Have baby, will (still) travel

So much has changed in the past 7 months, but really, a lot is still the same. We just got back from Schaumburg, where we got to meet Tim's co-workers at Coach and his new girlfriend. About 10 months ago, we made the same trip up to Woodfield Mall and the surrounding area for our annual shopping trip. At that time, the babies were much easier to keep track of, as they were still in utero. Last year, I slept fitfully, we got up early each morning to get to the stores as they opened, stayed out shopping all day, and we ate out for almost every meal. This time around, we actually stayed in the same hotel (we used hotwire both times, and boy, what a deal!), but now, Eva is here!

And really, it wasn't that much harder. I slept a little less fitfully, and this time we got to stay in for the morning naps, which meant the mommies could take a nap, too. Score! Then, we headed to Woodfield and scoped out several stores (including Coach, where I saw my brother in a suit for the first time since he wore knickers to Easter Sunday). We went to IKEA for lunch and another two hours of shopping. Did the babies scream throughout? No. They did get a little fussy from time to time, but all we had to do was a) feed them, b) change them, c) pick them up, or d) put them back in the carrier (because they were tired of being held). It really wasn't stressful at all. As we left IKEA, two sweet ladies waiting for the trolley "oohed" and "aahed" over the kids, repeatedly saying how darling they were and how happy they were that we had "shared our babies" with them. That always makes a mom feel good. Back at the hotel in the afternoon, Eva took a nap (and so did Uncle Eric) and Eli, Grandma, Annie, and Tim went for a swim while I manned the video camera (see Annie's blog for possible postings). So, overall, we did almost as much stuff in one day as we usually do, it just wasn't all shopping.

And as for eating out, we had already gone out to dinner the night before, and we headed out again after Eli took a little nap of his own. It did get a little bit hairy after two hours at the restaurant, but frankly, even adults wish we could start to whine at that point. That made three meals out of four eaten in restaurants, and if you want to get picky, both kids sat on my lap while Grandma ate breakfast in the hotel lobby - that ALMOST equals a restaurant. And, at every real restaurant we ate at the babies received compliments on their behavior, with one server going so far as to call them "angelic." Talk about ego boosting - both theirs and ours (because you know we have a lot of control over what they do at any given moment).

Now, I know Eli took full advantage of the change in surroundings to renege on his sleeping agreement with Annie and Dr. Ferber, but Eva didn't change it up quite so drastically. She got up once each night, and I fed her, since I am still trying to make sure she stays well hydrated and keeps her system flushed out. Overall, I think I was actually less rested last year when I was with child, as opposed to this year, when I was with child-in-a-crib-across-the-room.

At any rate, I can't wait for Disney World (we'll even room with Eli, the evasive sleeper). I think it is going to be an adventure in a whole new way. We might not have the marathon days at the parks that we are used to, but I know we'll be making memories doing lots of fun things we might not have taken the time to do if we hadn't had babies along for the ride.