Traveling Part 2 - California

This past weekend we packed up and headed out to California for my friend Christina's wedding. Let me just say traveling by plane is definitely different then traveling by car. We booked an early flight on Friday morning to San Francisco from Boston. Not only did it put us in California at a decent hour but we felt that by spending the night in Boston on Thursday night it would make it an easier traveling day for everyone. So Thursday afternoon we packed up and headed to Boston. At the hotel Violet quickly made a play to claim the bed for herself. While Marc and I enjoyed watching some of the Bruins game.

Thankfully we were able to move her to her floor bed without much trouble. And just like in New York, it worked perfectly for her in Boston too. Although this hotel room definitely had plenty of space for a pack and play.

Friday morning we were up early to pack up and take the hotel shuttle to the airport. It was pretty straightforward and we quickly had our bags checked, Violet in the Ergo and our boarding passes in hand. In the security line Marc commented to me that he thought Violet may have pooped but his desire was to get through security and check it out after. So while I was having my expressed breast milk checked Marc headed off to the men's restroom.

I have to admit carrying breastmilk through security was pretty easy. I had it separate from my luggage in a lunch box with ice packs. I just notified security that I had liquid breast milk with me and after it went through the xray the TSA agents put the entire bottle inside a machine to test it. I didn't have to open it, I didn't have to taste it in front of them. I also packed an extra gallon ziploc bag to fill with ice once we were through security just to make sure things stayed cold.

After security I went to check on Marc. Thankfully the changing table was right at the entrance to the men's bathroom so I could see what was going on. As soon as I arrived Marc told me I was going to have to help him. Turns out Violet had pooped and it had soaked through both her long sleeve and short sleeve onesie. It went from the top of her diaper all the way up to her shoulder blades. It was her biggest blow out of all time. By the time we got her soiled clothes off her not only were Marc's hands covered  but so was Violet's back, tummy and both her arms. We decided the best plan of attack was a wet wipe bath but honestly it might have been better to just put her in the sink, if only they were big enough!

After a thorough clean up and a change of clothes we headed off to our gate. Unfortunately it was here we found out that United no longer has a designated family boarding. I was disappointed because it would have been nice to have a few more minutes and not feel rushed to get all our stuff sorted out as everyone boarded the plane. On the plus side we found out that there would be an empty seat in our row of three, so Violet wouldn't have to stay in our laps the whole trip. As you can see everyone was excited to be up early to fly.

Despite having her own seat, Violet only managed to sleep for 1/2 hour of the 6 hour flight. Thankfully she was very pleasant the rest of the trip. As the plane took off I nursed her and on the way down she sucked on her pacifier. As far as we could tell neither the ascent or descent affected her ears. As a reward for being such a good traveler one of the flight attendants gave Violet her first set of wings. I was really touched by this gesture as I remember receiving wings when I used to fly as a kid.

Once we arrived in California we were greeted by my parents. They drove us from San Francisco to their house in Carmel Valley with a brief stop at In N Out burger on the way. We spent the rest of Friday with my parents, enjoying the beautiful California weather.

On Saturday Marc and I got all dressed up and headed off to the wedding. Night number two out on our own while my parents watched Violet. The wedding was at a local winery and was loads of fun. It was also a chance for me to spend time with most of my friends from high school.

On Sunday Marc and I went to my friend Allison's new house. We were hoping to help her with some projects in her house but instead all of our friends from high school headed over for a barbecue. We always have such a great time when we get together. I'm just grateful that we've all been able to stay in touch regardless of where we live these days. Violet thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone and didn't want to leave the fun for her afternoon nap.

Monday morning we had an early flight back to Boston. When we arrived at the airport we were told that the flight was completely booked. At this point Marc and I were pretty tired and we were dreading the cramped space of our row. But as luck would have it we ended up with an empty seat on our row again and Violet was able to stretch out. No problems with her ears this time either and she actually slept for a total of 2.5 hours on the flight.

The drive home from Boston was also uneventful and we were all home by 9:30. Unfortunately Violet had saved up a little bit of energy from the trip and didn't want to go to bed until 10:30. I've been sticking close to home this week to get her back on our normal schedule. She seems to be napping well during the day and pretty much back to her normal routine at night.

All in all I can say that our little girl is a pretty good traveler. It will be interesting to see how that changes as she gets older but for now I wouldn't hesitate to take her on another trip. I would probably just try to space our trips a little further apart from one another so Marc and I had more recovery time.

Traveling Part 1 - New York

A couple of weekends ago we embarked on our first trip with Violet. We drove from Vermont to New York City for the wedding of our friends Mike and Katie. It was the first long car trip Violet has been on and it was the first time we were planning on leaving Violet with a babysitter.

Statue of Liberty

Marc, Violet and I headed down to New York on Thursday. It took a little longer then expected to pack up and get out of the door but the trip down was pretty uneventful. Violet slept the whole way except for when she was hungry. Luckily the first stop was a stop for our lunch too (yay Chipotle!) and now that Violet is an efficient nurser the second stop didn't last more then 20 minutes.

Once we arrived in New York we checked into our hotel and Violet got to experience her first hotel bed as we got the room setup. We chose not to bring a pack and play with us (thankfully because the room wasn't spacious) and instead set up a floor bed for Violet. Basically you roll a towel up into a tube to create a bumper around where she will be sleeping and then cover it with a blanket. It worked like a charm as you can see in the photo below and I would highly recommend it for babies who aren't rolling yet. (I'll let you know in a couple months if it continues to work once she starts rolling.)

Thursday night we went out to dinner with some friends who had recently gotten engaged. Friday was spent partaking in the final preparations for the wedding. Violet spent the day being carried by Marc in the ergo and she absolutely loved looking at all the lights and colors and buildings. I'm not sure she loved all the noises but there was definitely an abundance of things for her to look at. All the running around also crossed off quite a few firsts for Violet. We had her first trip in a taxi and on the subway.

She patiently sat with me while Marc picked up and tried on his tuxedo for the wedding. Violet was a gem at the rehearsal lunch and even allowed us to pass her around to others so we could eat our lunch. She sat in a church for the first time during the wedding rehearsal and even made friends with one of the ladies in the church office. Later Friday evening we all enjoyed the rehearsal dinner. Although by that time she was a little tired and Marc spent some quality time with her outside walking around the block.

The biggest event of the weekend for Violet was having her first night with a babysitter - Marc's cousin Heidi. This was the first time we had left Violet without either one of us for the evening since my mom watched Violet for an hour on Marc's birthday back in the beginning of March.

I have to admit that I was actually a lot less nervous about leaving Violet then I expected I would be. Probably because we had such a trustworthy babysitter keeping an eye on our little girl. That and we got updates throughout the night via text as to how things were going. I would get the text that said something along the lines of "She fell asleep sucking her thumb." While Marc got the texts like, "I put her to bed way too early and forgot to change her into pajamas. But I did change her diaper." By the time we got back to the hotel at midnight Violet was sleeping soundly, in her pajamas, and we were ready to crawl into bed too.

Sunday we loaded up the car and headed back to Vermont. Overall it was a successful weekend for all of us and was a good dry run for our trip to California. It allowed me to add and subtract things from the packing list and feel confident that we could handle the 6 hour plane trip the following weekend.

Violet - 3 months

Weight - approx 13 pounds 8 ounces

Dear Violet,

The last month has been so much fun. You really are turning into your own little personality and beginning to interact with the environment around you. Now we can see why they classify you as a newborn until three months and an infant after that. We feel like each week you change and learn so much, which is why we've organized what you've been up to by week.

9 Weeks
This week you had your 2 month check up and first set of shots at the doctor. This is the second doctor at the practice who has told us you are "perfect". I have to admit I am very impressed by you little girl. Not only did you recover super quick from the pain but by the time we got home you were all smiles and coos. You happily sat in your swing and talked to yourself for the longest I've heard yet! Dad was definitely not happy to have to help in the process of giving you the shots and we both got a little teary eyed to see and especially hear you in pain. But you did everything right to make it easy on us.

You have also started blowing spit bubbles. It was pretty cute at the beginning but now that you are getting better and better at it we've had to start putting bibs on you. Otherwise the front of your shirt gets too wet! Along with the spit bubbles you also started eating your hands. It was very funny to watch you try to stuff your fists into your mouth all at once but this also didn't help with the drool situation. Lastly, I finally figured out how to get you to nap in your car seat. We've still been going to the Fourth Trimester mother's group on Thursdays and this week I figured out that if I swaddled you and placed you in your car seat you would take a nap so I could enjoy lunch with the mommies.

10 Weeks
Your interest in your hands really took off this week. There were multiple times when I would catch you just staring at them as you moved them about in front of your nose. It was like you were actually seeing them for the first time. You also noticed that there is a mobile on your swing and started to inspect the teddy bear and stars that hang above you. This week your hands started to grab things which lead you to reach for and touch the toys on your exer-saucer. Because of your increased interest in your hands we decided to start swaddling you with your arms out. It felt like you were spending your sleeping times trying to break out of your swaddle. Thankfully we have a video monitor and are able to watch the variety of positions you put your arms into as you sleep in the early evening although I'm still not convinced that this is helping you sleep any better.

11 Weeks
This week you just seemed to be moving - your hands, your legs, and your head. With all the staring at your hands and practice of shoving them in your mouth you found your thumb to suck on. There was a day this week when you didn't even want your pacifier because you were so interested in your thumb. Since then you seem to get a little annoyed that your thumb isn't as big as your pacifier and that it falls out of your mouth as you start to fall asleep. For now it appears that you are still interested in using both, your preference depends on the time and the situation.

Your legs are also getting stronger and more active. Not only do you kick the toys that hang above you on your play mat but you also now move around a little bit in your crib. And you are rocking tummy time like a pro. I no longer have to prop you up on your arms, you can hold your head and your chest up as you look around at everything. I also noticed you will track us with your head and your eyes as we move around the room. On April 28th we heard your very first giggle. It was such a sweet sound and we can't wait to hear more of it. I only wish I was able to record it when it happened.

This week we also had some really beautiful weather. Your Dad and I decided to have a picnic outside on the grass. When you woke up from your nap you joined us and really enjoyed staring at the flags waving in the wind. At one point we put you on your tummy and with the help of the hill you rolled over to your back. I won't officially call this rolling until you can do it without gravity's assistance but practice never hurts.

12 Weeks
This week you really impressed us . On May 6th you gave us one of your longest sleep stretches yet, from 7pm-1am and then again from 1-6am. It was amazing. I also witnessed you hold your pacifier by the duck's beak and move it from your side all the way up and into your mouth. I'm pretty sure you didn't know what you were doing but it worked. Now if only you could do that trick more often! Lastly we noticed that you were starting to develop cradle cap. Thankfully your long hair disguises it well and there doesn't seem to be any on your increasingly larger bald spot in the back.

All in all the last month was a month of discovery. I also think you are starting to recognize your dad and I. We're looking forward to watching you continue you explore your environment with your hands. I am so grateful that breastfeeding is still going well and you continue to grow as a healthy happy little girl. We love your smile and the little noises you make during the day but do you think you could laugh a little more often? We would both love that. Can't wait to see what you discover in the next month!

Love,
Your Mom and Dad

The New Measurement of Time

Marc and I had grand plans this past weekend. We were going to get a bunch of stuff done both inside and outside of the house. Now that the weather has warmed up we were feeling the momentum we had last summer to continue making our house a home. 

This was also the first time we had to factor the baby into our grand plans. As of this past weekend we have started measuring our projects by what we can get done during a "Violet Nap". Thankfully Violet's daytime sleep has started to become a bit more regular. We know that first thing in the morning we usually have an hour to ourselves while she sleeps. In the middle of the day - if she naps in the swing - we can get her to sleep for upwards of two hours. The afternoon usually brings at least another nap of maybe 45 minutes to an hour.  This means that if we break projects down into one hour increments we can squeeze them into her nap times. 

Another difference since last summer is the amount of energy we both have. Night sleep is still hit or miss with Violet which means that getting one or two things knocked off the to-do list is absolutely exhausting! So while we had grand plans to get a bunch of stuff done we were pretty tired after only accomplishing some of our outdoor items. Regardless it was a pretty gratifying weekend. 

On Sunday during Violet's long nap we were able to accomplish the following -

After dusting off the ride-on mower and jump starting the battery, I was able to spend most of the nap time mowing the front lawn and the burm by the pond. I didn't realize until I started cutting just how long the grass had grown. I have to admit that this is my favorite outside chore by far. It's so much fun driving around and making patterns in the grass. The only downside is raking up the clippings at the end and taking them to the compost pile.

We also decided to make our front grass area longer this summer. If you look at the picture below our grass only used to mowed up to the anniversary apple trees (the small tree wrapped in hardware cloth). This summer I decided to mow all the way to the road behind the trees. The grass back there looks a little dried out because last year it was not taken care of at all. But hopefully in a few more weeks it will look as green as the rest of the grass. You can also see a bunch of surprise daffodils which popped up around the tree on the right. My mom did not plant those. 

While I was mowing Marc was working on the vegetable garden. His first project was tilling the earth to get it ready for planting. 

Then he removed the old gate (red frame leaning against the post) ...

... built a new frame from scrap wood in our garage ...

... and installed the new gate.

It's nice to know that once we get the vegetables planted they will be protected from the local wildlife. This was all accomplished during Violet's two hour nap. Once she woke up she joined us outside and supervised the installation of the gate. 

It's Spring!

For the last week or so we've been enjoying gorgeous spring weather. The daffodils my mom planted last summer have been popping up all over the yard. The temps still dip into the 40s (and sometimes high 30s) at night but during the day we have been enjoying sunny and dry 70F degree temps. It's been wonderful! This means that Marc and I have been trying to spend some time outside enjoying the homestead.

A few weekends ago we decided it was time to clean up the screened porch. If you remember from when Marc was boiling sap, it looked a little like the picture above. There was wood stored along the long wall, the grill was inside and there was various syrup making supplies strewn about. So while Violet napped we decided to attempt some spring cleaning.

First move was getting all the syrup making supplies out. Sugaring season is over once the sap stops running and the trees start to bud. In total we ended up with 6 1/2 mason jars of syrup this year. As you can see the syrup from our first boil is a lot lighter then the syrup from the end of the season. I would liken our first boil syrup to a medium amber and our second boil syrup to a dark amber or maybe even Grade B.  Changes within the trees and the weather lead to the darker syrup. These changes also affect the flavor of the syrup - the dark syrup has a very strong robust maple flavor. We're going to have to try cooking with some of the dark syrup - baked beans, cookies, and breads.

After those supplies were out of the way Marc and I moved the wood storage frame downstairs into the garage. Then I was able to sweep up all the remaining pieces of bark and wood while Marc moved the grill outside. Along with putting the grill outside we also hung up our flags and moved the fire pit back outside.

The last step was to setup our table and chairs on the porch. One of our favorite things to do in the summer is eat out on the screened porch. For now we've been enjoying sun-downers and dinner out on the porch while Violet has enjoyed hanging out in her exer-saucer. There's nothing like watching the sunset over the hills and admiring our view of the valley and the pond as things slowly start to turn green.