Early Adventures of Babies H & L - Italy Part 1: Milan & Turin

It's been an exciting (and exhausting) few weeks for our little family! We decided in May to go ahead and book this trip to Italy since my sister would be there with her in-laws and it was a sort of halfway point between where she lives and Dubai.  At the time, we didn't know we were moving back to Houston, otherwise, we probably would have chosen something a little more local.

In fact, we almost cancelled the trip at the last minute. L picked up an ear infection about a week before we left, and she didn't respond to the initial antibiotics. 2 days before our scheduled travel date, I took her back to the doctor for stronger antibiotics, and her fever finally broke the morning of our scheduled flight.

We decided to try to pack light since there are no cars in Venice, and we'd have to haul all of our luggage around - so we limited ourselves to 2 big suitcases, 3 backpacks, a yoyo stroller, and a mountain buggy bagrider suitcase. No carseats!  Since we opted not to take carseats, we took the Dubai Metro to the Airport in the morning. I was trying to take photos of the girls being cute (specifically L), and in the middle of a photo, G suddenly jumps up and says, "I forgot my backpack at home!  I have to go!" and starts running for the door. His backpack had all of our documents - passports, paper printouts of train tickets and flight  info, all the things we needed for the trip!

Daddy forgot something very important!!

Fortunately, we were only 4 stops away from home - he rushed home, took a taxi to the airport, and actually beat us there! He actually had to lug our 2 big suitcases with him since Miss J was carrying L, and I had Baby H and her stroller - the two of us didn't have any extra free hands to carry more suitcases!

Daddy still beat us to the airport - we're all checked in and ready to go!

The flight to Milan was ok. Baby H slept some, L slept a little bit, and we kept crying and breakdowns to a minimum. It was definitely a long 6 1/2 hours, followed by a 1-hour train ride into the city from the airport.  We checked into our hotel across the street from the train station around 5pm, ordered dinner, and all went to bed - no photos at the hotel because we were so exhausted! Plus, G, L, and I were all still sick, coughing and congested, so we were doubly tired. We did our best to get some sleep, and it was still a pretty rough  night. The next morning, we had a low key breakfast, then wandered around the train station before boarding our Frecciarossa high speed train to Turin!

Off to Turin we go! This is pretty much our only photo in Milan since 3 of us were still coughing and tired.

In Turin (aka Torino) we rented a lovely little AirBnB about a 15 minute walk from Piazza Castello, the main hub of tourism in the city and the area where G's Aunt Robyn and Cousin Hilary were staying.  So far on this trip, we'd been on an airplane and two trains, so it was time to take an automobile -- we took the bus from the train station to our AirBnB.  It was a SUPER bumpy bus ride since many Italian roads are still cobblestone, and poor L was hanging on to Miss J for dear life!  I was also hanging on to Baby H's stroller so unfortunately no photos of the bus. Fortunately for all of us, it was only 5 harrowing stops!

As we explored our neighborhood, we found so much greenery, compared to Dubai!  

We had planned to meet up with G's family for dinner, but they got stuck in some traffic on their way from Geneva and were tuckered out that evening. We decided to meet up at the Egyptian Museum the next day, and we all called it a night.

The girls showing their Texan roots from abroad - both outfits purchased by Daddy

The next morning, we bussed down to Piazza Castello and slowly made our way to the Egyptian Museum. We had to stop a few times to feed Baby H and change some diapers, and we met up with G's family.  It was so good to see them again, and introduce them to Baby H! We also met Hilary's 2 sons, and had a lovely time at the museum.  Granted, museums are somewhat lost on kids under 5 years old, but the Egyptian collection in Turin is pretty incredible!  Afterwards, we had lunch on the piazza, and it was like something out of a movie - Hilary, her kids, G, L, and Miss J were running around chasing birds and feeding them bread while Baby H napped in my arms and G's Aunt & Uncle relaxed at the table. I couldn't have been happier, it was like the quintessential Italian moment. I was so content, I forgot to take pictures!

The next day, we relaxed and wandered around our neighborhood and Miss J took the girls in the evening so G and I could have "adult" dinner with Hilary. We're so thankful to have been able to bring Miss J with us, both because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for, and because she is a huge help to G and I so we can also relax on our family vacation!

Delicious risotto...and not pictured here is the yummy wine!

Our last day in Turin, we took it easy, meeting up with Hilary and her older son, and going to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptiste to see the Shroud of Turin.  We had some snacks, and coffee, and ice cream, and another lovely morning with family before going separate ways.  Hopefully we'll get to see them all again soon!

Miss J and L took this photo of the rest of us (after changing Baby H's poopy diaper on the ground haha)

That afternoon, we packed up and got ourselves ready for next leg of our journey. G, L, and I had finally turned the corner on whatever illness had been plaguing us, which meant everyone was sleeping better and was generally in a better mood.  Next stop: Venice!

Big News!

It's been a little quiet on the Dubai front with L and H because our family has a TON of big news that we can finally share!

Baby H says, "We have something BIG to tell you!"

1.  My amazing sister has accepted a position as assistant professor at STANFORD UNIVERSITY Department of Chemical Engineering!  We're so thrilled for her and her husband, and I'm so proud to call her my sister.

Professor Auntie holding Baby L

2. My father is moving to Houston!  The he bought in Spring (just north of Houston proper) is 40 minutes from the house we own, and about 20 minutes from my company's main office.

So excited for Dad's retirement and move to TEXAS!!!

3. And finally - We are moving home!  I was offered (and accepted) a position in HR as a staffing advisor for projects, which is actually a dream job for me.  I used to say my job in Baytown was probably going to be the funnest job I'd ever had (is funnest even a word? Well, it is now!) but this job might be even more fun!  My job will literally be to talk to people about their jobs and help match them to the right next job. How cool is that? 

Baby H says "See? I told you it was BIG!"

There is a hugely sad part for us to leaving a year earlier than we planned.  Miss J, our live-in nanny, can't come with us.  If I could legally bring her with us, I would, but our options are very limited since she is a Filipina.  At best, I think I could bring her on a temporary work visa for a year or two, but then it would be very difficult for her to return to UAE, so it is with a heavy heart (and a lot of tears from L, Miss J, and me!) that we are working on finding her a new family that is hopefully as awesome as we are.  Silver lining is that if we end up moving to Vietnam (like we hope to one day), she can easily visit us there during her annual leave.  We are heartbroken since she has become a part of our family - she's so much more than just a helper and nanny.  She is a second mother to my girls, and she has taught me so much about parenting. I'm still struggling to imagine what our lives will be like without seeing her cheerful smile every morning. Especially since we hadn't planned on moving home for another year, I thought I'd have more time to mentally prepare myself.😢😢😢

Miss J snuggling Baby H

And Miss J with Baby L 18 months ago!

H and L will also have this in common - both were born overseas, and neither of them will remember where we were living when they were born.  H will be slightly older than L when we moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, but not by much! On the one hand, my friend reminded me that's it's good to be wanted by the company. On the other hand, it is slightly irritating that I have to have the anxiety and stress of moving during both of my maternity leaves.

Soaking up what's left of my maternity leave with my girls before the chaos of moving starts! 

We're also sad to be leaving our friends in Dubai. I remember during my maternity leave in Abu Dhabi, I felt pretty isolated because I knew I was leaving long before I delivered L -- so I didn't make much effort to make friends during our short time there. In Dubai, we settled in, made some really great friends, and will be very sad to leave them.

Enough about the bad parts of moving - we are so excited to be closer to the rest of our family (Miss J notwithstanding). With Dad moving to Houston, L & H will have both sets of grandparents and one set of aunties and uncles nearby to love on them. Plus the other auntie and uncle are only a short flight away in the Bay Area.

We're excited for cooler weather. And easily accessible pork. And easily accessible alcohol. And one-stop grocery shopping. And COSTCO!!!

We're excited to be in our own home again - our apartment has a phenomenal view of the Dubai Marina, but there is construction of a new building that will obstruct our view by the middle of next year. Plus we have AMAZING neighbors in Houston, so it will be wonderful to see them again and introduce them to our girls.

As all my friends and family know, change is really hard for me -- I like living in the bubble of uncertainty because uncertainty is like a world of possibility. Thankfully, I married a man who hates uncertainty, but can weather change like a champ -- and he has put up with my daily swings of excitement to go home and crying because we're leaving. G is my rock, and he is SUPER thrilled to go home!

There is so much that needs to happen between now and the big move (including a summer vacation to Italy!) and we will continue to share our journey back home!

Early Adventures of Baby H: Baptism in Dubai

When I was pregnant with Baby H, my sister asked us to try to meet her in Italy in August since she was planning to be there with her in-laws for their 50th wedding anniversary.  We tentatively said yes, pending Schengen visa approval for Miss J (approved!) and passport and UAE visa stuff sorted for Baby H (almost sorted!).  We very very very briefly entertained having Baby H baptized in Italy, since we wanted Danielle & Jonny to be her godparents and we would all be there at the same time.  I started looking into the logistics of it though, and quickly decided a UAE baptism with proxy godparents would be much, much easier.  Had I known you could proxy godparents, Baby L would probably also have Danielle & Jonny as godparents, but having Dad and Mary is ok.

We asked Eric, one of my coworkers, and his wife Tracey to stand in as proxy godparents for Baby H.  His family moved to Abu Dhabi just before G and I did, and his family also moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai just before G and I did.  Eric had given me tons of advice about moving (both times!) and his family was kind and welcoming to us, we asked them to stand in and they immediately said yes!

Eric and Tracey, sweet proxy godparents to Baby H!

Since Eric was moving back to the USA over the summer, we had a short window between when Baby H was born and when Eric's family was scheduled to leave.  The Catholic Church in Dubai has baptisms every Tuesday, so we settled on 04-Jun since it would be during Eid (and thus we'd be able to easily find a dinner venue that would let us eat before sundown). This also happens to be G's birthday, so dual celebration!

I chose a dress that Granny gave to L that she never got to wear.  Baby H also had some white and silver mittens that Ba Ngoai gave her, and I found some matching gray socks.  I had also picked a white and silver headband, but I never managed to get it on Baby H during the baptism ceremony.  I took some photos of her wearing it later, along with her baptism quilt.

G wore the same shirt and jacket that we had made L's baptism, but opted for jeans so he could wear his boots like a true Texan. Ba Ngoai had given L a pretty white and pink dress that seemed appropriate.  I was at that awkward stage where my maternity dresses were too big, and my normal dresses were too small, so I dragged myself to the mall and took a page from Meghan  Markle's book, opting for a belted trench dress. I like it enough  that I'll probably have it taken in after I lose the baby weight!

I asked Jo, my favorite photographer in Dubai, to come take photographs, and as usual, she was fabulous.  Here are my favorites - G and I joke that it was Baby H's baptism, but L totally stole the show with her wide eyes and adorable curls. We invited some of our other expat friends to join us for the baptism, and L -- who is super shy around new people -- let Jin hold her for almost 20 minutes!  It was a long night since the baptism included a full mass (unlike L's baptism, which was short and sweet. I actually don't remember most of it because I had a fever and felt miserable that day), and while we couldn't have our family with us for H's baptism, we had our "expat family" with us, and that made it just as special.

Baptism was held at St Francis of Assisi Church in Jebel Ali

Our shy little L let Jin, who she'd only met that evening, hold her for almost 20 minutes!!

Our expat family!

Baby H: Squishy Baby Portraits

While G and I have been making a conscious effort to spend time with L and make sure that she knows she's special and still loved, I also want Baby H to have some things that are uniquely hers.  I love our family portraits in Baby H's First Photo Shoot, and I knew that we'd also have some more family photos at Baby H's upcoming baptism, so I let myself get suckered into a newborn photo shoot for Baby H through Pink Pepper Photography. More on that later.

I'm actually not a huge fan of studio newborn photo shoots - babies wrapped in gauze and put into baskets of flowers or covered in pearls really aren't my thing. It's not that I don't think the photos are super cute - they are - it just seems kind of over done.  Plus, newborn photographers prefer babies around a week old, if not younger, and since both my girls were in the hospital until Day 5, I just couldn't fathom being organized enough to get booked into a studio.  Enter Pink Pepper Photography...I'll call them PPP for short.

At the private hospitals in UAE, they offer free passport photos to infants - which is brilliant because most babies born at private hospitals are children of expats and will need a passport right away, AND PPP gets the parents' phone numbers. They also make sure to include a coupon for a free one-hour  photo shoot, plus 1 free digital photo from the shoot. I didn't end up getting a passport photo from them because Baby H wasn't being cooperative, but I vaguely recall giving the hospital photographer my phone number, so of course they called me a few days after we got home from the  hospital.  The gal on the phone was really friendly and made it super easy to book the session - so I figured, why not?  It's free, so there's nothing to lose.

Now, I know that there's nothing really free. I actually hate this model - where the photo session is  free and you pay per image. I usually work with photographers where I pay for their time for a session, and the I get a full gallery of images. I'm also loyal to photographers that I like - for example, when I lived in Abu Dhabi, Lacey did all of  my professional photographs, and in Dubai, most of my photo sessions are with Jo - because I love their work.

But.

For all the reasons I listed above, plus, I didn't want to drag G and L through another family photo shoot, I took Baby H to her portrait session with PPP.  The photographer (I can't remember her name) was really sweet and was a pro with Baby H.  I was impressed with her juggling of her camera, Baby H, and Baby H's pacifier to get some pretty great shots in between H's fussing. Obviously, since the business model is pay-per-image, they do not allow cell phones or external cameras in the studio, so I couldn't take a picture of the  photographer at work. You'll just have to trust me that she was pretty great at working with my baby!

 Once the shoot is over, you have  to go back to the studio to view the photos - again, no online gallery to protect the business model.  I did my homework ahead of time and prepared myself knowing the budget I wanted to spend, what the current promotions were, and exactly how many images I intended to go home with. I'm pretty sure if I hadn't, I would have ended up spending way too much money for images that I didn't  love! And sure enough, the coordinator sat me in a really comfy room and play sappy music while she scrolled through my adorable baby's photographs - 56 total. Since I had a target number of images, I put my "work" hat on to get down to 21 images, and I'm proud to say I was 100% successful at not spending any more than my budget!

So -  here they are!  Well, 16 of the  21. I excluded one series because they will be used in Baby H's birth announcement. If you'd like to receive a birth announcement, and you're not currently on the Christmas Card mailing list, please update your address in our address book through Postable.

And yes - I get the irony that the very first series is Baby H sitting in a basket of flowers.