What a crazy week! In my zest for being out of the house, I’m afraid I overscheduled us. Monday Becky watched both girls for me so I could go to the eye doctor, which you know is an amazing gift, being out and about solo. Charlie always loves spending time at the Petkus house, and with all the boys in school she gets one on one time with the Petkus girl, Sammy, who just turned 3. The picture below is of the boys “holding” Baby Ella. It’s hard to believe that 2 1/2 years ago they were doing the same thing to Charlie!

Tuesday was mom’s group and yesterday we hung out with Ms. Kim all morning at her house. Charlie and Emi had a ball chasing each other and playing hide and seek. For two high energy toddlers, they always play so well together. Ella ate and slept well (gotta love newborn portability), so I was able to visit and drink coffee, my two favorite things.

Today we walked over to Ms. Liz’s house to play and again I got to visit and drink coffee while Charlie and Lauren reenacted “Cars” and ate snacks, two of their very favorite things. It is always great spending time with friends, and I am really blessed to be walking through motherhood with about 50 other young moms, some with 4 kids, and some with 1. I know that I will always look back on this time and appreciate it for how special it is!!

On our walk home from Liz’s I realized that I don’t really have my stroller system down yet. My options have been:

1. Double Jogger
2. Baby in Graco, Charlie walking beside
3. Baby in Ergo carrier, Charlie in umbrella stroller

Today I tried Option #3. Turns out it’s really difficult to bend down and strap your squirming toddler into her stroller with a baby on your chest. I thought I was pretty close to snapping my newborn’s neck, that’s how clumsy the whole thing was. Option #1 is too wide to fit through the outside door of our “vintage” (read: old) apartment, so it’s a lot of work and will be better suited for the spring and summer and for walking and jogging, which is really why we bought it in the first place. I call it my “garage” stroller, that will be wonderful when we have a house and a place to store it. Option #2 just takes too stinkin’ long. If I wait on Charlie, it will be dinnertime by the time we get there.

So, practice makes perfect. I’m sure I will get it eventually. Who knew that it would take me 45 minutes to make it four blocks? Ms. Liz probably thinks we are crazy. 😉

At any rate, by the time we (slowly) made it home, Charlie was having a fit and I was about ready to call social services and have her hauled away. It is always worth it to be at our destination…but getting there is a lot of work. Lesson learned: I need to make sure I have some days at home as well.

It’s such a shame we don’t have more space because I would love to be hosting playdates here!! To all my sweet friends who host us, I would love to be returning the favor. Know that we appreciate you sharing your toys and coffee with us…