HURRICANE JAMES

When our house gets messy, I just blame it on the weather...

Don't worry, he didn't do it ALL in one day. Though he could have. Believe me. We just got busy with family visiting, Christmas presents, and travel. It was not so lovely coming home to this on Wednesday.

Therefore, we spent a good portion of the day cleaning house today. As you can see, one of the biggest jobs was collecting and organizing toys. The most obnoxious ones ended up out in the sunroom. The ones with a zillion pieces are now in James' room (hidden in drawers for special occasions). It feels good to be able to safely walk through the living room again. And the bookshelf has never been more organized...(There are THREE diaper caddy's in this photo... one for James, one for Cora, and one just for overnight diapers. Plus a container each of cloth wipes and disposable wipes. It takes a lot to diaper two munchkins!)

OUR OTHER ANNIVERSARY

Jay and I actually celebrate 2 anniversaries: our wedding, of course, and also the day that we met. While it wasn't "love at first sight", it didn't take us long to realize how perfectly we fit together.

So, for anyone who hasn't heard the story of how we met, here it is:

(This was the night of our first kiss)

I had graduated from college back in June of 2000, spent my summer in Alaska working for a PhD student, and had been looking for my next big adventure (and job). My mom found an advertisement for an internship with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in south Florida, in the Everglades, at Big Cypress National Preserve. My mom drove with me cross-country from Cali to Florida, enjoying stops in Vegas, Tombstone, and San Antonio. I remember dropping her at the airport in Tampa and completing the drive into the swamp by myself, my excitement mounting with every mile. I was astounded at the change in scenery and stopped many times along the Tamiami Trail to sight-see and take photos. As I neared my new home, my nerves kicked in. I couldn't believe I was going to be living in a "compound" (a slightly elevated block of land enclosed by a high fence - perhaps to keep the gators out! - with one building that housed a single bathroom, the kitchen and dining room, a "rec room", and a back porch, 3 outdoor showers, a port-o-let, and another small building that acted as an office for our 4 supervisors), in the swamp, with 34 other individuals, in tents (we slept 2 to a tent, picking our tent mates on day 2, before we really even knew each other, though the 5 staff members each had their own tent), for 5 whole months. I knew it would be the experience of a lifetime, but I really had no idea just how profoundly my new "job" would change my life. I have my mom to thank for discovering this adventure for me, and for encouraging me to take a chance. If it wasn't for her, I never would have met my husband, or any of the other amazing people I lived and worked with, most of whom I still keep in contact with, and a few of whom I still consider some of my closest friends.

Likewise, Jay had JUST finished college in December and had gone through some tough times (like me, he had recently broken up with his high school sweetheart, though there were other things going on in his life as well) before entering the swamp. I think most of us there were at a very pivotal place in our lives: graduating college, moving far from all our friends and family (we came from all across the country), and making important decisions about relationships and career goals. We became a very tight-knit group almost overnight. We lived together, worked together (in different areas of the preserve, taking turns trying out different career paths every few weeks), cooked together (we had a head chef, hired specifically to feed 35 carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans - not an easy task, and the reason I now eat my veggies! - though we all took turns as chef's helpers), cleaned together (as a group we created a "chore wheel" that we rotated weekly so that everyone in the compound took turns taking care of the mundane tasks), and played together (our weekends were spent lounging at the beach or hiking through the swamp, and we spent MANY evenings at our beloved Chickee Bar down in Everglades City). We took a few mini vacations (long weekend trips) to the Keys, over to Miami, and up the Gulf coast, and Jay and I even took a romantic getaway to Dry Tortugas National Park towards the end of our time at SCAFL (as we lovingly nicknamed our compound). Those were some of the best months of our lives, and we look back so fondly on all our experiences there. The way we learned and experienced life and grew up and fell in love and made lasting relationships still astounds me. We are so lucky to have had that time.

And we really need to have a reunion someday... If only we didn't all still live all across the country (or overseas). And we're all in different stages of life: some are married (we aren't the only couple to have come from SCAFL - Erin and Justin!), some have kids (and/or are currently expecting), some have taken on permanent jobs while some are still enjoying the life of nomads, and some are still in school (having returned for advanced degrees). I suppose that makes it pretty hard to take time off right after the holidays and schlep down to the swamp. Maybe next year...

ON THE ROAD WITH TWO MUNCHKINS

Now that we have endured 2 long road trips with our 2 munchkins (AKA our "2 under 2" and "2 in diapers") in the past 2 weeks, let me recap the experiences with all of you and share some advice.

First of all, we broke the trips into 2 parts, both for the rides out and the return home (except for the return from Georgia, that was a crazy 8-hour drive that made Cora VERY mad and our voices hoarse from singing The Wheels On The Bus for almost an hour, but we had no choice). If you have ever been in the car with Cora, even for 10 minutes, then you understand why we decided not to subject ourselves to 12 hours straight with her for the trip to Florida. And while she used to just cry and yell and act pitiful and make us feel guilty, on this latest trip she learned to scream like a banshee. Seriously. I didn't know she could get any louder or higher pitched in her fits, but she did. And now she's a pro (she did it in her crib last night too). Good times. She actually fell asleep mid-scream at one point yesterday:

Restaurants vs. Rest Areas:

My advice? When traveling with a toddler, always choose rest areas for breaks over restaurants. At rest areas, the toddler can run around and play in the dirt and expend some energy (just like all the dogs you see at them)! At restaurants, the toddler gets strapped into a high chair and pouts. That is not much fun for anyone. Only stop at restaurants when you absolutely HAVE to for food. And FYI, gas stations do not count as "breaks" to toddlers, since they don't get to do much of anything at them.

Babies, on the other hand, don't care where you stop. Just so long as you take them out of the car.

You may be tempted to stop at such establishments as Chuck-E-Cheese, in order to combine the hot meal with energy expenditure. Don't do this. It's a trick. The toddler won't eat because he would rather be running around and playing. This results in Daddy chasing him around with a slice of (disgusting) pizza, coaxing him to take bites between slide runs. Likewise, the baby won't nurse because she is too distracted by all the lights and noise and children. Mama then ends up with milk everywhere except the baby's tummy. An hour and a half later, you will all be cranky when you have to get back in the van...

Bathroom FAIL:

When we stopped for dinner on the way to Florida, our first stop of the trip, Jay took James straight to the bathroom to change his diaper while I secured us a table. While changing James' diaper in the back corner of the restroom where the changing station was located, with his back to the door, he heard a woman's voice ask him "Is there not a changing table in the Men's room?" Oops. That's right. Jay was in the Women's bathroom. Two other women came in as well, and they all urged Jay to finish changing the diaper and to take his time. They went about their business as usual. Makes sense to me though. As a mama, I'd certainly never interrupt a Daddy during diaper duty! The lesson? Always check the sign on the door, even if you're in a hurry...

Nap WIN:

Miraculously, Cora and James BOTH slept for 3 full hours when we left Florida on Tuesday afternoon. We timed our departure for just after lunch, during James' normally scheduled naptime. We figured he'd sleep at least 2 hours. The fact that Cora slept that long had us repeatedly checking on her to be sure she was still breathing...

DVD Player:

You may feel the need to purchase an array of new DVDs for your road trip, in the event that the munchkins are no longer entertained by napping, books, toys, or Mama/Daddy sitting between the carseats, singing and "dancing" and whatnot. Don't waste your money. The toddler will repeatedly ask for "Saurs? Saurs?! Saurs!!!" and you will watch the same 8 episodes of Dinosaur Train over and over. I think we watched that DVD 7 times during the 12-hour drive. BOTH directions!

The Way Things Were:

There was a time when Jay and I looked forward to road trips as time to really reconnect and enjoy some extended quiet time together. We'd have long, deep conversations. We'd read books to each other. We'd listen to new music and dream about our future. We'd take turns napping. We could drive for 4+ hours straight, only breaking for refueling. Those days are no more. We now break every 2 hours (on average) for diaper changes and nursing sessions. There is no peace for napping or reading. The only music we listen to is crazy children's muzac (some of which was about moonshine, weenie wives, and dead pigs - what on earth did we purchase from iTunes? 150 songs for $9.99...) But you know what? These days are temporary, and we'll get through them. Hopefully they're temporary enough that come this summer, when Cora is 1-year-old and James is potentially potty training, we'll survive a marathon road trip all the way to Yellowstone (and back) for a family reunion. If you have any toddler travel tips to share with us before then, PLEASE do so. We need all the help we can get...

ANIMALS AND PLAYGROUNDS

After the hoopla of the holidays and baptism, we decided to enjoy a leisurely afternoon at the zoo with our babies. We went for the animals, but we ended up spending a good chunk of time at the awesome playground as well. First, the animals. The Jacksonville Zoo is known for their jaguar exhibit, of course.

James had fun naming some of the animals and their sounds. Our favorite is his elephant impression:

The Asian Gardens were really pretty......and James loved the Komodo Dragon sculpture. He tried to ride it. And feed it bark. Then he kissed it.
The playground had a neat cobweb-style rope climb, a treehouse, and the fastest slide we've ever been down...

So much fun! We must have done the slide a few dozen times. James started out on his Daddy's lap. Then he raced me. And by the end he was climbing the stairs and going down all by himself. He looks terrified in the video, but he really enjoyed the ride. He'd giggle and squeal like crazy when we caught him at the end (we had to, or he would have gone flying), then take off running to head back to the top.

When can we go again?

BLS: LEMON

I so wish I had gotten video... Betsy gave Cora a taste of lemon at lunch, and she actually liked it! About a minute later though, she had a delayed reaction. It looked like she had the chills. Twice. This baby is too cute!

GOD BLESS CORA MAE

Cora Mae Lindsay was baptized today at our home church, Community Presbyterian, in Atlantic Beach. The same church where James was baptized a year and a half ago, and where we were married just over 7 years ago. Here we are waiting for the service to start:

(How cute is James in his little tie?!)

Cora was all smiles during her ceremony. We think she liked the attention.She didn't even fuss when Gabe doused her with the holy water. She just gazed at him. After the blessing, he called her "the perfect baby" because she behaved so well. And we whispered in his ear "Only for you..."! We were so proud of her:

After Cora's baptism, it was time for Children's Moment. As soon as Gabe made the announcement, James got down and walked right over to him and sat on the step next to him, even before any of the other kids arrived. We were shocked, being that he has never attended service and participated in Children's Moment before. Gabe must have made a good impression on him. He was so cute sitting there, sucking his thumb and listening to the lesson:

Gabe kept petting his head and patting his back. It was so cute! James was wonderful during the rest of the service too. Cora, on the other hand, was being too loud, so Mama had to take for a walk outside. She wasn't fussy, but she kept trying to talk and "sing" during all the quiet moments and prayers. I managed to sneak back in with her to see William sing his solo, listen to the start of the sermon, and take part in communion. When the service was over, Team Lindsay took a photo with Gabe (who shaved his head on a bet, after receiving all the contributions needed for the church's new Fellowship Hall - we told him he matched Cora perfectly for her ceremony!)Then it was time to take a few family pictures before heading over to Sticky Fingers for lunch with the Birdsongs and Jo, who helped us celebrate today.Betsy got Cora an awesome monogrammed Gator headband (the clip is removable, so we can use it on one of her stretchy headbands until her head grows enough to fit it - I just propped it on her head like a tiara to show it off), though I think she liked Betsy's bracelet better..And of course, we had to get a photo with the Birdsongs:Not bad, right? Cora was stripped to her onesie and tights (to keep her gown free of BBQ sauce) and everyone thought she looked like a little ballerina (minus the tutu and slippers). As I was going through the photos tonight, deciding which ones to post, I had to laugh at our first attempt at a group photo... Jackson being silly, Cora still staring at Betsy (she was quite taken with her), and Jay trying to get James' thumb out of his mouth. Kids tend to make posed photos interesting, don't they?Our happy girl had a great day! God bless you sweetheart, we love you to pieces!

BEAUTIFUL BABY DOLL

CORA'S TWO FRONT TEETH

Well, she didn't get them in time for Christmas, but she does have both of her "two front teeth" as of this afternoon!

SANDY PARKS

After a lazy morning and a late afternoon nap, we took James to a couple of parks (the first one didn't have enough toddler-friendly equipment) to burn off some energy. The parks here have sand, which was a new experience for James. It definitely slowed him down a bit. Just a bit though...

BLS: BANANAS

Even covered in crushed Cheerios, the banana strips were slippery and hard for Cora to manage. She didn't eat much, but it wasn't for lack of trying! We think she'll be a banana maniac, just like her brother.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS...

...when it's a diaper laundry day and all the boy diapers are in the wash!

(Doesn't he look like one of those girls who wears shorty-shorts and UGG boots? Hilarious!)