Tag Archives: toddlers

Confession time: I am a Halloween Grinch

Yes, I admit it. I am a veritable Ebeneezer Scrooge of Halloween time. 

You know when you are growing up and you swear you will never inflict the horrible persecutions your parents inflicted on you growing up? Well, not properly getting into the spirit of Halloween was what I swore never to do.   HA!

For Ruth’s first Halloween, she was one month old. I dressed her in a little Halloween themed outfit that my sister bought for her and went to my aunt and uncle’s house to join in their neighborhood Halloween block party. Ruth pooped all over her cute outfit the minute we arrived and got so fussy we had to leave soon thereafter.
Not to be deterred, I took Ruth and two week old Rose out treat or treating the next year. Ruth donned her adorable pumpkin costume (the cheapest one I could find at Pottery Barn), I put Rose in Ruth’s old Halloween outfit from last year (underneath some bundles because it was cold) and we doggedly tried to go trick or treating. Ruth was one, so she was finished by the time we got to the end of the driveway.  read more

In which we take a preschooler, two toddlers, and an infant to Disney World

“Brave” was the adjective most utilized when we shared our pictures from the trip. “Crazy” was the adjective used by my husband when I asked him if he thought it would be feasible to take Ruth to Disney World for her fourth birthday. So, I let it lie. But right before our annual trip to Florida to visit Scott’s family near Orlando, I got in touch with our dear friend (who lived next door to us when we were in law school) who works at Disney and asked him whether he thought I was out of my mind to hope to take Ruth to Disney. “Not at all!”, he responded. “Head on over, and we’ll take care of you.” read more

Ear piercing? Yea or nay?

When our first girl was born, I wanted to pierce her ears right away. In the Cuban tradition, girls getting their ears pierced is not a big deal. Some hospitals in Latin America will pierce your newborn’s ears for you. I believe I got my ears pierced around the age of six when I asked for earrings. My mother’s father is a vascular surgeon, so he pierced his daughters’ ears.

Well, my husband absolutely couldn’t stomach the thought of intentionally causing his sweet baby girl any sort of pain for something as silly as aesthetics, so my plan to put little earrings in our newborn’s ears was put on hold. Now, she is almost three and asking for earrings. read more

The girls go to the Horse Park

My in laws have horses, and my children are obsessed with them. It is not hereditary because horses terrify me. I used to always see the girls at school with neck braces and casts from horseback riding related injuries, and figured being in close proximity with the equine was hazardous.

We have a lovely horse park nearby, though, and I do have fond memories of going to feed the horses there when I was little, so when some sweet mom friends invited me to go I didn’t hesitate. I knew the girls would get a kick out of it. And such was the case. read more

Traveling with littles

A mommy friend gave me the inspiration for this post. Keep the suggestions coming!

We just returned from a week long vacation with two toddlers and a babe, and I am happy to say it was a success! Good times were had by all, and Ruth only asked to go home a handful of times (she is such a homebody). Here are some things that proved helpful to us:

1) Sleep. Pack n plays are your friend! Bring as many as you have babies. Bring the blankets, loveys, and pacis that they are used to to make it feel more like home. Scott brought all their favorite bed time books too, and the girls were glad to have them. read more