Leaving On a Jet Plane (First Time Away from the Babies)

This weekend I’ll be away from the babies for the first time since they were born (for more than a few hours, that is). I’m actually not taking a jet plane, I’m driving for seven hours to a friends’ wedding. So this is also the real christening of our silver chariot (ie Mazda 5, who as yet remains nameless). 

I honestly can’t decide if I’m excited (I can sleep in! I can paint my toenails! Wander around the city, sit with friends and relax, drink *multiple* cocktails!) or not (I’m going to miss those sweet baby faces, I’m going to have to pump breast milk the Entire Time, I’m going to have to drive for seven hours each way alone). But I think I’ll choose to be excited. See you on the flip side! 

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Getting Out of the House with Twin Babies (Pittsburgh Edition)

So I’ve done it now, twice. I’ve left the house with the babies, with no help, and driven somewhere in the car. Yesterday we went to Old Navy and I bought them some birthday outfits–they are almost ONE YEAR OLD (huh?!) but that’s another post. Then today we went to the East End Food Coop.

If you’ve been reading for a while you may remember how I used to get out of my walk-up in Brooklyn. For comparison, here’s the new way of getting out of the house.

Step 1: Make sure babies are dressed to go and wearing clean diapers.

Step 2: Carry heavy stroller from porch down three steps to the street. Carry stroller seats down and assemble stroller.

Step 3: Carry one baby down three steps to stroller and buckle in.

Step 4: Get second baby and buckle in.

Step 5: Wheel ten feet to the car.

Step 6: Strap Baby A into car seat.

Step 7: Carry Baby B around to other side of car and strap into car seat.

Step 8: Collapse stroller. Hoist stroller and seats into trunk.

Step 9: Drive away.

This part really wasn’t bad, though I won’t say food shopping while hauling along the double stroller with two restless babies plus a shopping cart wasn’t a challenge. I don’t think I could have made it up the little hill to where my car was parked if someone hadn’t offered help.

Also this is unrelated, but I realized when I got out that I was wearing a shirt and pants that didn’t match, and also that it was the first time I’d looked down at what I was wearing all day. I had at least, before I left, checked whether my sweater was stained and half-heartedly tried to rub some dried baby snot/food out of it. I ran into two people I knew at the coop (which is about all the people I know in Pittsburgh) so I guess there’s no more being anonymous.

Still, I can go places with the babies. Watch me.

 

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See here for more getting out of the house craziness:

The New, New Way of Getting Out of the House Sucks

On Getting Out of the House With Twins

Getting Out of the House: Brooklyn Walk-up With Twins

 

 

 

 

No Cars, No People, Just Trees

When we lived in Brooklyn, for many years we were within walking distance of Prospect Park. There was one particular spot in the park, near a small waterfall, where you could imagine you were outside the city. It was in a small ravine and you could see nothing but scraggly trees and sky. I’d go running there a few times a week and always took a break at that spot. Sometimes I’d be the only one there, and I could hear the burbling water, or a nuthatch making its way up a tree. I craved that little bit of peace, and it made me angry when inevitably an airplane jackhammered through the sky overhead, or someone came through talking on their cell phone, their unleashed dog snuffling through the underbrush. 

Now I find myself living near Frick Park in Pittsburgh. It’s big and wild with unpaved paths. Often when I walk there I am alone for stretches. Twice I’ve seen deer. 

Lately I’ve had trouble relaxing. Being home all day with twin babies there is some tightening in my body I can’t shake. I find myself lying in bed at night completely wound up, worrying about things, still in the place physically and mentally where I am all day. 

Last week on a walk in the park I stopped and put my hand on a tree. It was a young tree, cool to the touch, the smooth bark rough in patches. It was like it sucked the stress out of me. I felt calm. On the way home I put my hand on a big London plane tree, but it was on the street and I immediately felt self conscious, worried that I was touched and then felt more stressed. I’m telling you though, trees. Do it when no one’s around. 

The Twins Reach the Most Important Milestone

This weekend we took another outing with the babies. Part of our new “we can get out of the house,” and, “let’s try to explore a bit of this new city we’re living in” Saturday routine. We went to Oakland with the plan to go to the library, but ended up visiting D’s office so I could see where he worked, and wandering around the green outside the library watching the carousel and enjoying the sun.

Most importantly, though, we visited Dave and Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream shop. This store had been recommended to us recently, and it was a spring-ish day, so I thought we better check it out. Which is how the twins ended up at this momentous milestone, this marker of adulthood: first ice cream.

They were appropriately serious about the whole thing. At first we weren’t sure if they liked it, they were so intently focused. Then we found it difficult to get the cones away from them because they kept craning forward to keep eating, and we were each holding a baby and an ice cream cone. Suddenly difficult to eat the ice cream out of their reach. Needless to say I think ice cream was a hit. Though I will have to explore other Pittsburgh ice cream options, since this one wasn’t quite up to my very high ice cream standards. I’m something of an ice cream connoisseur, you see, or a snob, or something. I’m very serious about ice cream.

 

Space Monkey “Duck” Investigations

From the Journal of Space Monkey Twins

05_01_2014_9:22:05

Space Monkey investigative team has undertaken an ambitious new objective: Communication with the Humans. After much research most essential humanoid keyword has been determined: “Duck.” Exact meaning and usage of “duck” under continuing evaluation. Following are developing hypotheses and updates thus far.

Essential duck. Size, shape, and mouth-feel strangely addictive. We hope to acquire more sample ducks soon, as we believe they may appease the Spacemonkey masses.

Looks like a duck. Squeaks like a duck. Investigation ongoing.

We no longer believe this to be a duck.

Human response: “Not a duck–broccoli.” Interesting.

We test all boundaries, growing ever closer to communicative goals.

 

Until next time, your tireless

Space Monkey Twins