Traveling with two kids

So- we are back from our Argentinian 5 week adventure. Traveling with two was quite a challenge- especially on a sightseeing/non "veg at the beach" vacation. Naively, I didn't think it would be all that different from our day to day life. On the weekends in NYC, we go out for lunch, spending the afternoon in some type of activity. I was in for quite an awakening.

Things I learned:

In traveling with small children, expect the unexpected and be flexible. There is no routine- things changed from day to day. They won't nap when you want them to- if we got a stroller nap- we would take take advantage of the time to see something you want to see or eat. We found we revised our "schedule" every few days and tried to go with what worked best for the boys.

We were lucky also that Master A was young enough that he didn't require constant activities, museums, etc. just for him. He was at an age that he was happy just to run around outside wherever we went. However, that also meant he liked to run out of restaurants. We tried a lot of outdoor restaurants in our neighborhood but even that proved to be too hard. He's just an age where he won't sit in a chair or high chair. After many meals of taking turns eating and chasing Master A, we learned to go at his "naptime" and just wait until he fell asleep in the stroller to have a more relaxing lunch. If he wasn't asleep when we arrived we would just walk in circles around the restaurant we wanted to eat and pray he would fall asleep. If he did, we went in. If not, we skipped it. Some days were better than other with the boys and we learned just to adapt. Naptimes changed and our schedule was rearranged.

If your child sleeps in a crib at home- and the place you are staying at does not have one- bring one or buy one. Master A tricked us for a week or so- falling asleep pretty easily so we didn't bother buying one for the apartment we were staying. A store to buy a pack & play was going to be a trip to the suburbs that we didn't feel like taking. Once we were about 2 weeks in, Mister R had to lay with him each night till he fell asleep and he would still pop out occasionally. It was a real pain and stressful if we had a sitter. We should have made the trip and bought a crib from the get go.

Babies are the best travel companions. Master L was great- he would sleep in the Ergo for hours while we moved around (thanks for letting me borrow Mama V). I finally mastered feeding on the go. While his sleep was erratic at night- he was very easy and slept well on the long plane rides and while I was wearing him. I wish we had traveled more when it was just Master A and he was a baby.

Go somewhere that kids are not seen as a nuisance. In Argentina, the kids were fawned over and no one blinked if they were crying.

Flights- for long flights- overnight flights are key. The boys slept quite a bit since it was their normal bedtime. On the flight out, they "blocked" an extra seat for us (we bought one for Master A) so we were able to bring the car seat on for Master L- made a big difference. We did bulk head seating on the way back and I don't know if I'd do it again for a night flight. There was room for Master A to get up and move a little- but the armrests don't come up so he couldn't lie down. He was much more comfortable on the flight down. From Buenos Aires, we visited two different areas that required short flights. They were harder- at varying times- had lots of delays. We were happy when our traveling around ended. I would try to avoid moving around if possible. We found that there was also an adjustment to new hotels and Master A became very clingy. Master A became attached to Mister R which was sweet but a pain at times. If he was nervous- he had to be carried around holding on to Mister R in a death grip. We tried to humor him as much as possible and allow him what he needed to adjust- since we were forcing these changes on him. He did not understand that this was a vacation or what was going on.

Renting an apartment was a great way to travel. It was so nice to have two bedrooms and be able to shut the door and still relax in the evening. We got suites in the hotels and would only do this in the future.

A pool was great to have- Master A became a water bug and it was our nightly ritual. We tried to drag Master A out to dinner but he was grouchy and tired if we were out past his bedtime at 7:30 (we had several meals packed up for our hotel room) so we learned to come back to our apartment at night and relax at the pool. I wasn't sure how much we'd use it- but it helped an extended trip feel more like a vacation.

Food- I had a list of nice (not super fancy) restaurants I wanted to go to for brunch or dinners. They were scrapped and our focus became on pizza, empanadas, and helado (ice cream). We started our day around noon or one and would try to go to lunch and one place/neighborhood we wanted to see. In the end, after we saw all we wanted to see, we'd take long walks for food and then hit the park.

Sitters- don't be afraid to use them- once you have someone you trust. We went out a few nights and one full day and one half day. I very rarely use them at home but it was a nice treat and in the end we wished we had started earlier and done it more. Next time, for a shorter trip, I would hire someone to watch the boys while we do some sightseeing- so we'd get more in.

Traveling with two is difficult but fun. The time Mister R spent with the boys was priceless and gave him quite an appreciation into what it takes to just get out the door with both of them. It is doable with a lot of patience and flexibility. Some days you just pack them up, slather on sun block through their crying and wailing and hope for the best. Oh- only send out pictures where the kids are smiling and everyone will think it's a breeze! It couldn't have been all bad, we are already thinking about Italy in September (provided Master R rejoins the working force before then).

Gardening leave

Enjoying a jagertee in Salzburg where it was bitterly cold.

It seems that Mama J and I live parallel lives. We both managed our own businesses then gave birth to boys both just weeks apart and managed to do it again 18 months later. Our husbands both quit their jobs at the same time and we put our work on hold to go travelling for a couple of months - at the same time.

I'll leave Mama J to tell you about her exciting adventure in South America, one that I'm really envious of. We've just been visiting family. Not nearly as exciting.

The reason for our travels is that Mr M accepted a job at a new company. As is customary in Europe he has to take 3 month "gardening leave" betweeen jobs so that he doesn't pass on any company secrets. He wanted to go straight to Europe to snowboard and be with his family but I managed to convince him to spend 2 weeks in Australia visiting my family.

Australia was wonderful and we both wished we'd spent more time there depsite the 23 hour flights. The weather was amazing although a little hot for me now at +30C. It was hectic seeing all my family from Sydney to Brisbane and everywhere in between. For me the highlights were spending time with my mother and father and Master R getting to know them better. Also staying at my grandparents farm and seeing Master R's face when he saw the hundreds of chickens! It was wonderful to take him to the beach most days and splash about in the ocean. Little Master T loved being naked most of the time.

Now we're in Austria where it's freezing cold at-10C. We're having a great time here too teaching Master R how to ski, well walk in the skis anyway. If I'm honest I've had a bit much of snowboarding. A couple hours a day 3 times a week is enough for me not all day everyday that Mr M expects. We've also decided to renovate the kitchen and bathrooms so alas, it's really not a holiday at all.

After a holiday it's always nice to get home to a bit of routine. I haven't really felt at home in London since leaving NYC earlier last year. I was secretly hoping that Mr M would get a job in Switzerland. It didn't work out so I'm determined to give London another chance this year. We're going to find a house to buy and I'll get to make it home. Perhaps that's just what I need to call it home sweet home.

A wonderful weekend with Mama V and family

Mama N and Mr M in the kitchen.

Mama V, Master K and Mr A at the farm.

Mama V and Mama N (looking MASSIVE) at the farm.

Chunky Master R and long lean Master K playing ball in our backyard.

Last weekend we had the pleasure of hosting Mama V, Mr A and Master K. Having not seen Master K since February I couldn't believe how tall he is! Such a little sweetie.

Master K and Master R played so well together. On Saturday morning they taught each other some great dance moves and thought it was hilarious. So did we! They were so funny jumping around everywhere, throwing themselves on the ground and then laughing uncontrollably. Master K is the only older friend Master R has played with recently who hasn't beat him up so he appreciated that.

Saturday night Mr M wanted to cook his famous lamb roast for our guests. I think they enjoyed it. He followed up with BBQ 4 course breakfast the following morning. It took so long to eat that we only had a little time to show them our local hangouts and take the boys to the farm. Both Master K and Master R loved chasing the chooks (Australian for chickens) and watching the enormous pigs snore in their sty.

All too soon it was time to leave and Mr A was getting anxious about getting to the airport on time. Once they'd left the house seems so empty and quiet. Master R was exhausted and slept for 4.5 hours! He was asking for Master K when he woke up. We really do want more friends to come and visit please!

Sea lions, elephant seals and harbor seals, oh my!

As some of you may already know I used to volunteer at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. I worked on the Tuesday night crew feeding and caring for sick and injured sea lions, elephant seals and harbor seals. Mister T and I took Miss L out to see the newly refurbished hospital recently. I hadn't been to the hospital in eight years so I was very excited to see the new facilities.

The Center went through a multi-million dollar renovation and the result is really astounding. The Marine Mammal Center has treated over 14,000 marine mammals since it opened in 1975. It is staffed entirely by volunteers except for a small team of paid veterinarians.

On the day that we went they had 191 sea lions and seals admitted. Most were California sea lion yearlings who were malnourished (possibly by warm "el nino" waters that are affecting their food supply).

It was inspiring to see the army of volunteers making fish shakes for tube feedings, stuffing meds in herring and monitoring the health of the seal pups. A lot of things looked pleasantly familiar, just nicer digs for the seals and better facilities for animal care and science.

The science and research performed at this Center is state-of-the-art, but what also makes it unique are the educational opportunities. It was gratifying to see the visitors coming to learn more about marine mammals and to see the tireless work of the volunteers to nurse the seals back to life in the sea. The Marin Mammal Center is not a zoo (thankfully). As a visitor you get a glimpse into a leading marine mammal hospital. The viewing stations are set back and there are signs to encourage everyone to be quiet. The goal is to release healthy seals back into the ocean and to not let them grow accustomed to human contact so they can survive in the wild.

Here is Miss L at the entrance next to a sea lion pup statue. She is very good at imitating the calls of a sea lion. I couldn't resist buying her a life-size harbor seal pup stuffed animal at the gift shop. Mister T was not as excited as Miss L and I were by the purchase!





The Marine Mammal Center offers an Adopt-a-Seal program that makes a wonderful gift for little ones. The gift includes a photo of an actual seal patient and a biography of the animal. The proceeds help provide food and medical care as well as support research efforts and educational programs.

As we left the Center I noticed a hallway of past patients. I recognized one from my time volunteering, Artemis, a stellar sea lion. She was actually tracked a year following release and was found with her own pup enjoying the Pacific Ocean!

My wonderful MIL

Oh yes you read the title correctly. My mother in law really is wonderful, and the FIL too. If I say anything bad about them again please cyber slap me!

We made a last minute decision to actually take a holiday and fly, yes fly at 32 weeks pregnant (!!?!!), to Munich and then drive the 130kms to our apartment in Austria. I was really apprehensive about the whole thing but the doctor signed off on it and the airline allows you to fly up to 36 weeks with a doctor's letter. So off we went. It's only a 1.5hr flight and Master R had his own seat on the plane and was really good the whole way. Same for the car drive into Munich to see Oma and Opa.

After spoiling Master R with lovely presents, Oma and Opa took us to a biergarten for lunch. I stupidly ordered fish and then had to reorder when it arrived and I discovered it was raw fish. My German doesn't extend that far and no one thought there was anything wrong with a pregnant woman eating raw fish! But I reordered and tried not to make a fuss.

There was a summer fair in the park and the grandparents took Master R on his first merry-go-round ride. I thought he'd be scared because it was really fast but he loved it and kept begging for more. Being grandparents they kept giving in and I think he went on it 7 times in total and cried when we had to leave.

The real suprise was when we arrived at our apartment just 130kms away. Knowing that I have OCD when it comes to being clean and tidy Oma had completely cleaned the apartment. I mean completely. There was not a single speck of dust anywhere and no item of furniture or trinket (and there are lots of them) was out of place. The best thing is that they had moved anything that Master R could get at and stored it in their room. It was truly amazing.

It's more amazing given the fact that Opa is currently recovering from surgery for advanced cancer. It's been a tough couple of months and we didn't know how much longer we'd have him with us. It turns out that he's responded really well to treatment and is likely to have more healthy years with us. It touches me that despite the pain he's going through they both made such an effort to have the apartment perfect for us. So much so that they made our bed, bought new artwork to replace the items we didn't like, shopped and filled the fridge so we wouldn't have to worry about food the first few days, bought toys for Master R, filled the terraces with beautiful plants and flowers (as you can see in the picture above), insisted that they wouldn't stay with us even though they'd love to spend all day with Master R, the list goes on.

I am eternally greatful and appreciate having a MIL who is as OCD as me about things being just so. As a result I will not complain when they drink too much, try to take over the parenting, paint our walls canary yellow, decorate the whole apartment to their cluttered taste, put numerous holes in the walls to hang their gaudy artwork, wash my clothes and sheets in so much fabric softener that it gives me rashes in "sensitive" places, dictate when, where and how things will happen, constantly point out any changes in my weight or the regrowth of my hair, order so many knitted items that I'd have to knit for a year to complete them, hmmm really my list is insignificant compared to the beautiful things they have done for us. I wish I had the level of German possible to tell them I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Right now though they have to be satisfied with vielen dank, alles is perfeckt!

Flying chard, dethroned beauty queens and hula dancers

Miss L waiting to go to the Bolinas 4th of July parade

Yes, there were flying chard, dethroned beauty queens for marriage equality and hula dancers at the Bolinas 4th of July parade. As most of you mamas know, my parents live in the very unique, nature-loving town of Bolinas. The 4th of July is the biggest holiday celebration of the year.

The festivities begin with a tug-of-war between the towns of Bolinas (hippies, artists and free spirits) and Stinson (out-of-town affluent weekenders including Senator Dianne Feinstein). As you may guess, Bolinas usually wins, which was the case again this year.

After the tug-of-war the parade kicks off with Bolinas local Annie singing the national anthem from the balcony of Smiley's, the local watering hole. This was Annie's 59th year in a row singing it.

My favorite parts of the parade were the signs for the Bolinas Museum (with a shout-out to London and New York), marriage equality supporters and the mobile kitchen school throwing chard and dill to the crowd (who needs candy and beads when you can saute chard and season with dill?).

Miss L was very tuckered out by the end of the parade, especially after the hula dancers.

I hope everyone enjoyed their July 4th and that Mama N snuck in some red, white and blue into her wardrobe over the weekend.

The Flying/Flu Dilemma

Master D runs away from the Swine Flu.

Greetings from Captiva, Florida! Master D and I have been visiting my parents here for two weeks and we were supposed to hop a plane tomorrow. The plan was to land in New York long enough to pick up a rental car and whisk Mr. E off to Providence to visit his new niece. The presents are purchased, the hotel room reserved, my hair is highlighted, our outfits are ironed.

But Mr. E started mentioning the swine flu, and at first I changed the subject because I hate bad news. Then I watched CNN and thought about my toddler on an airplane, in New York (with many confirmed cases), and all of us near a new baby. And I started to worry. Soon, my head was swimming with images of Master D throwing up, both of us dangerously sick, all alone back in Ohio. Then, of course, I worried that D would meet the same fate as the poor toddler from Mexico who died while visiting relatives in Texas and panicked. I made calls to cancel our trip and made other arrangements to get home by car.


The statistics make me feel like a worrywart, when the numbers are so low and the chance of catching swine flu is so small. But it’s still a chance I can’t afford to take. The trouble is, this kid is the whole world. No matter how small the risk, it is worth avoiding if it means he will be that much safer. Then again, I get in a car with him everyday when I know that car accidents kill more people than the swine flu. So the question is, when should you worry and when do you just have to live?

California here I come, California here I go

Mister T, Miss L and I just returned from a two-week trip to San Francisco. We were fortunate to arrive just in time for a nice stretch of warm, sunny weather between the rainstorms. Spring was definitely in the air. The waterfalls were gushing on Mt. Tam and the rolling hills were lush and green in the bright sunlight. Mama N's brown jacket turned out to be a perfect wardrobe piece for the trip!

We loved our stay in Noe Valley. It is like being in Park Slope, just replace all of the Bugaboos with jogging strollers and picture everyone wearing a fleece. There are no chain stores, just one Starbuck's and a Whole Foods arriving shortly.

We spent each morning at Bernie's coffee shop on 24th. Miss L loved running in and out of the shop, climbing on the sidewalk benches and feeding her croissant to the dogs tied up outside. Seeing Miss L's endless energy the locals kindly pointed us toward a wonderful toddler playground just up the street. Miss L loved the slides and showed no fear climbing up to the top to slide down by herself. This is where she takes after Mister T and not me who as a child had to be rescued numerous times by my dad because I was too scared to go down the slide after climbing up to it.

I was able to visit a few yarn stores in Marin and San Francisco. I also went with my mom to her lovely knitting circle in Bolinas. We sat around the table in the yarn shop knitting on a quiet sunny afternoon with only the sound of a flute playing in the background from a neighbor down the street. Quite a different scene from knitting in the city!

I had high hopes for finishing my Mom's scarf by the end of the trip, but I just didn't devote enough time to it. I tried to knit each evening after Miss L went to bed, but sometimes I ended up staying up and talking with my dad instead. I also got completely absorbed in Mama L's book club selection for this month, America, America. I am starting to get used to the lace pattern so hopefully I will pick up some speed and will be able to send my mom a finished object in the next week or so.

Being back in San Francisco felt great, but it also felt wonderful to arrive back in New York, which really feels like my home. In an ideal world I would have a home in both places, but I know that isn't realistic right now. San Francisco is calling us back, which makes me very sad when I think of how much I missed my mama friends and this amazing city I call home when I was away for just two weeks.

Boxes, boxes, everywhere...

But don't fear, Mamas! I'm not going anywhere.

This growing mountain in my entryway is a happy pile, composed of the accumulated pots, plates and printers that will be heading to Fire Island come springtime. Thank you again Mama N for giving us some major goodies for our "island home."

Despite some major doubts that came to a head this week, we are plowing forth with our extravagant (and exciting!) second home, which is due to close in April. Did we buy at the top of the market? Yes. Did we make less moolah than expected at bonus-time? Yessir. Do we care? Well yeah, we do, but not enough to stomp on the dream and lose the down payment. So America, follow our lead! Buy, buy!

Anyway, those boxes got me to thinking about our fellow Mamas who have been packing up for good. Add to that list our own Mama G, who solemnly informed a few of us on Thursday that we should "start buying cupcakes." It took us all a second to realize that she meant we would have to bidding yet another friend adieu at next week's playgroup. Ladies, these departures are thickening our waists and dampening our spirits. Enough! Down with boxes!

But I want to leave this on a happy note. So check out the pretty yarn trio here (with a curious gentleman's hand saying hello as well). Mama H mentioned our fun outing to The Point in her post. She was instrumental in selecting these colors for my second knitting project, a scarf. (Yawn all you want, Mama N, but it takes baby steps to get to things with sleeves and such!) I still haven't cast on the 250 stitches recommended by the store owner, but with yummy yarn like this, I'm motivated to make it happen.

Happy weekends to you all.

Goodbye New York, hello London

Close to Wagner Park, Battery Park, New York City. Source: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/

Source: BBC London

On Valentine's Day 2009 I said my teary farewell to Battery Park, NYC, my beautiful river front apartment, the cold, crisp days and boarded a plane for London, UK. While I fell in love with Battery Park and the conveniences of New York living, it was saying goodbye to my mama friends that was the hardest.

Mr N and I arrived in NY in June 2007. I soon discovered that I was pregnant. Giving birth to my son Master R in February 2008 opened my life to a whole new circle of friends. I joined HRPMamas eager to meet other mums but only expecting to make acquaintances.

The whole process was a bit like dating. After trying a few different groups, I found the mamas in the financial district and it just clicked. Like any new relationship it took a while to form, but soon we were truly friends - driven together initially for the need to socialise with someone other than our newborns and overworked husbands/partners.

Together us mums and our babes spent many a summer afternoon spread out on rugs under the tree in Wagner Park. It was one of the best summers of my life. Real bonds of friendship and joint experiences were formed - not to mention lots of chocolate milkshakes and cupcakes!

My transatlantic move and being torn away from these wonderful friends sparked the idea to start a blog. It's a way for us to keep in touch, but also a way to "reach out" (see I did learn some American?) to other mothers and share the many ups and some downs of being a mum/mom.

Mama N mother of Master R