Fast and Crazy

Right before the boy's first birthday, Chicken found out she had to go to Miami for business. She asked if we wanted to tag-a-long, but I declined because:

1. Miami in January could be chilly, there's no guarantee the weather will be nice.
2. The main things to do in Miami are based around water (pools and beaches). I cannot handle to crawddlers anywhere near water on my own.
3. The hotel was far away from anything remotely interesting
4. Chicken would be working for 3 days. What the hell am I going to do with them?

So, I decided to tackle the time alone here in NYC. It was a challenge and we all survived just fine, but looking back...I think just the warmer weather should've been enough. We could've driven around and found parks, etc to play in and been just fine. Lesson Learned.

Last week when the boys were vomiting and pooping everywhere Chicken found out she had to go to San Francisco for business (she is traveling a bit more again....). She asked me if I wanted to go. Oh Hellz NO! At that chaotic moment it sounded like a nightmare.

But a few days later when they started feeling better...I started thinking about it again. I had to make a decision fast.

I put out a poll on FB and asked a couple of question on my twins mom forum.

I waffled. I weighed. I checked weather reports. I looked for suitable hotels. I researched things we (I) could do.

And then we booked it.

Of course now Chicken's schedule for work has changed and the weather doesn't look quite as nice and we are carrying them both as lap babies on a 6+ hr flight, but it's going to be just fine.

Originally the answers I got were regarding the flight and how they wouldn't do it because this age is so hard for sitting still. True, true. The flight would suck and they would wait. True, true.

Then, I got a random email from a twin mom I've been corresponding with. She and her husband are big travelers like us and they just came back from *Thailand with their (almost) 2 year old twins. She said a lot of really encouraging things about the trip but what stuck with me was this:

"I'm all for traveling with children! My husband and I say that we've seen our kids develop so much when we travel, as they are exposed to new things. Plus children who travel like mine are used to it and easier to travel with. I have friends who never travel with their kids because they tried once and it was a disaster. It takes "training" but kids learn quickly and I think it is worth it in the end."

That gave me great pause. The flight will be really hard. But you know what? Long flights are going to be hard for a long time. Long flights are hard on ME. They are never easy or that fun! But, I tolerate them much better having done them over and over and over.

I am a good traveler because of practice and "training" (and packing appropriately!).

We started these babies traveling at an early age. They've already been on 7 airplanes! We can't really stop now just because it's going to be difficult. It's always going to be a challenge traveling with kids. But it's going to get easier. And the flight....it has a beginning and an end. We know what to expect because we've done it before. They are used to sleeping in their Ergos on us, so hopefully they will nap a bit.

It's funny....while most people are freaked out about the flight, you know what I'm freaked out about? Driving!!!

I have NEVER had to load my big stroller in and out of a car, pack the kids up, drive around with them by myself. We've done road trips, but there were always 2 of us and we've never taken the monster stroller with us. That thing alone weighs 40 lbs! Ha! We've rented a minivan that we'll pick up at the airport. I feel like I've arrived at motherhood! I've been to SF a number of times, but never driving...let alone a minivan!!

Many challenges ahead. Lots of packing and organizing and laundry to do this weekend.

We leave Monday morning.

We're going to have a great time in SF because it's a wonderful city!

PS. I'm hoping to meet a Baby Genius, possibly a Sam and eat at a Libby Resto while we're there....email me!

*Thanks to this email, Chicken is now considering a trip to Thailand for the holidays this year. She's getting Thai fever and is itching to go back. Now that she knows it can by done and can be fun...her brain is buzzing.

Then, the other day I was shopping for a new pair of jeans and after finally finding a pair that fit I vowed I would not go shopping again until we went back to South East Asia. The girl who checked me out was Thai. Totally weird. I'm taking it as a sign. I'm so ready to go back!