October 15, 2009

Loralee's Wedding: Part 1

So a full week with family & friends celebrating such a special event cannot be covered in one post...so here we go!

It might sound crazy to start with the trip there, but let's face it...travel with twins is half the adventure! We decided (due to all the gear that babies require) it would be easiest for us to drive...17 hours...through Canada...over 2 days. People looked at us like we were crazy, but every time I considered all of the logistics of travel it seemed like the least stressful way (and having done it I still think it was...which is good because we're doing it again for Logan's wedding!).

The drive there was easiest - they started to lose it on the drive home (we'll say that they were just sad to leave). Without going into every detail of every mile, here were some of the major events/highlights:

- Books on tape to keep Lucas and I so thoroughly engrossed that the miles/hours flew by
- New/not seen for a while toys that calmed many storms

- Kind people along the way who provided hot water to warm bottles and fresh ice to keep waiting bottles cold.

- multiple diaper blowouts that resulted in full wardrobe changes on the way there and back (something that hadn't happened in months!).

- The twins' first international experience - which they mostly slept through...at the border one officer said he had never seen 2 babies be so quiet!

- Watching So You Think You Can Dance Canada at the hotel.

- Discovering that Singing, or even humming, "Head & Shoulder, Knees & Toes" stops the crying!!

- Singing "Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes" for 15-30 minutes at a time...multiple times...

- The familiarity of Michigan. Even the roads are different. It felt so wonderful!

- Pacing the hotel room trying to calm Ryan who screamed for an hour in the middle of the night at the hotel on the way back...praying none of our neighbors called security!

- Fleeing the hotel early in the morning (we were up at 5) because we just wanted to get home.

- Stopping at all but 2 service stations on the way home for: driver changes (because we were so exhausted from being up with Ryan), scheduled feedings, & emergency diaper changes (most of them being false alarms...but we had already stopped).

- The wonderful feeling you have when you arrive at your destination - whether Michigan or Massachusetts.

Since we've been home:
The twins are now sitting up on their own! They generally can go as long as you might want them to go (although flopping back on the pillow I keep behind them is a game they like to play...). This combined with their amazing ability to balance and reach toys around them has made play time easier for mommy...except when they take toys from each other...

5 comments:

Lauren and Jeff said...

Yep, flopping backward is a fun game Morgan liked, too. Except now that she's a little older she does it when she's mad. A couple weeks ago I set her on the bench by the back door to put her shoes on. She didn't like that and threw herself backward and slammed her head into the window. Nice.

Isn't it amazing that THIS was the least stressful way for you to travel?!

Dad and Mom Miller said...

You are going to have so many cool stories to tell the twins when they grow up. These are great memories even if they are stressful ones. You are doing a great job, have I told you that lately? Kisses and Hugs! NANA MILLER

ldmiller said...

I'm just waiting for the day they hit their heads. Even though they are very steady, I can't imgain taking the pillow away because they don't look before flopping back!

I'm convinced there is no such thing as a stress free way to travel with young children - just varying levels of stress!

the monkeys' mama said...

wow you guys are incredible. I continue to wish that we lived next door to share these awesome experiences with you!

By the way did you have to get Ryan and Allie passports? Crazy!

ldmiller said...

No passports, thankfully. All we needed were their birth certificates. I, however, had to get a new passport because mine still had my maiden name!