After just posting about our new found alone time, I realized I never finished this post from last year as I was *interrupted* so forgive the abrupt ending. Perhaps this demonstrates the difference a year makes as a parent of small beings. I like to think this phase has passed. I hope this brings a smile to your face!
Spring 2014: I don't have all that much to post about since we haven't done anything really exciting in the last few months but I am happy to report that life continues to be wonderful for Pancho, Legs, Thumper, Flipper, and Bambi.
Phil Vasser has some good ol' country lyrics that speak to me today :-)
Life with two kids and a dog sure is busy! Even when we don't do anything it's busy! Maybe this post will make you smile and reflect on the moments of silence in your own life, maybe it will help you understand just how much coffee you should probably have on-hand if we show up to visit :-)
This weekend we are at home with no boxes to unpack, no big projects to take care of, no moving, no driving, no anything. And I'm not sure if it's more relaxing or less relaxing but it sure does feel good to just be home for a while. The one thing we've learned recently is how much harder it is to travel with our little pack these days though I'm sure it will get easier with time.
Just this week we got our border crossing cards in the mail so our trips to the States should be much quicker. Prior to having these cards, we recently waited two hours just to cross the border which turned a typical 2.5-hour trip into an almost 6-hour trip with extra stops.
For some comical relief this Saturday...and because I'm happy to be not going anywhere this weekend...I invite you on a road trip with the Moons:
It all starts the night before we leave. We start packing the suitcase with diapers, clothes, and toys for the boys...hoping we remember to pack clothes for ourselves. We pack and then realize that the dog's crate also has to fit so we have to re-think what we're going to bring--the stroller? The portable crib?
On the day of our trip, like clockwork, both boys throw mega tantrums. Thumper doesn't want to go in the car for very long, he doesn't want to go on a road trip, he doesn't want to see whomever we've planned to visit (only because he doesn't want to go in the car...he is still mad we made him ride in the car for 3,000+ miles last October and again the March before that). Flipper picks up on Thumper's energy and is very clear that he must be held and comforted or else he will scream as loud as he can for hours. No, you may not set him down to pack a lunch or re-fold the clothes Thumper pulled out of the suitcase lest you want to lose your mind. Bambi picks up on the energy from the boys and prances around the house whimpering, terrified we are moving to another continent again.
Meanwhile, Pancho and Legs are pounding caffeine like water (between efforts to make the screaming stop) because Flipper was up four or more times the night before now that his body is learning how to digest the solid food we've begun feeding him.
It often feels like there should be a soundtrack to our circus.
So we manage to get everyone in the car and realize we've forgotten all of our passports. Pancho runs back upstairs from the the parking garage while Legs sings loudly to calm Flipper who will only quiet once the car starts moving.
Then we leave. Thirty minutes into the trip Thumper needs to pee. We pull over. Thirty minutes later, Flipper wakes up and needs to be fed. We pull over. An hour later it's past lunch time and everyone is cranky. We never got lunch packed so we pull over again to eat somewhere. Diaper change. Another feeding. Pancho takes Bambi out for a walk. Now it's nap time but no one is sleeping. We continue on and usually, twenty minutes before we arrive at our destination and at least two hours past regular nap time, the boys fall asleep only to be awoken extra grumpy when the car shuts off.
We've arrived! Pancho and Legs with blood-shot eyes from the caffeine and repeat singing of "One-two-three-four-five, once I caught a fish alive, six-seven-eight-nine-ten, then I let it go again..." --but oh so happy to have finally arrived!
Don't get me wrong, we so so so enjoy spending time with our family and friends and are beyond grateful that we are much closer than we were in India. We are a travelling family, it's what we do and we like it. I think it's just the peak of crazy and we previously, naively, thought that two wouldn't be much different than one.
Also, Flipper is now wearing 9-month clothes at 4.5-months of age only because his feet are so big and his body is so long! He is rolling, eating solids, scooting on his belly, sitting up almost unassisted, and making cute noises. Thumper will have a sports camp this summer and loves going to all the parks in the city on his bike.
Spring 2014: I don't have all that much to post about since we haven't done anything really exciting in the last few months but I am happy to report that life continues to be wonderful for Pancho, Legs, Thumper, Flipper, and Bambi.
Phil Vasser has some good ol' country lyrics that speak to me today :-)
"Just Another Day In Paradise"
The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it.
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things
Well, it's ok. It's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be
Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the lord every night
For just another day in paradise
Life with two kids and a dog sure is busy! Even when we don't do anything it's busy! Maybe this post will make you smile and reflect on the moments of silence in your own life, maybe it will help you understand just how much coffee you should probably have on-hand if we show up to visit :-)
This weekend we are at home with no boxes to unpack, no big projects to take care of, no moving, no driving, no anything. And I'm not sure if it's more relaxing or less relaxing but it sure does feel good to just be home for a while. The one thing we've learned recently is how much harder it is to travel with our little pack these days though I'm sure it will get easier with time.
Just this week we got our border crossing cards in the mail so our trips to the States should be much quicker. Prior to having these cards, we recently waited two hours just to cross the border which turned a typical 2.5-hour trip into an almost 6-hour trip with extra stops.
For some comical relief this Saturday...and because I'm happy to be not going anywhere this weekend...I invite you on a road trip with the Moons:
It all starts the night before we leave. We start packing the suitcase with diapers, clothes, and toys for the boys...hoping we remember to pack clothes for ourselves. We pack and then realize that the dog's crate also has to fit so we have to re-think what we're going to bring--the stroller? The portable crib?
On the day of our trip, like clockwork, both boys throw mega tantrums. Thumper doesn't want to go in the car for very long, he doesn't want to go on a road trip, he doesn't want to see whomever we've planned to visit (only because he doesn't want to go in the car...he is still mad we made him ride in the car for 3,000+ miles last October and again the March before that). Flipper picks up on Thumper's energy and is very clear that he must be held and comforted or else he will scream as loud as he can for hours. No, you may not set him down to pack a lunch or re-fold the clothes Thumper pulled out of the suitcase lest you want to lose your mind. Bambi picks up on the energy from the boys and prances around the house whimpering, terrified we are moving to another continent again.
Meanwhile, Pancho and Legs are pounding caffeine like water (between efforts to make the screaming stop) because Flipper was up four or more times the night before now that his body is learning how to digest the solid food we've begun feeding him.
It often feels like there should be a soundtrack to our circus.
So we manage to get everyone in the car and realize we've forgotten all of our passports. Pancho runs back upstairs from the the parking garage while Legs sings loudly to calm Flipper who will only quiet once the car starts moving.
Then we leave. Thirty minutes into the trip Thumper needs to pee. We pull over. Thirty minutes later, Flipper wakes up and needs to be fed. We pull over. An hour later it's past lunch time and everyone is cranky. We never got lunch packed so we pull over again to eat somewhere. Diaper change. Another feeding. Pancho takes Bambi out for a walk. Now it's nap time but no one is sleeping. We continue on and usually, twenty minutes before we arrive at our destination and at least two hours past regular nap time, the boys fall asleep only to be awoken extra grumpy when the car shuts off.
We've arrived! Pancho and Legs with blood-shot eyes from the caffeine and repeat singing of "One-two-three-four-five, once I caught a fish alive, six-seven-eight-nine-ten, then I let it go again..." --but oh so happy to have finally arrived!
Don't get me wrong, we so so so enjoy spending time with our family and friends and are beyond grateful that we are much closer than we were in India. We are a travelling family, it's what we do and we like it. I think it's just the peak of crazy and we previously, naively, thought that two wouldn't be much different than one.
Also, Flipper is now wearing 9-month clothes at 4.5-months of age only because his feet are so big and his body is so long! He is rolling, eating solids, scooting on his belly, sitting up almost unassisted, and making cute noises. Thumper will have a sports camp this summer and loves going to all the parks in the city on his bike.
I love this post! I can relate on so many levels! I often think of the first time I flew with all 3 girls, by myself, their ages 3, 2, and 2 months. It was NUTS! Like you said, its a season, a phase that will soon pass. Now at ages 8, 7, and 4, they make wonderful travel companions. There is hope!!! ha.
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