Day 248 | Lentils Get a Bad Rap

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When we were back in Wisconsin, just about everyone turned their nose up at the idea of me feeding Robbe lentils. Isn't it common knowledge that lentils are incredibly peppery and delicious? And that the smell of them cooking is nothing short of mouth-watering?

Give 'em a try. If I've sold two babies on the scrumptiousness of these little beans, there's a good chance you'll end up thanking me. 

Need a recipe? This

lentil soup

is a go-to for our family. Super easy and can be made ahead of time (a definite plus with our current lifestyle). 

Day 247 | Playing Catch Up

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I'm not usually one to brag (at least I hope you feel that way!), but Chris and I pretty much rocked the last two days so I can't help but share our accomplishments:
  1. Unpacked. No small feat when we're talking about two backpacks and three suitcases (all close to 50 pounds).
  2. Laundry done. Six loads. And it's all folded and put away.
  3. Christmas gone. The holiday decorations are no more. Chase was the most disappointed to see them go, but it was time. And by gone, I mean packed very carefully and brought up to the attic for storage (not just sitting in our bedroom for weeks on end, which usually happens when an attic trip is required).
  4. Hair cut. Chase was looking a bit shaggy. Not anymore. See photo above.
  5. Tree removed. We removed and stored the ornaments and lights, took the tree outside, and cleaned up after the dried-out tree. Christmas tree decorating = best. Christmas tree un-decorating = worst.
  6. Grocery trip. There was nothing nothing in the house for food upon our return. Someone (me) should have planned better. Massive stock-up trip to the store? Check.
  7. Photo shoot. Robbe is 10 months old. Double digits...woohoo! The obligatory monthly photo has been captured. See photo above.
  8. Friendly visit. I got to meet my friend's baby today. It was a quick trip to the NICU, but I got to meet that sweet little peanut. Thanks for sharing a slice of your life with me, Dawn.
  9. Clean, clean, clean. It's amazing how dirty a house can get with only a cat living her for two weeks (and would it kill her to vacuum up after herself?). I'm happy to report the house is finally in livable condition again.
  10. Carseat upgrade. Robbe was fitted for his new carseat tonight. He's moving up in the world. Rain inhibited the install, but that's the easy part. See photo above.
  11. Petting, lots of petting. Miga is severely attention-deprived. She is letting us know this by following us around the house, constantly needing pets, meowing in the loudest way possible, demanding to be let outside and back in (it's raining, after all) about 20 times a day, and even accepting affection from the babies. That's when you know she's been neglected.
  12. Serious playtime. Don't think for a minute that all this was possible because our babies are content to play independently and entertain themselves. Quite the contrary thanks to the constant attention over the last two weeks and the attention-withdrawal symptoms that have ensued. Chris did assemble an incredibly impressive train track with Chase's new pieces, though, so it counts as an accomplishment. See photo above.

Day 246 | Toddler Travel Tips

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We made it. Eight hours and 45 minutes from door to door yesterday and we are back in our own house and fighting through the attention withdrawals that always come with the territory when we return from Wisconsin. 

After surviving another two flights yesterday, here are some travel tips that have made my life easier:
  1. Pack light...and heavy. Bring as little as possible on the plane with you (there's enough to juggle without extra bags) but don't skimp on the toys/books/food to help distract the wee ones. 
  2. Board last. Or at least toward the end. Unless you have a baby you're trying to get to sleep prior to take off, pass on the opportunity to board early and enjoy the extra time to roam free before being cooped up. 
  3. Keep 'em confined. Using carriers through security is the way to go. From tiny babies to toddlers, it's the best way to stay hands free to get everything on the belt without having to worry about escapees. 
  4. Plan for delays. It's terrifying to think about but it's better to be prepared then end up at the airport for several hours without enough diapers or baby food.
  5. Entertain, don't soothe. My babies are not great plane sleepers (except when they were teeny). They'll power through naps or bedtime, much to my chagrin. After many flights trying to get crying babies to fall asleep, I've realized that it's easier to try to entertain them through thre exhaustion than attempt to get them to sleep. Exhausting for me? Insanely, but much less stressful.
  6. Bring a stroller. Plan on bringing your most travel-friendly stroller (compact but with decent storage) with you to the gate (they'll check it there for free). It's handy to have a place to strap your little one into (think trips to the bathroom) and it's a necessary pack mule for everything you need to carry (diaper bag, coats, carrier, etc.).
  7. Make peace with germs. Before I had babies, the idea of letting a child roam around the airport on their hands and knees was repulsive to me. I got over that real quick when I realized those little ones need to use up some energy before boarding the plane. Roam free, crawlers!
  8. New is exciting. Save toys to reveal on the plane. Buy new or hide old ones leading up to the trip so that these distractions are new and interesting. Some toddler-approved options for your consideration: Magformers, soft cover books, magnetic play board, stickers/sticker notebook.
  9. Bring a garbage bag. Sounds random but it's amazing how much trash you accumulate on a flight. And if you're not prepared, you end up with junk everywhere. If you forget one, grab one of the TSA bags outside security (most airports have them).
  10. Breathe. It's impossible to internalize at the moment but flights are short and people are generally very sweet about cranky babies. It'll all be over soon no matter how long the crying lasts so breathe through it, friend.
Safe travels!

Day 245 | Think Happy Thoughts

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We are at the airport on our way back to the District...and reality. We've had a lovely visit with equal parts quality family time, laughter, full bellies, and holiday festivities. One thing we were short on? Sleep. I guess we needed something to improve upon in the New Year. Thanks again to all our family for putting up with our chaos and spoiling us in more ways than I could mention. 

If you've got some free time this afternoon, think happy thoughts for a smooth trip. Everyone's in good spirits as we wait to board (as you can see in the photos). Hopefully that continues. 

Day 241 | History Museum: Wisconsin Version

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The museum bug even bites when we're on vacation. Today, Grandma Bibi took us to the Museum of Natural History. It was quite an impressive show of animals, eggs, and fossils. Chase really enjoyed collecting the animal trading cards scattered around the exhibits and Robbe just loved having so much open space to crawl around in and so many fun ledges to pull himself up on.

A great way to spend a chilly (5 degrees!) morning. 

Day 240 | A Gift to Myself

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I love having my fingernails painted. It just makes me so happy. What doesn't make me happy? The fact that they chip almost immediately.

So I finally succumbed to the hype and tried a gel manicure today. Will it last three weeks? Only time will tell, but it looks pretty great for the moment. Will it ruin my nails? I'm not going to worry about that-they have never been that fantastic. Will it become a new obsession? Maybe, just maybe. 

*Note: I was fully intending to give this to myself as a gift (hence the title) but Chris's mom swooped in and treated me to a late Christmas present. So sweet and greatly appreciated. 

Day 239 | Chris's Favorite Thing

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After sharing the boys' favorite things a few posts ago, it's time to highlight Chris's favorite thing: the day after sandwich.

It includes all the fixings from the traditional Thanksgiving dinner (and Christmas dinner this year) all in one sandwich for lunch the next day. That means turkey, potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and gravy all piled high. Not my idea of delicious but if it makes him happy, I'm happy. 

Day 238 | Merry Christmas: Part 2

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We enjoyed another lovely family Christmas celebration tonight. This time with Chris's family. It was a wonderful celebration of giving, receiving, and eating. Obviously lots of eating. If only the other third of the brother trio could have been here with his family, it would have been perfect. 

It's truly a blessing to have family that you can call friends and that you completely enjoy spending time with. We hit the lottery with all our family: immediate and extended.

*Note: I almost missed another post today. My schedule is just all out of whack! And maybe the two hours of putting together an awesome zoo for Chase added to the rush to get right into bed afterward...

Day 237 | Merry Christmas

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Merry merry Christmas. I'm wishing all of you love, magical moments, and family fun on this festive day. 

*Due to lots of quality family time and some pretty extreme exhaustion (have I mentioned how I'm not cut out to sleep with a baby in the same room as me?), I missed yesterday's blog post. The horror! I'll just tell myself that it was my day off for the holiday. Hope you don't mind. 

Day 236 | Christmas is Here

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We officially made it to our family Christmas festivities. After another four hours in the car (not my favorite, for the record), we're settling in and loving the quality time with our extended family.

Chase was reunited with his best friend, Frosty (who is about the same size as our toddler), and both boys have been enjoying the extra attention (surprise, surprise). And the photo on the bottom-right is Chase's vacation bed/pseudo-life raft. It's been a big hit. 

Day 235 | Ho Ho Ho

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Chase finally put in his gift requests to Santa today...just under the wire (but not entirely our fault).

He was a champ! Let's just say that the last two years didn't go well with our friend, Santa. Lots of crying. Not this time: he was all business and even plastered on a smile for the photo. He recited all his requests without hesitation and even put in an order for Robbe (according to the letters that we wrote).

And Robbe? No crying there either, and he went right to the strange man with a crazy beard. I'd like to think it's because Chase was by his side (that's sweet, right?) and not that he'd just go to anyone. 

One more check off our holiday to-do list!

Day 234 | A Tradition Continues

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The cousins got together for their annual gingerbread house construction today. Chase got pretty into it. His patience for these kinds of tasks always shocks me. His jobs today included: unwrapping the peppermint wheels, making marshmallow snowmen, adding smarties to the roofline, and sneaking just a couple sweets.

And the house turned out just perfect. 

Day 233 | Treats Galore!

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We have been innundated with delicious treats since our arrival yesterday. Is it possible to survive only on sugar for two weeks? We're going to find out.

And, as it turns out, the pretzel hugs my family has been making for years is the perfect toddler activity. Chase loved unwrapping the hugs and placing them meticulously inside the pretzel circles. He even helped place the M&M on the melted hugs after they had cooled for just a minute. Such a big helper!

Here's the "recipe". Delicious? No question!

Day 231 | Holiday House Scenes

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One of the hardest things about visiting family over the holidays (aside from braving the airports during the busiest time of the year) is leaving our own house behind. Oftentimes, I don't spend much energy decorating because it's just not worth it for the couple weeks we're home in December. Thanks to our holiday party (and mostly my mom!), this year was a totally different story. We're bursting at the seams with holiday cheer.

Enjoy the collage above depicting the festive environment that's been getting us in the Christmas spirit all season. I'll miss my own tree, mantle, and decorations as we jump on a plane but I'll take family over holiday isolation any day!

Day 230 | Rec Center Revelry

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We finally had the perfect day to get out and experience the

Tiny Tots

! program at our local recreation center. To call it intense would be a big understatement. It was Chase, Robbe, me and about 30 daycare toddlers with a handful of their caregivers. Whoa.

It took Chase a bit of time to warm up to the chaos but Robbe was right at home. He got lots of attention from the kiddos, as usual, and maneuvered the crowd shockingly well. 

One of the highlights for me? Watching the kids flock to the stereo every time a

Frozen

song came on (see bottom-right photo). Seriously, they paid no attention to any other Disney song but as soon as they recognized the beginning of a

Frozen

song, it was like a magnet pulling them in. They went crazy. It was more than a bit amusing.