{ going on a trip: flying with kids }

Our trip to New Jersey marked the momentous occasion of Turtle's first flight.

It was tough.

For me.

I hate flying. I'm horribly claustrophobic and ever since having Turtle, my thoughts tend to stray to lots of worst case scenarios. It's the reason why I'm not allowed to watch 20/20 or Dateline. Or most shows on SpikeTV, especially those titled Surviving Disaster and/or hosted by former Navy SEAL Cade Courtley.

It's ironic, really. I love visiting new places. I hate getting there. At the risk of sounding like a huge nerd, I'm impatiently awaiting the day they invent that Star Trek "Beam Me Up" machine. I am fairly confident I would do ok with that.

My priority, though, was making sure that Turtle had a safe, comfortable flight. It's hard to keep a 3 year old confined to a small seat in a tight airline cabin, even if it is his first time and everything is new and exciting.

I took careful notes when other parents shared what they had packed for their little ones, in preparation of takeoff.

In his very special Buzz Lightyear backpack, we put books, DVDs (with a portable DVD player, of course), some sealed snacks, Color Wonder markers and paper, lollipops to help with pressure on takeoff and landing, and stickers.

Oh, and a CARES safety harness, on loan from a friend. 

Just for a little extra security for me.

We also packed Monkey. Turtle needs his partner in crime for such big days.

Turtle loved the airport. He got comfy at the gate and started digging in to his snacks.

He also loved watching the planes come in from the runway.

We boarded, and got him all strapped in. He loved the CARES harness and sat quite nicely through the two hour flight, watching Toy Story and munching on banana chips.

The return flight was not quite as successful. The plane was smaller than any plane not traveling to the Bahamas needs to be, and I'm relatively sure it was held together with a combination of Bond-o and duct tape. It shuddered. A lot. I may have cried. Turtle did well with a movie, but he did have to go to the bathroom during the flight, he complained of his ears hurting during landing and he actually fell dead asleep during the last 15 minutes of the flight, which made him super cranky for de-boarding.

And on another note. Security. We have a perfectly smooth and pleasant experience both times. In both airports, we only had to submit to the regular metal detector machine (not that fancy schmancy pod thing) and we were not taken from our line for more in-depth scrutiny. The TSA agents were all really pleasant, especially with Turtle being such a chatterbox, and that was comforting.

All in all, it went well. It was good that we started with a two hour flight with no time change, and as Turtle gets older I think he'll be able to handle more airtime.

How do you find your experience flying with your children? Any special tips you'd like to share?

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{ traditions: the jersey shore }

One of the things I miss most about New Jersey is The Boardwalk.

There's really nothing quite like the Jersey Shore. Not the "new" Jersey Shore inhabited by that vile, orange Snooki and her Situation pal. The "real" shore - smelling of Coppertone and salt, sausages and cotton candy, where the crash of the waves is punctuated by the blare of arcade games and harmonized by music carried on the ocean breeze.

I remember making the two-ish hour trip every summer. We would pack lunch in a cooler and load the trunk with beach chairs and towels, umbrellas and sand toys. 

Sometimes, my grandfather would join us, wearing "dungarees" or some other long pants, and camping out under the shade of the umbrella, his feet and ankles buried deep in the sand, to hide from the sun. Smart man, my grandfather.

As I got older, it became less about building sandcastles and more about the amusements on the pier. Wandering from carousel to roller coaster, stopping to dine on pizza and fresh fries, and (lest we forget) the frozen custard.

Swoon.

Neither MacGyver nor Turtle had ever experienced the joy.

Therefore, it was vital that we go.

Turtle was instantly drawn to the rides. 

And the games.

And waving to the boats in the inlet.

Nana and Papa Bear loved every second of it!

We ate a small lunch so we could save room for Kohr Bros. frozen custard.

It was Turtle's first time. 

For that matter, it was MacGyver's first time, too. He told me he preferred Rita's. I told him to keep his opinions to himself.

I love this picture: they were having so much fun together.

We also learned that Nana isn't half bad with my camera. Thanks to her, we got a couple of family (and couple) shots.

MacGyver, who didn't seem to understand my urgent desire to visit the shore, admitted that he "got it." There's really nothing like it. And it hasn't changed all that much in the last 10-15 years. Same owners, same stores, same concessions. We did notice that Dunkin Donuts now has a presence at Seaside Heights (which is weird), but other than that, everything is pretty much the same. And even though it's a little old and a little weathered, it's kind of perfect that way.

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{ date night: atlantic city style }

One of the things my (super-awesome) mom told us to do while visiting was to take a night away for ourselves. She and Papa Bear were more than happy to babysit while we enjoyed some quality togetherness.

It's a really, really, really welcome gift. 

MacGyver and I tossed around a few ideas. I really wanted to do a night in Manhattan, but we were having a hard time picking a hotel and activities. There were a few shows I would have wanted to see, but I don't think MacGyver would have enjoyed them nearly as much as I would, and it was a case of almost too many things to do.

So we turned our attention to Atlantic City. MacGyver loves casinos. I love gorgeous hotel properties. Win.

After some review, we selected The Borgata. We found an amazing "romance" package: we got a room, champagne & chocolate covered strawberries and a $50 dinner credit at any restaurant for $199 on Father's Day night. You really can't beat that.

Our game plan? We would all travel to Point Pleasant in two vehicles. Then MacGyver and I would continue on to our hotel while Nana and Papa Bear took Turtle back home with them. 

We arrived in the late afternoon, and pulled in to The Borgata.

Upon check in, the front desk sent our goodies up to our room on the 24th floor.

Yum. 

The rooms were nice (not spectacular, but clean and nicely furnished). The showers were amazing. They were huge and marble and went up to 110*F. And you KNOW that I spent a good 20-30 minutes, absolutely enjoying every single one of those 110 degrees. 

We relaxed a bit, and then we headed out.

Our dinner reservations were at Izakaya. 

We played a little bit of roulette and blackjack before heading over to the bar. 

I really don't know where to start. After cocktails (Berry Punch for me, Sake Sidecars for him), we ordered a delicious mix of food, mostly recommended by the bartender. If you go, do NOT, under any circumstances, miss out on the Spicy Tuna Cracker or Edamame Dumplings. Completely unique. Completely delicious.

Sadly, we had no room for dessert, so we headed back out for some more time on the casino floor.

I'm not a big gambler, so I was content to watch MacGyver play blackjack. We did a little bit of time at the slot machines, and then we went to listen to a live band at one of the hotel bars.

It was a late night.

Really, really, really late. 

But we were having fun.

Regardless of the 2am bedtime, I was up and ready for the day at 6:30 (Yes, Turtgle. I blame you).

We decided to take the somewhat reasonable hike over to Harrah's for breakfast. 

And maybe to spend some of our winnings in the Pandora store on a new charm.

Not that I planned it or anything.

We also got to see some of The Borgata in daylight. One of the really incredible things is that all the chandelier fixtures and glass art displays are done by Dale Chihuly, an amazing glass artist.

Some of the pieces were simply breathtaking.

It was really nice to admire some of these gorgeous pieces.

We had planned to spend some time on the AC boardwalk, but a storm blew in, so we cut our trip short. With time on our hands, we drove north to Seaside Heights, enjoyed some pizza, and then headed homeward and caught The Green Lantern at the movies (not awful, but not the best).

On his part, Turtle had a wonderful night and day with his grandparents. He watched a DVD, had his dinner and bedtime, and then Nana took him to the zoo for the morning.

It was really wonderful to have the time alone. And it was even more wonderful knowing that Turtle was happy and in good hands. 

Sometimes, there's nothing like a little time for us.

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{ introducing our personal baby whisperer }

This? Is my mother.

She's pretty much one of the most incredible women in the world. 

Not saying that we always got along and had a great relationship, but I think that's pretty typical of daughters and their moms, especially during the teen years.

(Sidenote. I dread the teen years.)

Anyway.

My mom has some true talents. Gifts, you might call them. For example, she has the most precise penmanship of any left-handed person I know (and most righties, for that matter). She took up knitting, and after maybe a year, is putting together the most gorgeous wool afghans. She's pretty much a pro at anything to which she puts her hand.

Except for making Jell-o. That seems to be a genetic problem, passed down the line.

There are worse things, right?

I think the most striking of my mom's many knacks is her way with children.

It's nothing short of an art form.

Turtle has been getting an annual visit with his Nana and Papa Bear. He sees them about once a month on Skype. He "knows" them, but doesn't really "know" them. So of course, one would expect a period of adjustment to them and their home, wouldn't one?

When we arrived at baggage claim in the airport where they were waiting with our luggage, he hid behind my leg for all of 3.7 seconds, assessing the situation. And then he doled out hugs and kisses, before he slipped his little hand into theirs and headed off with them.

Somehow, guided by her patience, he regularly ate complete meals (consisting of proteins, veggies and carbs), complied with 97% of requests cheerfully and with minimal complaint, and didn't seem to have any typical three-year-old fits. I'm pretty sure he only had one time out, and it wasn't for anything particularly significant.

Oh. And she finished potty training him.

Seriously.

He's been having a hard time with the whole Number Two thing. He knows when he has to go, but he has been staunchly opposed to actually doing it in the proper location. It's been very hit or miss, and we've tried all manner of techniques to make it go more smoothly.

Enter Nana.

She, with her infinite patience (a quality of which I am so supremely jealous), took matters into her own hands. At the first sign of distress, she distracted him with the most random things: all-natural otter pops, the lanyard for her work ID, a package of paint pens with a ziploc bags of white shells on which to draw (who just has these things lying around?)

I mean, seriously. She was all "Turtle, do you see this string? Isn't this the most special string? Would you like to hold the string while you're sitting on the potty? Isn't it wonderful?"

And he was all ""

It was incredible. I've never seen anything like it. No tears. No fuss. No problem.

Nor do I know where to get such a magical string. Or ziploc bags of shells for drawing. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure where she learned the "Bye-bye Poopie" song (What? You didn't know there was a song? Yeah. Neither did I. There is. It's catchy.).

Whatever she did, it worked. Since we have been home, we have only been using pull-ups for naps and nighttime. Big boy pants are the order of the day, and Turtle is so proud of himself for not having had a single accident in four days.

We're darn proud of him, too.

And we're extraordinarily grateful and appreciative. Even with all her child whispering skills, she doesn't overstep, doesn't undermines us as parents, and doesn't step in without being asked. How lucky are we? 

On another note, it's so nice to see your child interacting and responding to different people and techniques. We all benefitted from the learning experience - I can truthfully say we've developed some bad habits as far as discipline and consistency. Our trip offered a difference of perspective which gave me some new ideas to try and a bit of newfound patience. It reiterated the importance of staying calm under pressure and not letting Turtle's testing ruffle our nerves. How gentle distraction and reason can be even more effective than impatience and time outs in certain situations.

And really, there are no words to describe how much sights like this touch my heart: our little boy, snuggling with his grandparents, totally smitten with each other.

Priceless.

We said it before, and we'll say it again. Thanks to you both for all you do. We're all so blessed to have you.

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{ plugged in }

Something pretty interesting happened this past week.


We went on a week long vacation to visit Nana (aka The Baby Whisperer) and Papa Bear. 

I had done some blog work before we left. A whole slew of posts. Before we left, I told myself that I would supplement my completed writing while we are gone. My mom has a computer. And internet. And I have my iPhone. Surely, I would be able to be somewhat productive.


Right?


RIGHT?


You know what they say about the best-laid plans.


The wireless was spotty and my mom's internet is s-l-o-w. 


And quite frankly? Much as I love you guys, we were having so much fun spending time with them that reaching out via social media was just not a priority.


Shocking, I know.


It felt kind of weird logging into to Facebook and Twitter today. I feel so out of the loop and I have to catch up. And I know I have some great commenters to whom I need to respond. (Thanks for sticking with me in my absence).


But it was also worth every moment away. Complete focus on our trip and our family. Something we don't do nearly often enough.


Not to worry, though. I'm back with a vengeance. I've got tons of stories and can't wait to share them with you!


It's good to be back!

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{ training tuesday: 6/21 edition }

Guess what today is!

That's right!

Whoo hoo!

This week, I want to talk about exercise regimes while on vacation.

For me, it depends. 

If we are taking a road trip, where we can pack our vehicle to the gills and we're not worried about space or luggage size and weight restrictions, I pack my gear. We have the extra room and it won't hurt anything.

However, when time and space and access to laundry facilities are in question, it becomes harder to justify.

Usually, when we travel, we stay pretty busy doing lots of things that require walking, so our activity level stays high. If we're visiting family, we can certainly go for neighborhood strolls without Nikes and sports bras - not quite the same intensity, but exercise is exercise. 

And quite frankly, the only time I wear sneakers is when I'm working out (unless we're talking about my Chucks, which I usually leave for colder months, anyway).

Although I like to stay in my routines as much as possible, little breaks here and there aren't a bad thing. We all need vacations from the daily schedule, right?

How do you handle training and vacations? Do you stick with your regimen or take a break until you get home? Let us know!

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{ our old man }

I hate writing this post. Hate it with every fiber of my being.

But the truth is that Oscar is getting old. 

He's 11 now. Doing great. But... yeah. Eleven.

He's always had the perfect pug tongue.

We call these "east-west" eyes. (Yes, he's wearing a Dolphins jersey. Don't judge.).

He's always been a lover. And a good big brother.

And a lazy lout, too.

He was quite an active pug, too, in his youth. Loved swimming. Or lounging on a raft. Whatever.

Enough memory lane, though. Although I could go for days.

Anyhoo. He's what we would call an "active adult," now. And being an "active adult" comes with a full menu of aches and pains, including some nasty arthritis and a serious case of hip displaysia.

Poor buddy.

We treat it as best we can. And we keep him comfortable. He deserves it.

The last few weeks, Oscar's been a little yippy. He's having a harder time adjusting and I brought up the idea of bringing in a little dog bed. We have hardwood floors and even on an area rug, it's hard on a little pug.

MacGyver argued a little - we've had dog beds before, but they've usually met with tragic ends at the paws (and teeth) of the pug crew.

In the end, we got the bed. 

At first, Oscar seemed skeptical.

He turned in plenty of circles and relaxed for about 10 minutes, and then dragged himself out, put his chin on my knee, and started crying.

Which means he got to sleep on my lap for a while.

But after a bit, he reconsidered.

Anything for this little guy.

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{ happy father's day }

to dads.

to grandfathers.

to great-grandfathers.

and to all the amazing father figures in our lives.

Happy, Happy Father's Day to you.

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{ internet "strangers" to the rescue }

I would like to start this story by sharing a fact. Turtle is a big kid. He was 7lbs 6oz when he was born. At 36 weeks and some days. And he has been top o' the charts ever since. He is three years old, and is taller than most of his peers. 

This also means he has pretty big feet.

They're extra wide, too.

Translation? The only places where we can get him well-fitting shoes are A) Stride Rite and B) Crocs. And we are hella fortunate to have both stores in outlet form because neither of those are inexpensive. 

He's worth it, of course, but it's a hard pill to swallow when he grows out of them soooo fast.

As it stands, he has on rotation one pair of sneakers and one pair of Crocs, until I thought I left a Croc on the roof of the car driving away from a playdate and frantically had to purchase another pair, only to find the allegedly missing shoe wedged under Turtle's carseat. 

Oh, the insanity. The madness.

Anyhoo.

Turtle was due for a new pair of shoes. Which is usually an easy enough thing. Until MacGyver got involved.

He decided to tell Turtle that we would get him either Buzz Lightyear or T-Rex sneakers.

Neither of which are available at Stride Rite's regular stores. Which means they are certainly not available at Stride Rite's outlet stores. Which means they probably do not come in wide widths.

Which means this particular request was pretty much impossible.

Neat.

Especially since, when I told him that we would be going to get new sneakers, he looked at me with his big, blue eyes and said "We get Buzz Lightyear sneakers or Tyrannosaurus Rex sneakers!"

Well, then.

I scoured the internet for a while, finding a few options, but not really thrilled with the prospect of ordering a $50 shoe, uncertain of whether or not it would fit, and then having to deal with the return process and also having to explain to a heartbroken three-year-old why he couldn't keep his awesome, unfitting shoes.

My situation was pretty dire.

Thanks, MacGyver. Thanks, a lot.

I turned again to the net. This time, though, I went to my online community of mom-friends.

Collectively, they pretty much know everything there is to know. And, like the greatest of superheroes, can solve most problems with wit and grace.

I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be lost without them.

After much commiseration over the pickle in which MacGyver had left me, I got the great suggestion to pick up some Toy Story-themed Jibbitz for Turtle's existing Crocs.

Which might have been ok, but for the fact that Turtle hadn't forgotten Daddy's words.

I was about to leave for the store, when I received a message from one of my internet mom friends, asking me what size Turtle wore in Crocs. Because her son had a pair of Toy Story Crocs from last year that no longer fit him and were in brand-new condition, and she would be happy to pass them along if it would help me out.

Do you hear the angels singing? 

Turtle selected a perfectly nice pair of lace-up sneakers for more active play, and for being such a cooperative boy, I got him some of those aforementioned Jibbitz for his shoes.

And two days later, an envelope arrived in the mail.

An envelope, in which was enclosed a wrapped parcel.

And in the parcel were Toy Story Crocs, from one awesome boy to another.

Turtle could not have been happier.

He pretty much wants to wear them everywhere. And they're just a touch big, so they'll last for quite some time. Score!

Even Molly approved.

And she's a tough customer.

My friend even enclosed a little something for me. She won this from The Santa Claw, several months back. I guess she was just waiting for the right moment to pass it on.

Awesome.

On behalf of MacGyver, Turtle and myself, thank you to my wonderful internet mom friend, for coming to our rescue and delivering us from preschooler disappointment. We are all extremely grateful for your kindness and generous spirit. 

We will be paying it forward, for sure.

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{ training tuesday: 6/14 edition }

And we're back!

I don't know about ya'll, but I've really been enjoying sharing my training trials and tribulations. It's been such great reflection for me and I hope you've been enjoying my weekly updates.


This week, I want to talk about indoor vs outdoor distances.


I've never been a gym gal. Maybe it's the smell. Maybe I'm intimidated. I don't know. I just prefer to work out at home with a DVD or to go on my own walks. I figure that I can always hop off a treadmill if I lose motivation, but if I'm 3 miles from home, I actually have to come back 3 miles, regardless if I'm motivated or not.


Plus, there's more things to look at on a walk or jog around my neighborhood, than on Treadmill Row at the local gym.


And things have been going well, in my world.


Until yesterday.


I was trekking along, keeping excellent pace, enjoying some of the sights. 


There are some fields, and pretty trees. Some horse pastures where I can spot a donkey every so often. A few gardens. Roosters. Nice and interesting. Makes the time pass more quickly.


My pace got thrown when something leaped at me. I have since been informed that it was a Lubber Grasshopper.

Which is clearly code for "Nasty Hopping Thing That Needs to Stay The Hell Away From Me."


I scooted away, unscathed.


And a few minutes later, just about leaped out of my skin when I saw a ginormous black snake, demonstrating the circle of life by nomming on some unfortunate creature. About two feet from my ankles. Maybe three. But who's measuring? It was way too close.


So the question I must ask myself is this: is it time to suck it up and invest in a treadmill? To avoid the nasties that plague me during training?


Is the Wine & Dine Half Marathon going to be free and clear of things like snakes? Because I'm not going to be able to focus with living, breathing reptiles on the course. Or bugs. Or Winnie the Pooh. Just saying.


What's your favorite way to train and/or work out? Any experience with nasty surprises on a race course? Tell us all about it!

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{ kung fu panda 2 }

A girlfriend and mother of two, invited Turtle and me to hit the local theater to check out Kung Fu Panda 2 last week.

Of course, we both love the chance to go to the movies, so we hopped right on it.

Another friend and her son joined us, so we had three moms, and four little boys (one still a wee baby, the others on either side of three).

Turtle was excited to see a panda.

But even more excited to see this monstrous Cars 2 display. Hello, Lightning McQueen.

You know where we'll be next month.

It had been a long time since I saw the original Kung Fu Panda. Turtle has never seen it.


I didn't make an effort to have him see it, nor did I try to rewatch it. I don't remember it being one of my most favorite movies ever (Jack Black is forever ruined for me after that episode of Yo Gabba Gabba), although it was certainly cute.


And the sequel pretty much followed suit: cute and forgettable with some distinctly funny moments. What I would call fluffy and fun. 


The boys all seemed to love it.


Turtle was really caught up in the whole "crying panda" drama (Mommy? Is the panda crying?). And he was a little nervous about the army of wolves. I get that. They were pretty unpleasant.


But he and his friends were excellent. I would say they collectively sat for 95% of it, but the theater wasn't crowded as it was the first showing of a weekday, and the audience was composed of parents with young children, so we were totally in the clear.


I think it was a little dark for the 3 and under crowd, personally. While there were parts that were LOL funny, there was some more mature subject matter (which probably went right over the littlest ones' heads), that was kind of a downer.


Entertaining? Yes. Must-see? No.


However, sometimes it's journey and not the destination. We had such a good time with our friends and hopefully we'll get to do it again. 


Soon!

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