Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Back Home




We had a very long, but quiet ride back from Florida. The girls were such troopers; they slept the entire way. The flight was packed -- maybe 2 or 3 empty seats max. We had an amazing time in the sun with our family but it is very nice being home and in my own bed.

The first morning the girls woke up they seemed confused. It must be weird to go to sleep one place and wake up in a completely new place! The best part -- their toys were new again.

It's definitely beginning to feel like spring. I love being able to take the girls outside without having to bundle them up in ten layers. We took the girls to the beach for the first time in Florida and they seemed to enjoy it. We went on a gray day (you can see the fin) and there were dolphins swimming just off the shore. The color of the sky and the water was absolutely gorgeous. We got some really amazing pictures of the babies.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Stroller Envy

I'm always discovering new gear that is better in one way or another. I mean, we have plenty of stuff for the girls, but it's not until you meet other moms and begin to see your gear in action, that you realize what you have purchased might not be the best option for you.

The problem with the gear for babies and toddlers is that it's good for a millisecond and then a new stage begins, which calls for a different set of gear. From bouncy seats to swaddles, swings to jumperoos, it's only good for so long before they grow out of it or you find something better.

I have a wonderful MacLaren stroller, but I came down with a case of stroller envy recently. I saw a woman with fraternal twins in the Stamford mall and she had a Bumbleride stroller, which I really liked, but after some more research and talking to a MoM who has one, I found out that it doesn't lock shut when you fold it up. There is nothing worse than having a large double stroller unfold as you pull it out of your car. I have pinched my finger and gotten a blood blister more times than I care to recount with the stupid snap n go piece of garbage (garbage, but completely necessary in the beginning).

So now I am set on the Valco Twin. Someone let me push theirs today with their twins in it and they are twice as old as mine, but it was like pushing air. The seats are so roomy and they have better views and canopies. Anyone have an opinion?

Twins ... Coincidence or Evolution?

I never realized how many sets of multiples there were out there until I found out I was pregnant with twins. With all the celebrity twin births, there has also been a heightened awareness, let alone the "multiple" TLC shows on larger multiple births.

We're in Florida for the next week and everywhere we go, we run into people who either are a twin, have twins or have twin grandchildren. Today we ate lunch with my in-laws, their close friends and the girls. One of the waitresses was a fraternal twin and has fraternal twins. Well, those are hereditary so I wasn't surprised. The people we ate lunch with also have identical twin granddaughters. My in-laws neighbors in Florida also have twin grandchildren.

After lunch, we went to an outdoor mall. As we went into Gymboree, a lady stopped us who has twin children, now 40, and then on the way out, we met a man with twin grandchildren. After we crossed the street to hit the shops on the other side, we passed a woman with fraternal 2 year old twins and a 6 year old girl. Shortly after, we went into Starbucks. When we came out, my mother in law was talking to another family with identical twin girls, about 17 months old.

I always find myself wondering whether twins are on the rise or whether I am just now so hyper aware of multiples? I know twins are actually more common than I originally thought, but I've only been here 4 days!