billandcorrie.com

We’re having a BOY!

Most importantly, all signs point to a healthy baby — “Perfect,” said my OB.  We feel so lucky.

Since my sister had to return to school last week, and the boys hadn’t started back yet, my Dad decided to take them for a last summer trip on the train to St. Louis.  He thought it would be a fun way for them to travel and spend some time together.  When I heard of his plans, I hinted that Lily and I might like to tag along, and he jumped at the idea.  And that’s how Papa, Ethan, Finn, Lily, and I ended up boarding a train at 7:30 last Wednesday morning.

Now that I’m home and have gotten a couple of GOOD nights’ sleep, I have a clearer perspective on traveling with kids.  It’s hard.  It’s work.  And it’s very fun, too.  It’s fun to remember that sometimes, for a child, the most exciting part of a trip is the shampoo dispenser in the hotel room.  And it’s fun to introduce them to new sights and experiences.

Now, my quick review of train travel.  Several people were intrigued by the idea of traveling by rail, and wanted to know how it went with kids.  Well, we had two completely different experiences.  On the trip TO St. Louis, we left on the first train out of KC.  So the train was fresh, it was not crowded, and it was a good time of day for the kids.  Lily even napped for about 45 minutes (since we had dragged her out of bed at 5:30 that morning), which helped pass a bit of the 5 hour and 40 minute trip.  Plus, it was novel for all the kids, so they were excited and wanted to explore the train.  Lily was loving it, because she was free to move around–cruising between Papa’s seat, the boys, and back to me, with frequent requests to visit the cafe car.  Of course, my Dad and I had packed activities and snacks to help pass the time.  It took longer than by car, but everyone was entertained and pretty content the whole trip.

The return trip was quite different.  We left St. Louis on the 4 p.m. train, and it was already loaded with weary travelers from other places.  The train was well-used by that time of day, so it was dirty and smelled a bit, the bathrooms were gross, and there were not even two open seats together when we boarded.  Two single riders were convinced to move next to each other so that the boys could share seats side-by-side, but Lily had to ride on my lap (which lasted about 4 seconds), and my Dad had to ride in another train car.  Lily, who was accustomed to moving freely about on the last ride, refused to be contained, and kept trying to go to the boys’ seats or find Papa, so I was constantly on the move.  I also had a hard time keeping her off the disgusting train floor and, in fact, that was the only place to change diapers on the train, as the bathrooms were not equipped with a changing table and were filthy by that point.  (Typically I am pretty skilled at the stand-up diaper change, but I wasn’t taking Lily anywhere near those bathrooms.  I, on the other hand, was a frequent visitor, what with the large avocado putting constant pressure on my bladder.)  Fortunately, things improved a bit as we made stops and let off quite a few riders, so that we were all eventually reunited in adjoining rows.  But the kids were weary, especially Lily, who missed her nap entirely that day and was up way past her bedtime by the time we got home.

So, my verdict on train travel: fantastic for short trips (wouldn’t go farther than St. Louis with a two-year-old), as long as you take the first train of the day!

St. Louis itself was very fun.  We hit the Arch the first day and took the tour to the top.  The boys loved it, but Lily found herself very unsure of the views from such a height, and wanted to steer clear of the windows.  The next day we toured the zoo, which was a pleasant change from our own zoo (with which we are extremely familiar).  That evening, we visited with friends in the area, Josh and Marantha and their one-year-old daughter, Emerson.  And we made our way through the Magic House children’s museum on our last day.  I’m pretty sure every other family in St. Louis was making use of the last few days before school begins to visit all of these popular sights, because we were met with crowds everywhere we went.  But all-in-all, we kept our agenda light and our expectations low, which is probably the best thing to do when kids are involved.  The hotel itself was a major attraction for the kids; our two rooms had an adjoining door, so Lily loved running back and forth and inviting the boys to “her room” to jump on the beds.  We had a fantastic view of the Arch, just a couple of blocks away (thanks to some pre-arrangements by Bill), and the hotel (Hampton Inn) had complimentary breakfast buffet, which was great for the kids–all “selective” eaters.

I called home to Bill several times in those three days, and I know I sounded weary and/or agitated during some of those calls, because it finally prompted Bill to ask, “Well, are you having any fun?”  And I said, yes, of course.  But I was learning that a “vacation” with kids takes a lot of work to have fun.  Especially with a toddler, who struggles when removed from her routine, and whose moods fluctuate greatly with the amount of sleep she’s getting (not nearly enough on this trip).  I was optimistic to see how well the boys (ages 8 and 10) adapted to the changes in environment and schedule, knowing that our time will come when family vacations run a bit more smoothly.  Until then, I will cherish any time that Bill and I can get away on our own!  (Hint, hint, Nana and Papa!)

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If you’re still reading this, check back in soon–We should have news tomorrow of whether we are having a boy or a girl!

Lily’s language continues to grow in leaps and bounds, but not all of the developments are welcome around here.  Some of our favorite “Lily-speak” terminology is disappearing and, unless I write it down, may be lost forever.  Lately she will use a word correctly, one which used to be her own unique pronunciation, and Bill and I share a wistful look, knowing we have heard a piece of her toddlerhood for the last time.  Occasionally we have even feigned confusion at the correct term, forcing her to revert for clarification, but it is short-lived.  We can’t stop “progress,” I suppose.  Here is a list of some of the words recently edited:

• Eleleleleloh –> Elmo.  (This pronuciation is hard to write down, as it was her own invention of wagging her tongue back and forth in her mouth.)
• Woogie –> Wiggles.  (A favorite kids’ show, for the uninitiated.)
• Pocky –> pocket.
• Turtee –> turtle.
• Tahterd –> tired.
• Nunganung –> nun-nun –> “another one.”  This progression was painfully sad.  It took us a bit to figure out what “nunganung” meant, but then we agreed it made perfect sense.  If she had two cookies, she had “one” and “nunganung.”  Before she was accurately identifying her cousins, she called them both Finn; so there was “Finn” and “nunganung Finn.”  After a while it changed to “nun-nun,” and the other day she said “another one,” and I nearly cried.
• Fuhtant –> elephant.  Again, it was a sad day.

And, while I’m at it, there are still some Lily-isms that are hanging on:

• Most C’s are T’s:  as in “touple” for “couple.”  “I pay touple minutes, Mama.”  (Lacks the “l” in “play.”)  Or, “Tum with me!”
• Sure peas.  This is an affirmative response to something, as in “Lily, would you like some juice?”  “Sure peas!”  Upon receiving said juice, she says, “Nanks!”
• Dahper. 
• Lil bit.  This is usually in reference to how much of something is left.  She will gaze into her nearly-empty juice cup and proclaim there is “lil bit more.”  She actually says it pretty clearly, but the way she says it is so darn cute.  It’s especially funny because my sister used to call her “Lil Bit” when she was a baby.
• Momdad.  One word.  Maybe it’s because Bill and I are both home most of the time that she has condensed our titles into one efficient term.  Sometimes when she wakes in the morning, we hear her calling on the monitor, “Momdad!  Where ARE you?  I wake up!”

There.  In writing for posterity.  Watching your child grow and develop is strangely bittersweet, we’re learning.