What they don't tell you

Nobody warns you how hard it is to watch your child turn one year old. They don't tell you how crippled you feel when you realize that the day is here and there's nothing you can do to pause time. Depressing.

We considered warning Sara and Scott about little Ada turning one. Then we thought, they have so much to look forward to. In those mere 5 months before Ada turns one, she will learn to hug and kiss, crawl and feed herself. While it's sad that Kyra has outgrown the fragility that Ada currently has, it's so exciting and wonderful to experience her ever-growing personality and skill set. Watching her learn and change just makes us more curious to find out who she will become.

So yes, you can't pause time, but you also can't speed it up. Maybe we'll just enjoy our little one year old. She is pretty great!

Sun Yea, Sand Nay - Take Two

Even though we had just vacationed in Mexico only several weeks prior, a trip to Florida was exactly what we needed. Work was overly stressful and with an upcoming major bathroom remodel, it was a well planned break before our lives would turn upside down.

We flew down to Ft. Myers to celebrate my dad's birthday. The only downside to the flight was that we didn't get the star treatment we received on our Mexico vacation. (What's up, Humphrey terminal??) While my dad may not have been too excited about turning 60, the rest of us were thrilled.

The sun, water and relaxation were marvelous! We stayed in next door two-bedroom condos on the beach. Kyra was a fabulous eater down south and devoured whole bananas and strawberries like she was an adult. We tried giving Kyra a second introduction to the sand but she remembered the "horrors" or Mexico. Being the brave girl that she is, she did take a chance to play in the ocean. Most of our time was spent swimming in the pool, walking along the vast beach and having dance parties in the living room. Kyra and Ada were adorable together. Watching them be so loving was incredible...and hysterical (photos pending).

Thanks, Dad! Can you turn 60 again next year?

Sun Yea, Sand Nay

Sara, Scott, Ada, Jennifer and the three of us all took a trip to Mexico to savor the sun and enjoy pina coladas on the beach. Our minds had wavered between considering the excursion with infants to be a great and crazy idea. Although seeing a babies passport is oh so cute. Packing took days, if not weeks. Many thanks to Florie and other girlfriends for providing advice on what to bring. Our packing list was so huge (and of course so incredibly organized) it was considered a "disorder". No matter, it helped!

First thing to note, bring a stroller. Having a stroller was the golden key at the airport. We got through security in a snap, jumped ahead of everyone at check-in and breezed through customs. Kyra was wonderful on the plane. She only napped 30 minutes the whole first day, but didn't whine, cry or disturb other passengers.

Clouds lingered through our first full day but not all was lost because we got to see Sara, Scott and little Ada! It also allowed everyone to adjust to a new rhythm. We spent our days lounging by the pool and ocean, well mostly the pool since it turns out Kyra is terrified of sand (her feet curl up against her bottom at the sight of it). The girls napped in our arms while we lounged under umbrellas. Swimming, eating, and drinking filled our afternoons.

Come dinnertime, we ran into some issues. The hotel had promised us adjoining rooms which they did not follow through on, not even with an apology. We were forced to split up at night since dinner was only served after the girls bedtimes and attempts at extending their day had failed. It was still delicious and with good company.

Valentine's Day Kyra gave both Rebecca and Trevor a treat. Rebecca learned that swim diapers really don't hold anything in as she felt a stream of pee while holding Kyra. Trevor learned that you should always carry an extra pair of clothes with you in case your daughter takes a dump so large it overflows her diaper and leaves a pile of crap in your lap (literally). While these weren't the gifts a parent savors on Valentine's Day, they were quite hilarious.

Overall, we learned a lot on the trip, had tons of fun, and got much needed relaxation and warm weather. Watching Kyra and Ada hold hands on their own accord was beyond touching. While we won't be visiting the exact location again, we will be making the trip annually. And we guarantee you will find us stepping up to the front of all lines since we'll be toting the stroller along, at least until Kyra is 12 years old.

Dear Clothing Manufacturers

Please sync your sizes!

Why must a Gerber 9-12 equate to a Gap 3-6 which is the same as a Carter 6 month or 9 month, depending?

It should only take a cloth ruler and not a PhD to figure this out.

Thank you,

Kyra's stylist