Tuesday, July 20, 2010
After much hemming and hawing we finally decided to JUST DO IT.  We booked flights to France.  It’s going to be expensive and it’s going to be tough to do with a baby (and a dog!) but we figured we would never get the chance to go and spend one whole month in another country ever again.  Or at least not until we are both old and grey.
We will be spending 4 weeks in the South of France - along the Cote d’Azur and in Provence.  Accommodation is still being sorted out.  In fact, we have only one week of accommodation booked so far - see photo for the view we will have at breakfast each morning.
My Mum will be joining us for a few days (she already told me she would ride a bike all the way to France if it meant spending some time with Charlotte) which I am thrilled about!  My cousin and her family also spend the month of August in their home in Provence so we will hopefully be able to coordinate spending a couple of days visiting with them.

After much hemming and hawing we finally decided to JUST DO IT.  We booked flights to France.  It’s going to be expensive and it’s going to be tough to do with a baby (and a dog!) but we figured we would never get the chance to go and spend one whole month in another country ever again.  Or at least not until we are both old and grey.

We will be spending 4 weeks in the South of France - along the Cote d’Azur and in Provence.  Accommodation is still being sorted out.  In fact, we have only one week of accommodation booked so far - see photo for the view we will have at breakfast each morning.

My Mum will be joining us for a few days (she already told me she would ride a bike all the way to France if it meant spending some time with Charlotte) which I am thrilled about!  My cousin and her family also spend the month of August in their home in Provence so we will hopefully be able to coordinate spending a couple of days visiting with them.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sunday, revisited

On Sunday night we headed to the Mermaid Inn with Melissa, Brent and baby Everly who were in town visiting from Raleigh.  With two babies in tow I made a 5.30pm reservation.  For dinner.  Let me just repeat that.  A 5.30pm dinner reservation.  Oh, how life changes when you have a baby!

Photo stolen from M’s blog because I like her photos better than mine :-)

I have been reading Melissa’s blog for a long time.  She announced her pregnancy about a month before I discovered I was pregnant.  Perfect timing - I could tag along behind Melissa learning everything I needed to know from her blog posts!  

John and I had a great time cuddling with Everly and seeing what a 6 month old baby is like.  We see Charlotte as being really alert but she’s got nothing on Everly who was contorting her body into all sorts of weird positions so she didn’t miss a thing going on around her.  And, oh, those legs.  Everly has the chubbiest baby legs I have ever seen.  They were just asking to be squeezed!  We did witness a poo explosion - the kind that requires an outfit change.  The kind that requires both parents to help.  The kind that John and I have not yet experienced and are petrified of!

Melissa and Brent are a truly lovely couple.  The kind of people that I wish lived closer by so we could see them more often.  Oh, and I need to get myself a Southern accent.  I was just melting listening to their soft lilt.

You can read Melissa’s account of the night right here.  I won’t even bother telling you to read her blog because I’m sure you already are - it’s one of the very best out there.

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Monday, July 19, 2010

Palookie Paci Blankie - Reader Giveaway

The folks over at Palookie have offered one of their products for a giveaway to one of my readers.  YAY GIVEAWAYS!  It is their best selling product - the Palookie Paci Blankie.  This is where I am going to admit something to you.  I turned down an offer to actually review this product myself because I don’t give Charlotte a pacifier.  Except, um, that’s a lie.  I’ve started giving her a pacifier every now and then because it truly is amazing at helping her nod off to sleep.  So now I’m wishing maybe I had gotten one myself - GAHHHH!!!  Anyway, one can be yours!  Here’s how:

Giveaway Requirements

1) Visit Palookie and come back to my blog and leave a comment as to which of their blankies is your fave

2) “Like” Palookie on Facebook and leave me a comment saying you did so

3) Suggest their Facebook page to your friends and leave me a comment saying you did so

Palookie will choose the print of the blankie, but they will allow for the winner to let them know if they would like a girl, boy, or neutral print.  Winner must be located in the U.S.

Readers can enter the giveaway until Friday July 23rd at noon EST with the winner being randomly selected and announced on Friday afternoon.  Good luck!


Click To Vote For Us @ Top Baby Blogs Directory!

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Monday, July 19, 2010

Winston the Meatball

Winston is going on a long flight with us next month.  We pulled out his travel bag to make sure he still fits in.  (He’s a bit of meatball).  

It’s a tight squeeze but he doesn’t seem to mind.  After asking him to step in, he made himself at home and took an hour long snooze in it.

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Monday, July 19, 2010
Already, I’ve packed away a lot of clothes that Charlotte has grown out of.  Most of it I will keep (please let me have another girl, please let me have another girl!) but there is a bunch of stuff that I would gladly donate to a worthy cause.  
I came across the Baby Buggy organization this morning.  They are an accredited charity in New York City that will come and pick up new and gently used baby items.  They have a list of specific items that they will accept.  I think I will wait until I have accumulated a pile of stuff and then donate it all at once.

Already, I’ve packed away a lot of clothes that Charlotte has grown out of.  Most of it I will keep (please let me have another girl, please let me have another girl!) but there is a bunch of stuff that I would gladly donate to a worthy cause.  

I came across the Baby Buggy organization this morning.  They are an accredited charity in New York City that will come and pick up new and gently used baby items.  They have a list of specific items that they will accept.  I think I will wait until I have accumulated a pile of stuff and then donate it all at once.

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Saturday, July 17, 2010

Friday night, revisited

Last night we headed down to the South Street Seaport on the subway.  It was Charlotte’s first subway ride in her stroller.  

On my way down there, Berry texted me to say she had a surprise waiting for me.  I really hoped the surprise would be a person and…..

SURPRISE!!!!! 

It was Jenelle!  I might have screamed a little bit when I spotted her.  What a great surprise!

Me, Ave, Berry and John stayed for dinner at Barbarini.  We all mowed down on pasta that was so delicious.  This restaurant has been added to my ‘good for babies’ list.  It was nice and quiet and surprisingly spacious for an NYC restaurant.

Here’s John and Charlotte - twinsies.  (I still don’t see the resemblance).  Please note that Charlotte is wearing a halter neck dress.  I didn’t even know you could get halter neck dresses for 3 month olds!  When we go out these days, I have far more fun picking out Charlotte’s outfit than picking my own.

After dinner, wine and lots of conversation we headed out onto the streets with takeout gelato from the front of the restaurant.  Even though South Street Seaport is quite a touristy part of the city, I like it.  It reminds me of London. Here I am posing like a tourist, gelato in hand.  CHEESE!

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Saturday, July 17, 2010

angrygirlfrienddiaries asked: Do you plan to stay in NYC indefinitely, or do you plan to move closer to family one day? It must be hard to be away from both your family and his family!

We will not stay in NYC forever.  I’m the biggest cliche - as soon as I had Charlotte I was all, um, we need a bigger house and a garden.  

Where will we go?  Your guess is as good as mine!  But it won’t be any time soon.  

And yes, it’s hard being away from family.  

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Friday, July 16, 2010
John could wait no longer.  He ordered the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo for Charlotte this week.
Only one problem.
Her feet don’t touch the ground.  So there is no jumping.  Which is kind of the purpose of the Jumperoo.  She’s got a lot more growing to do before this thing will be fun for her.

John could wait no longer.  He ordered the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo for Charlotte this week.

Only one problem.

Her feet don’t touch the ground.  So there is no jumping.  Which is kind of the purpose of the Jumperoo.  She’s got a lot more growing to do before this thing will be fun for her.

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Friday, July 16, 2010
So…..we just put some books under her feet.
It then becomes a full-time job for me to sit next to her and keep piling the books back on top of each other as she kicks them away.
Fun for Charlotte, not so fun for me!

So…..we just put some books under her feet.

It then becomes a full-time job for me to sit next to her and keep piling the books back on top of each other as she kicks them away.

Fun for Charlotte, not so fun for me!

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Friday, July 16, 2010

Baby Face

I could sit and watch Charlotte for hours as her expression changes every few seconds.

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