Not that we are ever so adventurous...

But we just went on another road trip for three stinkin' weeks. This is our third since the babies were born and they are proving to be the best road mates. I've always had something to do on weekdays until now. I still have things to do of course, but the days of the week are not relevant at this point in my stay at home mom career. It's freeing going away like that, just packing everything and everyone into the mini, drinking 4 coffees in a row and driving all the day long listening to Howard and music and talking about life.

I never love Florida, but this trip I may have loved it. And so it continues, my fickle relationship with my hometown. One day we met a friend for lunch at Black Bean Deli. Growing up my mom would sometimes pick up Black Bean Deli for dinner. It was, and I think still is, a super tiny spot with no room to dine in, hence the takeout. I wanted to stop by the new location and get my fill of tostones, pulled pork, garlic sauce, avocado dressing, and sweet tea. After lunch we drove around some neighborhoods and I imagined what my life would be like living in a one story, long, flat roof, Florida looking home. The ease of entering and exiting a house (with twins), the familiarity of returning to the place I spent most of my life, mom friends, parking lots, wine nights at home, a yard for my boys to one day play in, thick, hot, wet air...oh Florida, never has it been more appealing. I spent so long trying to get out of there and only sometimes do I see us ending up back where we started.

(We are not moving to Florida.)

I was dying for some good, strong coffee. So after our lunch we stopped at a coffee shop, one that the locals frequent (and I also used to frequent way before I drank coffee, for the video selection and to stare at band guys), and I ordered my usual - an iced coffee. They were out. Like it was just a normal occurrence to be out of iced coffee at 2pm in ORLANDO and "would I like something else?"  While I appreciated the offer, it was 80 degrees out and just no thank you to a hot cappuccino. I guess that's why I have to live in Brooklyn. I can't handle "out of iced coffee." Things seem easier in Florida, but they're probably not. I do love having family everywhere, driving around and feeling nostalgic, and of course Tijuana Flats. If only all things that complete me, plus and minus a few other things and people,  could be in the 11211 zip code. That would be the life.

Anyway, here we are for a quick rest at Macy's furniture department for bottles and diaper changes.

Sweet Grammy!

Great Grandparents

DeFabrizio Men + Nanny

DeFab Grandparents 

So fun getting to introduce the babies to some of my family, sweet Aunts on the Carter side.

Granny bird and baby birds at Murrell's Inlet

So we are back in Brooklyn and though we were greeted with a smack in the face freezing and depressing cold front, along with a horrible cold that kept me in bed for days, this lovely place has recaptured my heart as it always does. These are the days, people. Just walking around feels exciting and refreshing. I feel so much anticipation this time of the year. Fun things are getting ready to happen and I want to live it all, slowly and fully. I'm finally feeling like a person again after 7 nights of sleep training and 5 months of sleeping in two hour increments. I know I was all, "I love getting up with my babies" around month 2,  and that will always be the case because they are the freaking cutest, but since the life was starting to get sucked out of my physical body, a serious change was in order. Last week as I wept over coffee, Louis and I declared we were officially ready to start sleep training these baby rascals. They are the sweetest and are doing great - thanks to their papa who is the best and most concerned sleep trainer ever.

Louis is at work today and we are bopping about waiting on him to get home. The windows are down, boys are napping, and I just ate some crappy lipton noodle soup that I remember tasting a lot better the last time I had it.

Another thing, somehow we wound up with the happiest babies ever and my day is made a million times over, every time they smile their big, gummy, gooey smiles.

Happy Halloween Week, everyone.