On the Move Again!

Looks like we're on the move again, except this time we're heading to the wilds of the Midwest, instead of the mysteries of Europe.

Thanks in part to this Berlin trip, we decided that it's time to say good-bye to New Jersey and hello to ... Illinois?! Yes, we're done with the long commute to the city, crazy day care schedules and constant run-run-running. We've got a smaller city to learn and new adventures to come.

Once again I'm keeping a blog so you can keep tabs on us.  How do you move a full house and family of four to a new state? I guess we'll soon find out.

Change is good.

Leah's Photos: Her Berlin

The last few days in Berlin we revisited a few favorite places. We handed off the camera to Leah, here's what she wanted to capture:

The zip-line swing at the "sandy" playground

Dad with the TV Tower

The boardwalk to the Berliner Dom

Getting Back to Reality

Now that we're home, we have to start re-settling in. It's nice to be home, but at the same time, there's a lot that needs to be taken care of here.

One task, sorting through the mail ....

Seven weeks of mail

We dropped the kids off to day care this morning with much fanfare. Leah and her bff were reunited -- with shrieks and hugs. Then Leah prompted asked us to leave so she could go about her day. Unfortunately, Alice's reaction was quite the opposite. She clung to mommy and cried. I died a little.

Then, it was off to grocery shop and back home to tackle a long list of things to do before heading off to work tomorrow. Back to reality.

One of those things is sorting through trip photos, so I'll be posting a bunch of the gems I missed here in the next few days.

Awake. So. Awake.

The kids woke up ready to roll this morning ... at 3:15am.

We fought back with every tool in our arsenal -- classical music, lullabies, special sleep friends, extra-warm blanket.

At 4:20 we gave up the fight. We went back to sleep while the kids had the run of their bedroom and playroom. But, by than, we were kind of awake, too. Drat.

A lot of good struggling to stay up did.

Meanwhile, I have 12 hours to figure out two Halloween costume that fit this year's theme: Dora and Diego. Somehow, I don't think that's ample time.

Must ... Keep ... Awake

Sure, it's 9pm in New Jersey, but 3am in Berlin and that's where my head is at. But ... must ... stay ... awake or this jet lag will own me.

We kept the kids up to about 7:30pm. Alice rallied, just before she dropped from exhaustion she was running from room to room shrieking with laughter. Leah didn't fare so well, she was sacked out on the sofa barely able to keep her eyes open. On the plus side, there was absolutely no argument when I called "bedtime."

The flight home today was like running a marathon. Nine hours of keeping two small kids occupied. Luckily, my ace in the hole is TV. Leah could sit for hours watching it. Alice, on the other hand, got restless several times -- sending me into the nether-regions of my backpack to produce something that would keep her sitting.

My house looked different to me walking in. The colors more crisper than I was imagining in my head. And my bed couldn't look more like appealing, after weeks on a 5-inch foam mattress we slept on in Berlin, it looked like a cloud ....

Ugh. Must stop thinking about my bed ...

I Hate My Coat, by Alice

As I've mentioned before, Alice hates outerwear. I don't think she realizes it's no longer summer. And Berlin has gotten much colder much faster than home. Here's a fun video of Alice hating her coat on a 40 degree day at the playground. Meanwhile, Leah is blissfully playing in the sand.

Perhaps she'll cover The Seasons at day care when we get home. Otherwise, it's going to be a long winter.

10 Tips for Traveling With a 2-Year-Old

After seven weeks traveling with my demanding 2-year-old, I've learned a thing or two. Here are my tips:

1. Find a hotel near a playground or park area. Like puppies, they will need their exercise. If you wear them out, they will sleep. 
2. Carry food with you at all times. When you are at a deli counter or cafe, order extra to put in your bag. If you're not embarressed, put zip-lock bags in your purse so you can stash more food. They are always hungry. (And, usually thirsty.)
3. There is no shame in letting them watch a little TV. (iTunes on my laptop has been a savior.) You need the rest. They need the rest after sightseeing. Bonus points for finding shows with relevence to travel, like Disney's Little Einsteins. 
4. Picture books are helpful to divert little attention spans. 
5. The tactic "come now or I will leave without you" does not work on a toddler. The preschooler, sure. The toddler will call your bluff every time. 
6. Pack an emergency diaper. Though, inevitably, it will be the one time you forget that you have a major need for one. (Details here are unnecessary.)
7. Keep your sense of humor. Even a tantrum in the middle of a train station will be a funny story later.
8. Toddlers thrive on routine. Traveling takes that routine away. So there's a loss of control for them. Be patient and supportive. 
9. A stroller that is comfortable enough to sleep in is key. But must be light enough to lug up subway steps. Invest wisely.
10. Have a very short memory. If they misbehave, forget about it after 15 minutes. No use holding a grudge. They don't care and it just makes the trip lousy for you. 

It's tough traveling with such a small volatile thing (much like a walking time-bomb), but it was worth the effort (and embarrassment). She might not remember the experience, but I will.