We set off on yet another adventure at the end of July. And brace yourselves for quite the fall because we'll be jet-setting once again with the little babe in tow. It will include international travel and definitely some posts about air travel with a baby, because holy mackerel is that a totally different ballgame than our previous, never-check-a-bag-no-matter-what lives.
We headed East to introduce B to his great grandparents and great grandma. Believe it or not, B has six living grandmas and three living grandpas. B has a great-great grandmother in California he's never met who is 97, a great grandmother in California who is in her 70's, a grandmother (my mom) in California who would kill me if I mentioned her age, a great grandmother in Maryland who is 90, a great grandmother in Long Island who is 86, and a grandmother (Ray's mom) in Maryland who is young like my mom. And for the grandpas: a great grandpa in Maryland who is 90, a grandpa in California (my dad), and a grandpa in Maryland who turned 60 during our visit! That was also one of the reasons we went. How's that for an introduction!
The week was relaxing and consisted of lots of pool trips, mini golf, a hike, lots of desserts, and some mini road trips in between it all. We flew into Newark plenty of hours late with minimal communication from the airline (insert frustration as we planned to travel during naptime) and then a road trip to the Poconos.
No photos please, mamarazzi. At Chicago-Midway airport.
20 seconds long, but pretty funny. Turn the volume up for this one. Such a boy.
Peaches with Gramie & Great Gramie
Cleaning up with Gramie
Hanging with Great Papa
First indoor pool experience + float
Grandpa, B, Dad, Gramie, Great Gramie, Great Papa
On a hike
Gramie, Dad, B
Mom, Dad, B
Hiking with Grandpa
Playing with Gramie... fun photo sequence
Four Generations of men ages 0, 30, 60, 90
Celebrating Grandpa's 60th with cake!
Mesmerizing apparently.
Second time swinging... with Gramie this time! Put him right to sleep.
More pool time!
Mini golf. That's what we call it in the west. Put-put for you East coasters. :)
We left the Poconos for a visit with B's great grandma in Long Island. These last few photos are from the last day of our adventures.
B with his Grandpa in Grandpa's childhood home.
Great Grandma holding her only living Great Grandchild.
The cuteness.
As you can tell, I took so. many. photos. on this trip. It's important for us that the time he spends with family be well documented, as we don't live close to any family. It was a wonderful trip. B's 7th and 8th airplane rides will be international next month! We're anxiously awaiting his passport in the mail and will be jet-setting to Germany. Ray may or may not have plans to feed him some German sausage while there. Cannot wait to introduce B to our German friends and load up on some of our favorite German candy bars and teas and whatever else baby I can't find in the States but love.
Random story about baby crap since my last post was all about that: While living in Germany, we were driving through France and searched everywhere for the Sophie Giraffe chew toy. I wasn't pregnant but would be pregnant with Andrew just weeks later and knew I'd need to have that toy for my baby based on our European experiences. It's super trendy in the States now, but it's been popular in France for decades. We searched and searched the stores and found only very large versions and huge sets that I didn't want. And it was the Euro and the exchange rate was terrible at the time. We came back to the States, sans Sophie, and ended up buying one and receiving one as a gift. It was fun reading all the comments about baby crap, including Sophie, from all of you. So glad I'm not the only crazy mind-boggled about this stuff!
And finally. Today is the twenty-first 5th of the month. Andrew has been gone that long. There were plenty of tears and intimate moments, even at nearly two years and with B present, among family during our trip and on our fourth wedding anniversary. My husband gifted me with earrings for our anniversary. They're square-shaped: each side represents a year of marriage and the inner part of the squares have four woven pieces. Each woven piece to resemble the four of us as a family, Andrew included always. Tears. So many tears. I'm wearing them today. Life's just never going to be quite right. We love you, sweet Andrew. So, so much.
How does one sterilize Sophie the Giraffe?
Seriously. I've boiled it to sterilize and now it has water stuck on the inside and won't squeak. Then I read you aren't supposed to boil but wash with "mild soap and water" instead? Goodness.
Why are child toys sold in parent-proof packaging?
I spent a solid 5 minutes nearly cutting my fingers off trying to get a Baby Einstein toy out of its packaging tonight (a gift. Thanks Amy!). Cool toy, impossible packaging!
Why are crib slats the most perfect spot to wedge chunky baby legs?
At least once a day we're practically chiseling our little chunk's legs out of the wood slats. I won't subscribe to the breathable crib bumper as I don't want another thing to buy that he doesn't really need.
Why are some baby clothes white?
It's almost inevitable that the kiddo will mess it up and therefore have me scrubbing in the utility sink during naptime. I swear I'll never buy another white outfit again. What was I thinking?
Why do disposable diapers have the most ridiculous characters printed on them?
I much prefer the plain Seventh Generation diapers I was using when B was a wee newborn. Too bad they didn't work as well as we hoped. And then there's the huge price difference that I didn't love. But at least they didn't have a large purple monkey on the front.
Why are carseat covers so difficult to pull off?
B has made quite the mess a number of times and it required the entire removal of the carseat cover. It takes at least two college degrees to figure out how to get that thing back on. Now I place a Carter's brand Keep Me Dry pad right where his bum goes in the carseat. It's saved us a number of times.
Why are any child straps (carseat, highchair, bouncer) white?
I can't even begin to mention how many timesI've scrubbed those things.
Notice how many of my questions are centered around cleaning. Have any perplexing questions of your own? I can't be alone on this!
Gift from Ray's Aunt Helen and Aunt Ceil. Beautiful.
Natural baby enema. You're welcome for sharing.
My husband rocked this. Not only did he win his dollar back, but he came up $.25. Baller.
Gramie, Grandpa the Sea Monster, and B-Monster
Chubbs
Screaming in the car on the way to the hotel, check. Giggling and staring out the window at the Manhattan skyline immediately upon entering 8th floor hotel room, check. Perfect little baby all through the night, check. Good to know the kid has expensive taste. Might I add the first time he slept 6 hours+ was in a Hilton in Savannah at 6 weeks old? Yeah. Seems to be a trend.
p.s. Ad will be running for a month here at the top of posts. Some good recipes, actually! Just so you know! If it's about cooking or relates to what I love, I don't mind sporting it. :)
Set in the 1920's, The Chaperone is a book of dazzling glamour and history. Two women set out for an adventure that will change their lives. Louise is chaperoned to NYC from Wichita by a woman she doesn't know, Cora. For personal reasons, Cora is seeking answers to her lifelong question of where she came from, as orphan life is all she remembers as a small child. 15-year old Louise is on a much different path in search of finding herself and branching out in a desperate attempt to find fame in NYC. Unpredictable to say the least, this book will have you guessing at every turn.
History presents itself at every turn. The glamour of the fashion and rich theatre culture sucks you in to the beauty of the times while being so thankful for such conveniences as air travel, air conditioning, electric freezers and the allowance to wear shorts and ditch the corset for a relaxed-fit tank top or comfy sweatshirt. If you love historical fiction, a little teenage drama, and romanticizing about what America was like nearly a century ago, this book pulls out all the stops and dishes it on fine china.
I received a free book and was compensated for this BlogHer Club book review, but all opinions expressed are my own. If you'd like to check out discussions on BlogHer about the book, go here. I'll be discussing there.
B is jealous because he doesn't have hair. Therefore he pulls mine.
Loves on our anniversary. And no, it's not Chili's. It's Mago in the Chi suburbs and it's amazing. Mole, tableside guac, plantain and black bean tamales, a full wall of tequila... amazingness. We had the mariachi band sing to us (B was less than amused but loved them at a distance) with some tres leches cake. Had no idea we'd be sung to-- darn OpenTable reservation tricked me and they ambushed us! Hahah.
Whatevs. Bears don't scare me. I have dirty diapers and that should scare you.
Made this last Friday for a BBQ. Avocado dip made healthy with FF Greek yogurt. Definitely recommend.
What?! Breastmilk famine? Omg. What are we gonna do?
Dramatic sleepers = dramatic teenagers? Someone tell me no.
Smith Island Peanut Butter Cake! Eeek! That frosting is super delish. Anniversary gift!
SoCal girl + East Coast boy. Travelers. Currently living in Scottsdale, AZ by way of Reno, Chicago, Germany and Los Angeles. Parents. Andrew born still at 38w5d, Benjamin born living at 37w & Claire born just in time at 36w. Living the incomplete American dream of 3-1.
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