually, since my last business trip in September 2006). It was also the babe's first night alone with her Papa. And you know what, after all the fretting on both sides, we all managed to come out the other end OK (notice the notes I left taped to the cupboard door).
I spent last week getting very excited and nervous about leaving. My husband was just anxious and nervous (no excitement). We didn't know how the babe would react to not seeing me for so long, or to having her father give her a bath and put her to bed. We all get in habits, I suppose. And we all have expectations about how things will be. Well the babe amazed us both by dealing with the separation just fine, thank you very much.
I fought back tears as I left and only started feeling happy about my departure when the train pulled out of Union Station. I had Van Morison's "Into the Mystic" cued up on the Ipod (I didn't remember how to use it as it had been so long) and off we went. I had a brilliant time from my 2 pm arrival at Penn Station to the close of a marvelous dinner at midnight. Then I started to want to head home for some snuggles. But those ten hours were bliss. My activities included lunch (and Junior's Cheesecake) with my sweet friend and hostess in Bryant Park (first photo), walking up Madison Avenue (a picture of Rockefeller Center above), walking through Central Park (heaven), fancy wine (thanks, A), and an amazing dinner at Cafe de Bruxelles in the West Village with seven of my best NYC buds. I have to say it, I love New York.
Sunday morning brought the longest train ride home ever. I was in the front door by 2:30 pm (there was no casual brunching in NYC). After rushing from Union Station, I was amazed to see that both my husband and the babe seemed fine...in fact, they seemed happy! The babe wasn't even mad at me. That first hug was so yummy and I can't explain how happy I was to have her back in my arms.
It was an important step for all of us. Now we know it's possible. Mommy can leave and the world won't fall apart. Daddy can take care of the babe for extended periods of time. And the babe can be with Daddy for overnighters (she was up for a few hours in the middle of the night, but that can happen any day).
I won't let so much time pass before I visit my favorite city and wonderful friends again.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Old and the New
Wednesday was our big flying day. We were off to Canada for another Montreal/Ottawa adventure. We got to the airport too early and left too late. In those four hours the babe and I had to entertain ourselves in a number of ways. The most popular activity was running aimlessley into fellow travellers.
Ronald Reagan National Airport is a small, clean and modern airport. It has good light and decent baby changing facilities. It is also an airport I used to frequent on business travel. Being there in jeans with a baby was quite different than in a suit with my laptop.
After trying to feed the babe for the millionth time (she is currently on a food strike), I gave up so she could burn off some energy. As she was doing a walk/run/stumble down one of the main corridors (with me following close behind), she almost collided with the Co-Chairman of the board of my former employer.
I wasn't surprised when he didn't recognize me. In fact, I wasn't even surprised that he didn't notice us at all. The babe is pretty short, and business travellers are pretty tall. It was just odd for my old life to almost collide with my new life. I guess it was only a matter of time.
Ronald Reagan National Airport is a small, clean and modern airport. It has good light and decent baby changing facilities. It is also an airport I used to frequent on business travel. Being there in jeans with a baby was quite different than in a suit with my laptop.
After trying to feed the babe for the millionth time (she is currently on a food strike), I gave up so she could burn off some energy. As she was doing a walk/run/stumble down one of the main corridors (with me following close behind), she almost collided with the Co-Chairman of the board of my former employer.
I wasn't surprised when he didn't recognize me. In fact, I wasn't even surprised that he didn't notice us at all. The babe is pretty short, and business travellers are pretty tall. It was just odd for my old life to almost collide with my new life. I guess it was only a matter of time.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Going Home and Going Offline
The babe and I have just returned from a trip home to Canada. It was a wonderful visit that went by very quickly (it also felt like we were gone for a million years). I have made a few observations on the trip since my return (in no particular order):-It would appear as though I don't need the computer when I am surrounded by people and away from my regular routine. I barely checked email, didn't do any blogging, and rarely checked in with Facebook. I had people around every day and it was a nice change from the relatively solitary life the babe and I lead in Washington, D.C.
-It's amazing that it can take 6 adults to take care of a baby (last Sunday morning at my parents place), but when I'm at home alone, it takes only me (yesterday and today).
-There is just no way to see all the people you want to see, so there's no point in trying. I feel guilty about the folks I didn't have time to contact, but realize that when working with a baby's schedule, you really don't have a lot of flexibility.
-Flying alone with a baby is just not fun. Especially when you're surrounded by men who don't have much sympathy for a woman travelling with a squirming, scratching, crying baby.
-Diaper cream at night really does make a difference. As we were out of our routine, I stopped putting the cream on at night when I was getting the babe ready for bed (mostly because it was dark in the room and I couldn't see). Within a few days, she got diaper rash like I'd never seen before. I suppose my preventative cream use had been doing something after all.
-Webcams are awesome. We always talk to the babe's grandparents on the webcam from Washington. When we go to Canada, the babe seems to know who they are and warms to them almost automatically. Seeing the babe with her grandparents is truly a beautiful thing.
-No matter how hard I try, I will eventually revert to a less mature version of myself when I return to my parent's home. No offence to my husband, but I find that both of us have flare-ups of our former, younger selves, despite the fact that we're in our 30s, are married, and have a child. Maybe going home just reminds us of who we used to be, or maybe being with our parents makes us feel younger than we really are. I'm not sure why it happens, all I know is that it never appears to last because we return to our lives and turn back into the people we were before we left.
-I enjoy the space at my parents place immensely (both inside and outside). Their property backs on national parkland, or the "back 40" as my Dad always says. My father, the babe and I went on a marvelous walk last Friday and it was perfect. Just look at the picture. Who knows why I didn't appreciate it as a teenager. I'd love to have something similar for the babe one day. The "back 40" is pretty different from the alley way we currently have behind our home.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Up in an Airplane
I thought I'd have some crazy stories to share about our recent flying experience, but I have to admit it all went fairly smoothly (other than an hour and a half delay on the way home). Here's a few tid bits that may be helpful for others about to fly with their little ones for the first time.Like the Boy Scouts say, be prepared. But keep in mind there's a difference between being prepared and packing your whole house. You only have so many arms.
Give yourself some extra time. There are a few extra steps when flying with a baby and everything takes more times than you're used to. Flying is a dicey business in the best of circumstances, so an extra chunk of time will give you a comfort zone to work with.
If you are travelling alone (as I was on the way to Canada), think about bringing a baby carrier as well as your infant car seat and a snap and go frame. I found it helpful to already have my daughter in the carrier as we made our way through the security line. When it came to action time, I just had to pop the car seat out of the base, fold up the base, and drop my carry on bag and purse onto the belt. People were pretty patient with me and I got quite a few smiles.
When you get to the gate, let them know you're travelling with an infant and they should be able to give you some special treatment. On both flights, the stewardess moved me to a row where I had 2 seats which made things a bit easier. You can check the car seat and base before you board which leaves you with (only) the baby and 2 bags to deal with on the flight.
Keeping in mind the length of your flight and any stop overs, you'll need food for the baby. My daughter is really not into public breastfeeding, so that meant we needed bottles. I started pumping days in advance to be sure I had enough milk for the unexpected. Because I was so worried about not having enough, I wasn't managing to pump very much either. By Sunday morning when we packed up the car for the trek to Dulles, I had 2 bottles with 4 ounces each. Turns out I only needed 1 as I fed her some apple sauce before boarding. Bring enough baby food to keep you going for a solid chunk of time as you never know when you may get stranded in an airport hotel with a hungry baby. I should also add that you're supposed to "declare" your bottles when you go through security (although I forgot on the way back and it didn't cause a problem).
Have some entertainment. I had a large Ziploc baggie of her favorite smaller toys to keep us going. Keep in mind you don't want anything too noisy as maintaining happy relations with your fellow air travellers is always a good thing.
The temperature in airports and on planes can vary, so have your baby dressed appropriately. Even though it is summer in DC (a swamp), I had my daughter in long pants and had packed a blankie for extra warmth. The planes can blast the air conditioning and I was glad I had the blanket to wrap her up in while she slept. It was tough holding her in a comfortable position for 60 minutes and I would have liked a small pillow, but forgot to ask if the stewardess had any. As nice as it would be, I don't think it's important enough to bring with me on our next trip (unless I was going cross country).
Always have extra diapers, wipes, pacifiers, burp cloths, a change of clothing for the baby and at least an extra shirt for yourself. You never know how long you will be away from your comfort zone, so be ready for the unexpected. As I write, my sister in law is on a mega haul with her daughter involving 3 flights to get from Point A to Point B. Her original flight was cancelled thus altering her trip from 2 planes to 3. To add insult to injury, she was charged a $12 "infant tax" as she was flying with her daughter on her lap. Yes, her lap was being taxed by a flight she wasn't even supposed to be on. None of this is what you want when you're alone with your 5 month old, but it can happen, so be ready.
Keep all important documents, your wallet and your cell phone in easy and secure reach. There are many excellent baby bag options on the market, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs (I'm a fan of Eddie Bauer diaper bags).
Get ready to hold your baby tight during take off and landing. They recommend the burping position over your shoulder. My daughter was moving around so much it was difficult to keep her in the "recommended" position. She spazzed out and caused a bit of a scene before take off on both flights. By the time we got in the air and leveled off she thankfully fell asleep for the entirety of both our trips. I made sure she had a pacifier in her mouth for take off and landing to keep her ears clear (the sucking motion helps avoid ear pain). I've heard of a lot of people who feed their baby from a bottle during take off and landing, but this doesn't jive with the airlines official recommendations.
All this may seem pretty obvious, but when trying to pack for a trip, all the details can get pretty overwhelming. Sometimes we can forget the most obvious things, which is why it's great to start with a check list. I'd recommend keeping the list for when it's time to pack up and come home. It's so easy to forget the most important things when you're quickly having to gather all the baby stuff which has exploded all over the place. For instance, I forgot the base of our monitor plugged into the wall of my mother in law's kitchen. Luckily my husband was one step ahead of me and had tucked it away without me knowing.
I'm lucky my first experience was only a one hour direct flight. It was great practice and although I'm not exactly looking forward to our next flying experience, I am more prepared and much less frightened. Good luck and happy flying.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Hot Summer Days
It's been about 100 kazillion degrees for days now and I've about had it. I believe officials recommend that babies and the elderly stay indoors when it gets to this point. So here we are, indoors. I'm starting to think I need more toys for my little lady. I'm also wishing we had some more floor space for her to roll around. What I really wish is that we could be relaxing at a lakeside cottage or ocean front condo. As Sheryl Crow sang in her 1996 album, "a change would do you good."
The summer is quickly passing by and I'm realizing this is a summer of missed weddings, baby showers and outdoor concerts. These are all completely acceptable sacrifices but have made for a pretty unbooked kinda summer. We have one trip planned to Canada to visit family and I'm counting the days until we depart (12). I will be getting on a plane for the first time since last October and my daughter will be getting on a plane for the first time ever (although I guess she was technically on a lot of planes while I was pregnant).
The places we flew as one unit include:
I was considering going to New York for my friend' baby shower last Sunday but ended up deciding against it because I couldn't imagine being away from my daughter for 12 hours. Since she was born 7 months ago, I haven't been apart from her for longer than a 2 hour stretch (embarrassing, but true), so adding an additional 10 would have been way too challenging for me. As much as I want to be getting on planes and exploring new territory, I have to admit I am addicted to my baby. These days won't last forever and I certainly don't want to be looking back in the future and wishing I'd appreciated them more.
The summer is quickly passing by and I'm realizing this is a summer of missed weddings, baby showers and outdoor concerts. These are all completely acceptable sacrifices but have made for a pretty unbooked kinda summer. We have one trip planned to Canada to visit family and I'm counting the days until we depart (12). I will be getting on a plane for the first time since last October and my daughter will be getting on a plane for the first time ever (although I guess she was technically on a lot of planes while I was pregnant).
The places we flew as one unit include:
- Omaha, Nebraska
- New York, New York
- Dublin, Ireland
- Los Angeles, California
- Ottawa, Canada
- Battle Creek, Michigan
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Montreal, Canada - the last hurrah.
I was considering going to New York for my friend' baby shower last Sunday but ended up deciding against it because I couldn't imagine being away from my daughter for 12 hours. Since she was born 7 months ago, I haven't been apart from her for longer than a 2 hour stretch (embarrassing, but true), so adding an additional 10 would have been way too challenging for me. As much as I want to be getting on planes and exploring new territory, I have to admit I am addicted to my baby. These days won't last forever and I certainly don't want to be looking back in the future and wishing I'd appreciated them more.
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