Well, happy Mother's Day to me!I was up with Tuck from 4-5 a.m. and James got up with Emi from 6:30-7, then Emi had the screaming meemies from about 7:30-8:15, when we finally figured out that the folds on her chubby neck are irritated again (otherwise known as "icky neck") and were able to soothe her by putting cornstarch there. I tried to tell the kids that they are supposed to let me sleep in and then present me with burnt toast and bacon, but I guess that's not for a few years yet.



We have all enjoyed the second half of our exile more than the first. This house is a big, gorgeously appointed place overlooking the north end of Lake Washington. I have been taking lots of baths in the giant bathtub, and yesterday got both babies in there with me for a "swim." It's a really nice neighborhood for walking, very quiet and with smooth sidewalks -- important when pushing a stroller -- and Debbie's dog Eddie has been good company for Zoey. Eddie has also been fascinated by the babies, following us everywhere around the house, and only occasionally making a play for one of the babies' stuffed toys (Blue Doggy, Pink Kitty, Magic Bunny, and Mr. Octopus With Eyeballs are the ones we have with us).

Staying here has confirmed for me that I want to live in a place where we can have the babies' bedroom and a bathroom with tub on the main floor, however. We have spent a lot of time toting the babies up and down, and they seem too far away in the basement bedroom that we picked for them (there are 7 in this house) because it could be made nice and dark for naps.

Today we are having some friends over here for brunch and then moving home to our house. It will be good to get home. This was an instructive week in a number of ways -- 1. it is possible to move with the babies to somewhere else, not such a big deal as I had feared, 2. we now have a much better idea of what it will be like to travel with the babies this summer. It's amazing how much gear we have needed on this trip, a minivan's worth at least.

Thanks to friends: H. and N., for letting us camp out in their home during the realtors' Open House last Saturday; Rob and Kim, for letting us do the same on Sunday; and our realtor Debbie, for inviting us to housesit for her the second half of this week.