Meet me in St Louis

It is official - we are moving.
No, we haven't sold our condo -- thank you for asking -- but we are packing up in two weeks and moving to a condo in Clayton, Mo that has space for our family of four.
This cake was presented at last weekend's going away party held by some of our good friends (who grew up in St Louis.) And, yes, you may laugh. 

A hurt wing

Rhys had  a bit of a rough day - not only does he now have an outer ear infection, he has a bit of a virus and a hurt ankle.

Thankfully a little wrap and TLC took care of the ankle and he has drops for the ear and Motrin for the fever.

The mama has chocolate and red wine.

A good trade-off.

Claudia is 2 months old

Claudia is now 2 months old (and 2 days).  She is smiling, cooing, enjoying listening to books and interacting with Rhys, Mommy and Daddy. And she loves her swing - and so do we!

Things Claudia doesn't like: bottles, pacifers, vitamins, and the hours of 8 to 10 pm. But then she smiles - and it is all worth it.

Wheels

Rhys has been asking for a scooter - and a bike - since spring hit and he can see all the older kids (or not so much older) whizzing by. His nanny heard his request and what should appear from Amazon.com but a scooter and helmet made for a toddler. Rhys is already quite adept ... it must be his Oldham genes coming through!

Keep Calm and Carry On

Claudia is 8 weeks old today. During our photo shoot documenting the event, Rhys took some time to explain to me that Claudia likes choo choos, James (the train), cars and Elmos. What a kind big brother he is.

And now to the meat of today's post. Yesterday, as I was browsing for furniture for Claudia's new room, -yes, she will have her own room when we move! - I came across a framed poster of the famous WWII poster "Keep Calm and Carry On".... I was tempted to buy it then and there but the $195 price tag put me off. I will, however, make it my motto when dealing with 2 year old tantrums and 2 month old colic crying jags... and am scouring etsy for a less expensive version.

Downward Dog

Rhys shows off his yoga skills at Hobbitland, an indoor playground in Chicago. However, he soon got bored of the yoga class and moved on to play with his beloved train set (Thomas!). Worth checking out if you live in the neighborhood.

Mother's Day times 2

Rhys and Claudia made an especial effort this Mother's Day (with the help of their father). I received a gorgeous necklace, treats from Red Hen Bakery, and an afternoon with our friends with Nolidans. Rhys and his friend Jamie played trains, read books, and ran around the yard. Nicolas and Claudia did share some time on the playmat while the mommies talked over a glass of wine and Papa Patrick slaved over a hot grill.
While jewelry is nice, the best part is, of course, the blessing of two healthy children.Thank you Rhys and Claudia for being my children.
P.S. Do you think Claudia looks like Rhys in drag? 

Mr Elephant

Mr Elephant claims another fan. This simple toy has been one of the biggest hits for both Rhys and Claudia.

On top of the world

Dom is by far Rhys's favorite parent these days.  It could be bad for my ego but I understand. Dom has the advantage of not having a small, cute, but loud, attachment who claims much of his attention. I get it. Every morning during the week Rhys asks -- "Where's my Daddy? Where did he go?" And then proceeds to hug photos of Dom while wailing for a few minutes.  My time will come again and, in the meantime, we are just happy Rhys is doing better with all the changes. (I reread my post and I am sure you are shaking your head wondering, is he really doing better?? Wailing for his Daddy? But I assure you, things are much, much better in his world.)

Brotherly love

Rhys is full of love for little sister these days and he is doing a great job in his role as Big Brother.  He helps remind Mommy to pick her up, change her diaper and feed her. And as long as he has the full attention of his Daddy, he is quite content.