Blogging me

For some reason, when people ask if I have a blog, I say "yes," but with a hushed voice. I'm not quite sure why that is - maybe it is because I'm afraid of putting myself ALL the way out there or I'm afraid of criticism or maybe I'm worried that people will think it sucks? I was thinking about that today - and thinking about the reason that I started a blog in the first place, which was to learn! I wanted to learn how to write more than just emails and status updates (two jobs ago) and learn about how good content drives quality traffic (last job through present). I also wanted to have a place to document what I'm doing and feeling and wondering about because these days, I have a thought and then *pouf* it is gone...never to return again.

At the beginning, this blog was about travel, marriage and a mutt. Now it is about so much more. I still love to travel, I'm still married with a mutt (thank God), but now I have a few more things happening in my life, a real career + a full-time job and kids. Plural. Trying to balance (I hate that word) all of those things into a successful life is something that is harder than I could have ever imagined.

As the overachiever that I am, I have a tendency to beat myself up on a daily basis wondering if I'm sucking at motherhood or failing at work. My rational brain knows that the answer is no, but my emotions don't always listen to my brain.

So here I am. Six months after my last post. Back again, trying to reconcile the new me, who is a bunch of things that I can't always keep track of; wife, mom, professional, woman, daughter, friend, boss, colleague, sister and more. Keeping track of all of that will assure that there will be no shortage of content or stories. And, honestly - writing down my thoughts tends to help me organize them and gives my husband an understanding of what is happening in my head.

Mommy lost her shit

It was inevitable that I would have to be a "single parent" for a few days while my hubby traveled. In my happy unicorn wonderland though, I figured it wouldn't be until my boys turned 10, which would obviously mean that they were potty trained and semi-rational, right? Wrong. Off hubby went into the wild blue yonder (Chicago), for approximately two mornings and three evenings. I say this because those are the critical times when being outnumbered by tiny humans could prove to be problematic.

I know that my approximately 72 hours of single motherhood doesn't compare to the millions of women whose reality is solo parenting. I don't think I'm as strong as you all are, or maybe its because I don't have to be. My life, my happy bubble has been carefully designed for two parents to share the workload of potty training, sheet changing, tooth brushing, diaper changing, pump part washing, transporting and feeding. When one of those parents isn't present, I can feel a shift in the matrix and suddenly my world is imbalanced. 

This all came to a head yesterday morning when mommy lost her shit. Our mornings are usually a delicate dance of timing and partnership, with a side of pumping and nursing, which essentially puts me out of commission for approximately 40 minutes. This normally isn't an issue, since my husband is around to wrangle while I'm attached to a baby or to a pump, meaning we are getting double the morning "chores" done in the same amount of time. Yesterday morning though, after pumping and feeding and dressing my tiniest human, it was time to get the larger, louder, smellier one out of bed. As soon as he woke up, he was hell bent on doing the opposite of what I asked or told him to do. It started with waking up, then potty, then teeth, then underwear, then clothes. Finally, as I was trying unsuccessfully to wrestle him into a pair of Paw Patrol Underwear (because he wanted Mickey, duh), I lost it. I looked at my crying, squirming, fighting three-year old and screamed at him to stop it. It shocked him for a moment before he continued on his rampage, ranting about his underwear and refusing to put on shorts. After I realized what I had done, I quickly put myself in time out, giving us both time to calm down and try again.

Somehow, we managed to calm down enough to continue getting dressed and get out the door (no playtime, no backpack, no shoes and no breakfast) and move on from the morning ordeal. It was a quiet ride to the sitter's house, since we were both pissed. I took the time to reflect on my outburst and feel extremely guilty that I lost it, but very happy that I didn't rethink my stance on spanking.

However, that evening, something happened. I found my mojo. My rational brain kicked in and determined that my tiny human just needed to run out his energy. The early darkness had kicked off an unfortunate chain of events that went something like this: Tiny human doesn't get to play outside, so tiny human plays inside. Playing inside means that you can't run around like a fool to burn off your energy, so when its time for bed, tiny human isn't tired. Instead of going to bed and falling asleep, tiny human fights and fights, escaping from bed several time. FINALLY, the tiny human falls asleep...way too late, meaning that waking said human up in the morning is IMPOSSIBLE and AWFUL, kicking off a crazy ass morning of shit losing and fighting.

So. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I picked them up from the sitter and headed off to Burger King for dinner. Burger King was chosen only because our restaurant has a play land, complete with tunnels and a slide and a place to climb. After we ate dinner, we headed into the germ infested wonderland and woah was B pleased. He climbed and slid and climbed some more. When it was time to leave, he didn't fight me (ok honestly, I bribed him with a cookie). We got home and had a successful evening, which led us to a pleasant morning. 

I'm not proud of how I behaved myself in the morning, but I'm super proud of myself for adjusting my approach and learning from my mistake. It was comforting to speak to other moms who have gone through similar mornings to know that I wasn't doing things wrong or scarring him for life. In fact, I know that he forgot about the whole ordeal, especially when I told him we'd be heading to an indoor "pwayground!!!!"

So instead of focusing on my min-melt down, I'm going to focus on the fun we've been having and the fact that all three of us...and the mutt...are still alive and well, waiting for daddy to come home tonight.

Making rainbow pancakes for dinner.

Kicking me out of the bathroom, so he could do his thing.

"This is a really nice dinner, mommy."

"I have glasses."

"Fine, I'll chew this damn bone."

Pajama party! 

A moment of quiet in the morning. Two two-leggers and one four-legger in the bottom, left corner.

"Its a 6, daddy"

Last night, I got home a little later than usual because I had some after work errands to run. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw that Daddy and B had been pretty busy. There were lots of chalk doodles on the driveway (my favorite) and the safety cones that I *ahem* acquired during college were out. I came in, unloaded and we went about our business...until Nick told me that our little 3 year old drew his first number.

Voila! The number 6! 

See that squiggle next to the number 3? Apparently B told his daddy that it wasn't "a circle, it was a 6!" And he was right! He also drew a nice and long #1, next to his 6. I was so proud of him, even though I was slightly bummed that I missed it. Its hard for me to wrap my brain around how busy B's little brain must be, but it is so, so cool to watch him start to connect the dots, right before my eyes.

B's Horse Party

In the last year or so, B's obsession with horses has reached a fever pitch. There isn't a pony ride or merry-go-round ride that ends in anything but tears and frustration. He is downright obsessed. This past summer, at Kenywood, we rode the merry-go-ground approximately 25 times throughout the day. He plays merry-go-round, rides "Daddy horse" and pretends I'm the ticket lady who gives him access to all of these rides.

So, when it came time to plan B's 3rd birthday party, it was a no-brainer. We were having a horse party. We looked around Columbus for venues to host the big event, but came up short. Many places required an age limit...problematic when the majority of the guests are 3 and under while other places were out of our price range. So, we opted for a drive out to the country to Marmon Valley Farm.

For those who haven't been there, this place is a hidden gem. They have pony and horse rides, a hayride, barn with small animals, playground, pond and plenty of room to run. In other words, this is a little kid's paradise. As a party venue, it was perfect since the cost was relatively low and we were able to bring our own food and drinks to set up in the covered picnic pavilion. The kids ran themselves silly all day long, stopping periodically for food and drinks.

As someone who loves to plan parties...specifically theme parties, I had a good time with this one. Since the farm was the perfect fall setting, I didn't need to do much decorating. Instead, I had fun with the invitations, food and the treat bags.

Invitation found on Etsy

Farm Cake, courtesy of my mother-in-law

I had a lot of fun with the treat bags. I tried my best to make sure they kept to the "Horse/Farm" theme and didn't skew too much to cowboy. Here's how they turned out:

Goodies from Oriental Trading

• Lollipops 
• Bouncy Balls
• Stickers
• Assorted mini chocolate candies

B was super happy with his party, he literally ran from 11:30am until 5:30pm, when he asked...in his sweetest voice, "Can we go home now?" 

The day was perfect, the leaves were colorful and the kids were tired. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Well, except maybe dinosaurs.

My tiny human...being human

Dear B.,

You are almost three years old. Time really does fly when you're having fun, or when you're raising YOU. You are the spunkiest, smartest, craziest nut bag of a son. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but whatever it is, I'm grateful for it every single day.

As we approach the big 3, I'm seeing more and more of your HUMAN personality come out. You are so kind and thoughtful and analytical. Even when you are running laps around the backyard or screaming through the house. You like to have things put in categories, often saying things like, "mommy, you're a girl right?" or "daddy is taller than you, right?" You know a lot of things, but still look to us as the experts in whatever subject you are thinking about at the moment.

One of the biggest changes that I'm seeing in you is your ability to reason. Time-outs are starting to work and you are realizing that we really will, in fact, make you sit in a chair or that we'll take away your toy. You know that there are consequences to your actions and you are starting to make decisions accordingly. This new level of reason is adding an infinite amount of fun to our lives (and admittedly, frustration).

Last Saturday, you and I had a special date. We went to the Worthington Farmer's market to buy coffee and then to Kroger to get a few things for breakfast. You were an absolute angel. So, when Sunday morning rolled around and you asked to go to the grocery store with me, do do our regular shopping, I said yes. I'll admit it, I was so nervous. What if you went nuts? What if I was the crazy lady, pushing a cart, chasing you around the store? But then I thought, what if it went well? And decided to take the plunge.

Thanks to a really busy year, and being pregnant, I hadn't done a lot of things with just you and I. You were prone to taking off at full speed, or having a sporadic tantrum and my pregnant body didn't always handle that well. So, our outings by ourselves, just you and I, were very few and far between. Maybe that is what made me nervous, I was out of practice for long outings in a possibly "risky" situation. But, I have to say - I'm so glad that I decided to take you with me. You listened, you were quiet and you "helped" me put things in the cart. We had no meltdowns and talked a lot about ingredients and the store and the giant, metal horse that you like to visit while we're there. It was actually really fun. And really, momma is back - so if you needed to be wrestled, chased or man handled into the cart, I'm 100% back to my pre-baby self.

I hope that our grocery dates are a regular thing. It is so great to have you all to myself and to chat about what is going on in your busy little brain. I love getting to reward you for good behavior with your Kroger balloon and really am proud when you walk up and ask for it yourself, thanking the lady without me asking you to. You are still my sweet baby, but more and more, I'm seeing glimpses of the boy and man that you are going to become and I'm so very proud of you. I'm not going to lie though, I'm pretty proud of daddy and I too. We're doing this our way and doing a really awesome job. Even when sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

Love,
Momma

One of those moments

I originally started this blog to document life as a DINK with a mutt, and then quickly it evolved into a place for me to capture those memories that I didn't want to forget as we went from DINKS to DIOKS (Double Income, One Kid). Sometimes, I find myself reading back through some posts, remembering what I was thinking and feeling at the time...sometimes laughing at the triviality of it all.

One of my favorite posts was one I wrote about B, as a letter, more than a year ago. It was one of those moments that inexplicably brought tears to my eyes as my heart completely overflowed. This weekend, I had another one of those moments, and it was one that I never want to forget. So, here it goes, in another letter to B.

Dear B,

Saturday morning, we decided to head to the Worthington Farmer's Market. We had gone as a family before, but this was our first outing without a stroller and with you as a very active 2 1/2 year old explorer, adventure and selective listener. The day started out just as we expected, with some talks about listening, staying with mommy and daddy and a search for some fruits and veggies (you kept saying TOMATOES TOMATOES TOMATOES over and over again). We made our way down one side of the street and back up the other, when suddenly you heard some music. We rounded the corner and saw a man and a woman playing music on the patio at Dewey's pizza. You have suddenly entered into a phase where you can't get enough music and dancing, so this live duet literally stopped you in your tracks. Daddy and I sat down at a picnic table, but you stood there and asked us over and over to dance with you. I'll admit, my first reaction was to say no and to tell you to just go ahead and dance, but something made me say yes. I put my bags down and grabbed your little hands and we "danced" to the music that they were playing. Your version of dancing is just a modified version of ring around the rosie, but you were so so happy. Once we were dancing, you demanded that your daddy join the fun, so there we were, the three of us, holding hands and swaying to the music. I can't remember what song they were playing, but I can remember your little face looking up at us, so so happy and then so mad when they paused between songs. All you wanted to do was dance and it literally filled me up to the brim until tears spilled over. I never want to forget that moment or how I felt it was just the three of us, living in the moment and enjoying our time together.

When the musicians stopped to take a break, your daddy gave you $1 and you proceeded to take that AND one of your lucky coins (a nickel that I had given you) and gave it to the musicians. After that, we went back to our morning at the market, buying a few things and grabbing some treats before heading home.

I don't have photos or videos of our dance, it was a moment that was so spontaneous and beautiful that trying to document it wouldn't have been right. The best thing was to live in the moment with you and your daddy, twirling and spinning to the music, living in the now.

Thank you for being the kind of kid that makes me stop and live in the moment. The kind of personality that is impossible to ignore and the kind of person that makes me want to be a better mommy.

Love,
Momma

B's first trip to COSI

Last weekend, we took B to COSI for the first time. Neither of us had been there before, so we didn't know what to expect. I, however, knew that they were showing One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure in their planetarium, I knew that we had to check it out. Thanks to a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode, featuring a telescope, B has been chatting non-stop about the moon and the stars, so we figured that this would basically blow his mind. Boy, were we right (wait, did I just sound like a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode?).

We arrived at COSI, promptly at 10:15am, to catch the 10:30am show. After waiting in a small line and spending $52 (YES, SERIOUSLY) for admission for three, plus 3 tickets to the planetarium, we made our way to the theater. The crowd was what you'd expect for a Sunday morning at 10:30am - lots of tiny humans and their parents, desperate for something to do that didn't involve trashing the house or temper tantrums.

Before the show started, a member of the COSI staff came out to introduce everything and get the kids excited. She talked about how the planetarium would work, that it would be dark and asked some fun questions about stars and the moon. The kids were all super engaged while B sat quietly in his chair, wide eyed and looking around, wondering what was about to happen. So as not to freak the kids out, they gradually darkened the room and before we knew it, Big Bird and Elmo were front and center on screen, taking us on a journey to the moon and back.

Family selfie before the show! He couldn't stop looking around!

B sat through the entire 40 minute show, actively engaged and looking around. At the end, he applauded and then asked to watch the movie again. Luckily, we had the draw of COSI to distract him from a mini-meltdown, so we quickly headed out to do some more exploring.

Next stop: the Kidzone, where he ran himself crazy, experiencing all of the little play areas, especially loving the water table. He let us know it was lunchtime by promptly refusing to leave the room and trying to take off his shoes, so we gracefully forcefully exited the room and then went to the cafeteria.

B was fading fast, but since we spent $52 (YES, SERIOUSLY) to get in, we wanted to try to cram in a few more activities before he crashed. We decided to go explore the ocean. What did we find when we got in there? You guessed it...more water. B immediately ran into the room and started playing at the different activity stations, shooting water and trying out the wave machine.

Last stop? The gift shop. We picked up a cool flashlight that projects the planets, which he absolutely loved. After this purchase, we decided to put our $52 towards the cost of a COSI membership (currently on sale for $100), so we could come back and do this all over again!

Nick's statement to B - "We've enhanced your benefits package to include a membership to the YMCA, the Columbus Zoo and COSI." B's response: "Zzzzzzz."

All in all - a great family day! Here are some things that we learned and that could have saved us a few bucks too:

1. Take hand sanitizer. I'm not a germaphobe, but woah - there were a lot of kids in there.
2. You can pack a lunch and snacks! The Kidzone and the cafeteria are wide open and we saw a lot of parents taking a break there with some inexpensive sandwiches and snacks. 
3. If you can swing it, get a membership - then you aren't feeling the $52 (YES, SERIOUSLY) pressure to jam everything you can into the day.
4. Get there early. Since we arrived at 10:15 am, we zipped right through the line to collect our tickets. As we were leaving, around 2:00 pm, the lines were long and the natives were restless.
5. Pack an extra outfit for your tiny human(s). Remember the water? Yeah, they will love it and it will be dripping down their arms and into their armpits. Trust me on that.

Thankful

So, I've been a delinquent blogger for the past...ummm year? I've been taking a ton of photos and trying to commit as much to memory as possible, but I haven't been writing about it. What I've been finding though is that important things are escaping my brain. I'll look back through my phone and see B when he was 1 and think, "woah." Time really does fly and as much as I'm trying to live in the moment and enjoy the now, I also recognize that I need to remember the moments, especially some of the little ones that bring me such joy.

Last night was one of those moments. Each night before dinner, we take some time to hold hands as a family and say what we are thankful for that day. B will (almost) always participate, holding our hands and then enthusiastically proclaiming "HANDS!" when we ask what he is most thankful for. Last night however, when we asked what he was thankful for or what made him happy, he said "new cups."

Now, I know that being thankful for new cups sounds very trivial and materialistic, but the BIG deal here was that he's starting to grasp the concept of our nightly ritual. I was so proud of him for sharing something that made him happy, and even prouder that I was there to experience it with him.

My view from our tea party

P.S. - his "new" cups were actually a set of espresso cups that were destined for Goodwill. Back when I was young and dumb, I thought that registering for espresso cups for a wedding gift was a good idea. It turns out, it was brilliant!

We took a toddler to Paris

I'm writing this post in January 2015, almost a year after Nick and I decided to take a toddler to Paris. You read that right. Paris. As in France. As in 7+ hours on a plane with a tiny person on your (my) lap. Yep. Paris.

This whole adventure started because Nick had a last minute business trip come up that would mean a  free flight to Paris. Per our marriage vows, any trips to Paris must include me or the marriage is immediately considered null and void and will require spousal support for the rest of my life. So, this meant that we were going to go together...obviously a no brainer.

Once that was determined, the next question was, "What are we going to do with B?" Our first reaction was to take him. The next thought was from my parents, who graciously (selfishly) offered to take him. We put some thought into it and promptly booked the flight, toddler in tow. In all honesty, leaving him at home was never really an option. I was not going to be flying across the pond without my little dude and I knew that my mommy-guilt ridden mind would be thinking of how much fun we'd be having with him while we were there. Plus, his under 2 status meant that he would fly to France for less than $200. So. It was decided. We were taking out toddler to Paris.

Booking the trip was super easy. We flew on Air France who was very, VERY family friendly. They graciously moved us to a bulkhead row, with an extra seat so we had plenty of room for B. I was able to schedule our flights to line up (loosely) with his bedtime, meaning that he snoozed for the majority of the flight over. Thankfully, this wasn't his first flight, so we were somewhat prepared for the trip. Per usual, I totally overpacked, in preparation for any kind of explosion, malfunction or episode that might occur, so in addition to a diaper bag, I had an auxiliary bag with games, toys, food, cups, blankets and changes of clothes. But, I couldn't have done this trip without my Ergo Baby or my Joovy Groove Ultralight Stroller. Both of those items were invaluable in our travels.

Selfie at CDG!

Before we embarked on the trip, I did a lot of research on our hotel and accommodations. I was worried that we would end up in a closet-sized room, and that we would be forced to tip-toe around B when he went to sleep. I also knew that we would be traveling with a lot of extra gear, that would require extra space. Somehow, in the midst of Googling Paris hotels, I thought to look for extended-stay accommodations and stumbled on the glorious Residhome Appart Hotel Paris-Opéra. What set this place apart from all of the other hotel options (besides price) was the amount of room that it offered. Since it was an extended stay property, it had two rooms, plus a generous entry way that was perfect for storing a stroller and all of the gear that comes with traveling with a tiny person. It also had a very small kitchen with a mini-fridge and stove and a generous size bathroom with a tub and shower, PLUS an extra 1/2 bathroom in the foyer. The living room and bedroom could be closed off, which meant that B had his own room and we didn't have to tiptoe around after he went to sleep. If you are traveling to Paris and are looking for a place to stay, especially with a family, or with another couple and want to save on hotel costs, I highly recommend this place.

Admittedly, we were very leery and nervous about taking a toddler to Paris, but after we thought about it, we decided that it was a chance that we would regret passing up. This was the only time that B would be able to fly to Paris for less than $200 (his flight was free, we just had to pay taxes). So, when we got to Paris and got settled in, we hit the ground running because Tiny Humans are Portable, after all. Here's a quick recap of some of the highlights:

Day 1: Flight to Paris from Detroit. B did amazing on the flight, sleeping for most of the way. We will always be eternally grateful to the Air France gate agent who moved us to a bulkhead row with an empty seat.
Day 2: Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, B's first (and second) merry-go-round ride, Arc de Triomphe, Champes Eleysee,
Day 3: Paris Opera, lots of playgrounds, Pompidou centre, Notre Dame, Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens
Day 4: Train ride to Montpellier, Exploring Montpellier, Aqueducts, B's first chocolate mousse,
Day 5: Date with mommy, playground time and fancy dinner
Day 6: Taxi Rid to the zoo, crepes, exploring Montpellier, potato chips
Day 7: Valentine's Day, train ride back to Paris, Valentine's Day Lunch, Louvre, Eiffel Tower at night, weird Chinese food for dinner with delicious champagne
Day 8: Last day of sightseeing! Galleries de Lafayette, Lindt store, open air (freezing cold) bus tour
Day 9: Packing up our gear, catching our flight and heading home

Finally

Honestly, our whole family has been going insane. I'm sick of inside being the only option. Poor Chino is going insane, since the cold weather means no family strolls. The fact that he still goes insane, as an almost 8 year old mutt makes me extremely happy, until he's outside barking like a maniac for no apparent reason. Earlier this week, we got a reprieve from the ridiculously cold temperatures and finally got to enjoy an evening stroll. B is all about the walking these days and I'm so happy that Nick captured this photo of me and my boys.

Editor's note: The real story about what's going on in this picture is that B doesn't like to have his hand held, and he's looking at me, trying to figure out how to escape. Chino is in between poops and inappropriate behavior directed toward neighborhood kids and pets. Even though this picture appears to be peaceful and tranquil, it is a snapshot of the chaos that I can't wait to get home to every night.

New Traditions

It is already January 6th and I'm behind on my blogging. I've got lots to catch up on, including the mandatory New Year's Resolution post, that just about everyone has to write at some point. Before I dive into that, pretend that I'm writing this on January 1st and that I'm giving a recap of New Year's Eve. Are you with me? Ok good.

In years past, New Year's Eve was a time of fancy outfits, expensive dinners, lots of drinking and a big fat hangover to ring in the new year. Then, B arrived and all of that changed. Last year, we did the fancy dinner with friends and then came home and watched the ball drop. This year, we decided to take a more thoughtful approach to the holiday, and I'm so very glad that we did.

We decided to start the evening out with steak at J.Gilbert's and we took the tiny human with us along for the ride. A friend and her husband joined us as well, so our New Year's reservation was for 4 and a highchair. Since they are parents, they weren't scared of a tiny human in a restaurant and didn't skip a beat when he got a little antsy towards the end of the meal. To keep the schedule in tact, our reservations were for 5pm. I'm also proud to say that I didn't see many other tiny humans out for dinner. I'm sure our fellow diners took a deep breath when we walked in with B, but tiny humans are portable and he's part of the family.

After dinner, we headed home with a plan to attempt to bake a New Year's Pretzel. Growing up in Pennsylvania, this was a staple for my family for New Year's. Eating it on New Year's Day is supposed to bring good luck. It isn't anything complicated, just cinnamon bread, shaped like a pretzel with some icing on top. Unfortunately for me though, it isn't something that is common in Ohio and every year I suffer with a sub par New Year's Pretzel. First world problem, I know.

Since we decided to go without a babysitter this year (not that we have many options), I thought it would be fun to bake our own. We had all of the raw materials and just needed a few packs of yeast. To prepare, I got to pinning and researching some recipes and came across a recipe on the Ronald McDonald House website. Link. Ours looks nothing like this, so we took some pictures of our project!

iPhone at the ready

Selfie before we got to work

Adding flour to the butter/milk/yeast mixture.

Elbow grease!

We used this recipe as a guideline, eliminating the apple/nut filling and adding cinnamon sugar instead. The result? A giant pretzel that tasted like bread. BUT - it was better than the store bought versions in year's past. It was also a really fun activity for Nick and I to do while we waited for the ball to drop. I'm looking forward to having B help with this in the coming years and really hope that this becomes a regular tradition in our house...after I perfect the recipe, of course.

 

Tiny Humans are Portable: Part 4

Now that you have all of the background information, its time to get to the vacation prep itself. You know, the important stuff like, what did I pack, what did I need, what did I end up buying? I'll tell you this, for me, packing and prep is part of the fun of the vacation. Usually though, I only have to worry about myself and maybe Nick, but this time, I got to pack and prep for a whole other person! I was thrilled. In the months (yes, seriously) leading up to vacation, I ran through various scenarios in my head to try to determine what should be packed and where. I pestered Nick with a SWOT analaysis of which stroller we should take and how many varieties of snacks would be optimal for our trip. Here's where I landed, knowing that we had a washer/dryer for quick clean ups:

B's Packing List:

• 7 outfits (one for each day)
• Swim diapers - one pack
• 3-4 bathing suits (this was overkill, but they were cute and I couldn't stop buying them)
• Sunscreen (lotion and spray)
• Sandals
• Tennis shoes
• Socks
• Onesies
• Two bedsheets
• 4 bedtime blankets
• Nail clippers
• Shampoo/body wash
• Sand toys (these were readily available to buy in Aruba, but I found some for $0.50 here)
• 4 sippie cups
• Books
• Toys (that didn't make noise or that had an off button)
• Snacks
• Puffs
• Raisins
• Teddy Grahams
• Yogurt Melts
• Cheese-its (B looses his mind over these)
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Diaper cream
• Mini First Aid Kit
• Baby Tylenol + dosing chart
• Umbrella stroller - we have the Joovy Groove and LOVED it. 

B's Diaper Bag/Airplane Packing List (these are from the list above, not in addition):

• 2 outfits (plus the one he was wearing)
• Diapers (I read a guideline that recommended 1/hour your were traveling, which was overkill, but I was happy to be prepared)
• Wipes
• 2 sippie cups (one for milk, one for water)
• 2 blankets
• Books/quiet toys
• Snacks (see above)
• Diaper cream/wipes
• Shoes/socks
• Umbrella stroller
• iPad

For the plane, we packed up his diaper bag and our carry-on. I also loaded my iPad up with apps. His favorite is the Giggle Gang, which is apparently JUST as funny without sound. More on that in my post about the actual trip itself.

Tiny Humans are Portable: Part 3

If you are looking for a family friendly resort in Aruba, you need to take a look at the Divi Aruba Phoenix. I stumbled on this hotel while searching the various travel sites. When I started looking closer, it seemed too good to be true. This property is more than hotel, it is a condo resort, which works perfectly for anyone, especially people traveling with a tiny human.

What made this resort perfect for us?

Our room, or should I say condo. It had a bedroom, two full bathrooms, a living area, full kitchen, dining area, washer/dryer combo and two balconies. This extra space gave everyone some much needed breathing room and gave B a lot of areas to run around and explore. The full kitchen let us keep some snacks and milk on hand, for quick snacks and the washer/dryer combo was just what we needed to clean sandy suits.

Baby butt - totally entertained by the washing machine!

The amenities were fantastic. The resort had two restaurants and a small carry-out on site, which meant that we really never HAD to leave, and often we didn't, except for dinner. The staff at all of the restaurants was pleasant and so very accommodating to us and to our tiny human. They didn't blink an eye when we arrived at our romantic dinner on the beach and asked for a high chair.

The location. This resort was RIGHT on the beach. We walked out of our building, right to the pool area and on to the beach. I thought that this would be very important, and it was. Having everything RIGHT THERE was great and convenient and worth a little extra money. We alternated between using the beach and the pool and never had any issues finding chairs to call home for the day.

View from our balcony, facing the water. Blue water and white sand and palm trees, oh my! Under the big cluster of palm trees were lots of little grass umbrellas and chairs for lounging.

View from our balcony, facing the property and the pool. Gor-geous!

I have to say it again...location! The Divi Aruba Phoenix was at the far end of the high rise hotel zone, but it was still within walking distance to restaurants, bars and shopping. Once we figured that out, nightly sunset strolls became part of our vacation routine. The sunset in Aruba is so gorgeous that I tended to get a little snap happy on our way to dinner.

Looking down the boardwalk, towards the other high rise hotels, restaurants and shops.

This. Every night.

Bottom line. The Divi Aruba Phoenix was the perfect resort for us. The atmosphere was lively, but family friendly. The location was perfect and the rooms had everything that we wanted and more. Would we go back? Absolutely. We wouldn't stay anywhere else.

Tiny Humans are Portable: Part 2

Before we decided on Aruba, we established some vacation guidelines.

1. Beach/pool
2. Family friendly
3. Passport required
4. Warm weather

Since we had no idea what it would be like to travel with B, these seemed reasonable to us, and it turns out, we were right. In addition, to meeting our vacation criteria, Aruba has a couple of bonuses that we thought would be great for our first family vacation. Aruba's beaches are incredibly calm because of the direction of the wind and the island has a state-of-the-art desalination plant, which means that we wouldn't have to worry about the safety of the drinking/eating water.

Now that we had the destination, the planning process began. Before we I booked the flights, we I researched the hell out of the different hotels and resorts. When we take a trip, I typically begin with TripAdvisor, just to scope out the options that are available. I love that site for many reasons:

• It lets you choose all sorts of amenities, based on what your vacation preferences and needs are
• You can view photos from fellow travelers! This is a very cool feature because fellow travelers will tell it like it is. When I was making our final selection, photos from travelers were the deciding factor between two different resorts.
• Traveler reviews, with dates. This gives you some context around the comments, gripes and compliments. 

When I began searching, I didn't have a particular place in mind. I knew that we wanted to stay ON the beach, which eliminated a few properties right away. Once I found a few candidates, I looked on the hotel/resort's website for additional information, along with room tours and rates. I also used Google Maps to narrow down my selections. That really helps to figure out how "close" to the beach a resort REALLY is. Thanks to Google Maps, I was able to eliminate a few places that were across the street.

Once I had a few possible resorts, I started shopping for rates. I used the usual sites; Expedia, Travelocity, etc. to compare prices and deals for the week. When I found the lowest price, I actually ended up calling the resort itself to see if they could do better, and they did! Details on where we stayed and what we got, coming soon :)

Tiny Humans are Portable: Part 1

Before our party of two became a party of three, Nick and I traveled. A lot. We took cruises, weekend trips and sightseeing tours of Europe. After we announced that we were going to have a baby, I can't even begin to tell you how many people told us about the rude awakening that we were in for, when it came to our two vacations per year lifestyle. When people would tell us that everything was going to change (duh, really), we would politely smile and nod, knowing that we were still putting money into our travel fund and that our intentions were to fly somewhere with our tiny human, while that tiny human could fly for free. While we were at it, we also decided that the tiny human would have a passport and that the passport would have at least one stamp in it, as soon as possible.

While B was incubating, Nick and I had long talks about how B would adapt to our lifestyle instead of the other way around. After all we were here first, and B is technically the third wheel. From the very beginning, we never "holed up in the house" with our baby, we took him out and about. B's first outing was to Jeni's when he was two days old. Was it scary? Yes. Did everyone survive? Absolutely. That first outing set the stage for B's portability and provided the reassurance to us that he was, in fact, extremely portable, just requiring some equipment that we weren't used to before.

When we first started out, the outings and preparation was a very strict and choreographed process. I would nurse B while Nick packed the diaper bag and the car, so we could literally pack him up as soon as he was done and have 2-3 hours before the next feeding time. Soon, my comfort level with nursing in public made it so that we could go out and about whenever and wherever we wanted. Nursing in public became a little joke between Nick and I, and I'm pretty proud of my list of locations (dressing rooms, restaurants, parking lots, festivals, farmers markets, rest stops, picnics). We took him everywhere and were so proud when people commented about how they couldn't believe that we were still doing what we were doing, but with a tiny human in tow.

While we were festival hopping and enjoying the spring and summer, we were still putting some money into our travel fund, trying to decide on our next adventure. Our first stop? The post office, to get a passport for B. Of course, he sat for his photo like he had done it a million times before. (Note: before you get a passport for your tiny human, make sure to read all of the requirements - both parents need to be there with a lot of paperwork).

Once the passport application was submitted, we began planning our next vacation. After over-analyzing (it's what we do) and debating, we decided in June that we would be heading to Aruba in November.

Lag time

I had an epiphany. Nick has been on a delay when it comes to our new reality. Maybe ephiphany is too strong a word, but there is a definite lag. I was thinking about the last 12 months or so, thinking about the changes that I and we have gone through and realized that I had a my "brick wall" moment in February of 2012, and Nick didn't have his until October 2012.

My life changed as soon as I peed on that stick. The minute that I saw that second line, I began to worry about the food that I ate, the activities that I participated in and the sleep that I desperately needed. My drinking days officially ended. I was still a social butterfly, but the changes that happened as soon as the pregnancy was confirmed were drastic.

When I peed on the stick, Nick's life didn't change...that much. He became subject to my neurotic behavior, but was still able to drink beer and stay out late. He didn't have to microwave his lunch meat. He didn't develop a sudden distaste for everything smoked and he didn't have to say goodbye to caffeine and artificial sweeteners. He had a pregnant wife, but everything else was status quo.

Fast forward to summer time. The baby is starting to show, much to my excitement. I'm starting to walk a little slower and thanks to my bladder, I'm sleeping a little less. I'm experiencing the baby and have been for awhile. Staying out late isn't as appealing as it once was and my entire wardrobe is comprised of elastic pants stretchy and flowy shirts. Nick is still enjoying beer on the patio, poker night and happy hours.

This continues on into the fall...you get the idea. I'm not upset with him, just a tad jealous. Maybe jealous isn't the right word, but its the best that I can come up with. My heartburn is annoying and my back is sore sometimes, but all in all, I'm just my normal self with a large belly. As my belly grew, I was getting more and more comfortable with the idea that the baby was coming...and coming soon.

Once the time came, I approached the birthday with relief that the pregnancy was coming to an end and that a new chapter was beginning. I didn't think that Baby B's birthday marked a "brick wall" moment for Nick. I recently realized though that for him, that moment was the equivalent of peeing on the stick. His life changed completely from one day to the next.

This delay wasn't obvious to me at first. It didn't become obvious until B was around 6 months old or so. I think it was on weekend that we didn't have plans. The pre-parent versions of us would have headed to a bar or to dinner or something, making up the plans as we go. I knew that this wasn't an option for us during this particular weekend, but Nick was having a hard time wrapping his head around it. He was grumpy, indecisive and generally annoyed. I was annoyed, but only because we couldn't figure out where we wanted to go or what we wanted to do.

After we talked in circles for a little bit, we came to the realization that he was missing the fact that our previous shenanigans weren't an option anymore, without some very specific planning done before/after. Although he didn't miss the bar scene, he missed having it as an option, and I totally understood. At that moment, I realized that he was 6 months (or so) in to this journey, and I was 15. A full 6 months ahead of him when it came to our new normal. Better late than never.

Living on less

Baby B has had a significant impact on the amount of fun money that we have to spend. To offset the cost of childcare and my new Zulily habit, we're trying to live on less. As is typical of me, I keep getting distracted by shiny objects and then find myself swirling in a sea of contradiction. Here are a few examples:

• The coupons that I proudly printed and cut out from Coupons.com didn't scan at the grocery store, so to get my $5.35 in savings, I sent Nick BACK to the store, reprinted coupons and receipt in hand 
• On Friday, while in the car on the way to Pittsburgh, I purchased a brand new llama collar for Chino. I mean, how could I say no to this? By the way, if you are looking for really cute and durable collars for your furbaby - I highly recommend collars from The Mod Dog on Etsy
  
• We are currently in the midst of "Eat what you have week" because I am determined to use up as many of our existing groceries as we can before going to the grocery store on Sunday
• I just purchased 12 bottles of foaming hand soap (they were on sale...but 12? yes 12)

Unfortunately, I've perfected the art of justification. Here's an example: I'm no longer drinking beer at bars, and I would have bought the llama collar anyway, so therefore I'm actually ahead and because I have to go to work every day, I deserve to be able to buy this llama collar for my mutt who already has 15 collars. Yes, I can read the crazy. 

As we continue to adapt to live with Baby B, we ARE getting better at living on less and/or justifying frivolous expenses. Really, if you would see a before/after of our Visa bill, you'd be shocked and amazed at the amount of money we were spending on beer. The growing pains are still...painful. It takes a lot of adjustment to go from DINKS to DIOKS.

Temporary Insanity

I've figured out that being a mom also comes with periods of temporary insanity. During moments like these, it is very important to have someone around to talk you off the ledge and bring you back to reality.

Shortly before this photographic moment, Nick talked me out of thinking that at $100 adirondack chair, for someone who can't even sit up, was a good idea. I'm still not convinced.

Little stuff

This is the kind of "stuff" that is so much better than flowers or candy or gifts. Last week, Nick packed my lunch for me while I was feeding Ben before heading to work. When I opened it for my morning snack, I found this:

Opening my lunch bag and seeing this, felt like another step in the right direction of getting back to "us" after Baby B, which has been a harder process than I could have imagined.

Wee One Wiis

I can't believe that we didn't think of this before! Baby B sometimes prefers to be walked around instead of rocked. Nick was bored with the normal route, so he figured out a more creative solution to keep both of them moving, which turned into a win-win situation. It turns out that using the Wii Fit while holding a 15lb "weight" really helps to work up a sweat.