Anatomy of a Perfect 1st Birthday Party

For a *perfect* first birthday party:

First you take the sister's twins.
Add twelve months.
Add one adorable, pinwheel-themed birthday party.
Add chocolate cake.

Mix babies with cake until well combined.

Results may vary.

 Rhys: Hey, hey what's going on. What are those big things up there? I like 'em.

Avery: What's going on? Where are my clothes?

Avery: Okay, I kinda like this naked stuff. Ya KNOW?

Rhys: Heh.

 Both: Twin High Five! Cuz we're awesome!

 Rhys: This is delicious. If you don't want yours...

Avery: Someone feed me. I don't know what to do with this.

 Rhys: Sugar rush! Is the macarena back in? Cuz I'm totally doing the macarena!

Avery: Umm, this is yummy. I think I'll face-plant in it.

 Rhys: OHMYGOSHTHISISAMAZING. IMEANREALLY,WHYYYYYHAVENTWEHADTHISFORDINNERBEFORE,GUYS???

Avery: I've had... an apostrophe!

 Rhys: OHHHHHHHITSSOOOOOOGOOD.

 Avery: *Plop*

 Quinn: I want some, too! Hey this is fun!

 Cupcakes all around!

 One proud twins'mama, and my gorgeous sister, kellywestover

Success!

The Yearly Monterey Getaway

I started writing this post back in Febrauay. FEBRU-freaking-RARY.

For some reason it just got away from me? Back then, I felt like I was fighting for my life, practically. I caught a cold back in November and by February it still hadn't gone away. Waking up in the middle of the night on this particular trip to Monterey, drenched in sweat from breaking yet another fever from the sickness that wouldn't go away is what inspired me to finally go to an acupuncturist, and get well. And it worked.
I know, random. But it's important you should know this about me: I am random. Maybe. (?)


Original, unpublished post, written in February:
It's becoming a yearly thing, going to Monterey. And if you've been to Monterey, you'll know that is a really good thing.

I had one goal during this trip: I wanted my sister to have a restful, relaxing weekend. She's had a rough year, with a tough pregnancy which ended with an emergency c-section and was followed with thirteen weeks in a NICU (thankfully) tending to her twins. The twins are now a healthy 17 and nearly 20lbs and thriving. (June update: weights pushing 22 and 30lbs now!) And the emergency time is officially over. It was time for a little bit of relaxing and pampering. Sister's rock-star of a husband and amazing mother-in-law graciously agreed to watch the chilluns, allowing us to take off for a couple of nights.

Monterey is a little slice of heaven. Tons of people go there for the aquarium, which is very cool, but I haven't been in my past two trips; there is so much else to do in Monterey! Or not do, if you're in the mood to not do much.

I booked this year's hotels with mileage. I had to use two separate hotels as I had to split the mileage balances between two accounts, so we had a nicely varied weekend.

We started off near downtown, at Casa Munras hotel, a visually lovely property with a great, relaxing spa. Spa treatments, an easy walk downtown, amazing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from our other favorite Monterey hotel, The Portola, (we stayed there during last year's trip) a long walk along the beach, and did I mention the spa treatments? Heavenly!

Overall, if you are looking for a centrally located, affordable hotel, Casa Munras is quite nice. But our beds were as hard as rocks and the walls were VERY thin, and neighbors NOT QUIET. Not a recipe for a good night's sleep. I'd pick The Portola over Casa Munras any day.

 Relaxation alcove at the Casa Munras Spa

 Outdoor bar and grill

--
 As nice as day one was, the absolute highlight of the weekend was our night at the Monterey Hyatt Regency. I've stayed at this property before, and had an absolutely lovely time and was really excited to go back and take my little sis. If you're ever in for a relaxing weekend in Monterey, stay here.

The Hyatt Regency is located about five miles away from the historic center/downtown area, which means you'll need to drive and park when you venture to the pier or cannery row, but this hotel is more of a destination in and of itself than simply a place to lay your head at night.

What can I say about this place? The pictures on Hyatt's website don't do it justice. And since I didn't take any photos the entire weekend (feeling sick as a dog hinders my artistic inclination, go figure), I can't either. (All photos in this post by Kelly Westover.)

 Wonderful, comfortable bed. I wanted to live in it. Forever.

 When I grow up I want a bathroom like this. It's just so... perfect in every way.

Think: sunrise over a perfectly manicured golf course. Fog rolls through the trees and across the green and the rays of sunlight filter through the clouds, creating an ethereal glow. Sparkling pools and hot tubs and fire pits beckon you to make use of the beautifully landscaped property. When you're tired, comfortable beds with crisp, white down comforters will lull you to sleep... I could go on and on and on. I could easily spend a week vegging at this resort and just enjoying the ambiance.

But I guess I'll have to wait until next time. To quote my sister as we drove away, "Hasta La Vista, Heaven!"



I'd count my mission a success.

The Beach Makes Everything Better

In case you were curious what playing hooky from work to go on a field trip with your sister, her three-year-old and ten-month twins to the beach is like, I've prepared this post especially for you.

1. A car ride through the winding hills whilst said toddler excitedly asks repeatedly "Mama, Tete, we go to beach? Play in ocean?" AKA: "Are we there yet?" but cuter.

2. We arrive at the beach. Toddler's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he gleefully beelines for the water. I think he might burst wide open from the look of sheer, unadulterated joy on his face.

3. The twins repeatedly try to escape the confines of their large blanket/prison and eat sand.

Rhys (left) Uh, hey guys, it's really bright out here. I can't tell what flavor this baby food is. Avery (Right) forget the tube, there's miles of food to test out on the ground!

4. Waves attack the toddler, who couldn't be happier, but is now soaked. Since he is essentially a string-bean with no body fat, toddler loses a layer of clothing in the interest of trying to stave off hypothermia. But we all know kids like to run around stark-raving naked anyhow, so, come to think of it, the waves and the toddler might be on the same team. Those sneaky devils.

 I'm suuuuuper soaked!

Uh, I can't move in these wet pants, guys. Waddle, waddle...

5. Flinging, hurling fistfuls of wet sand comes next, which is the best thing in the universe a boy can do. (This is quite an amazing progression for wee MasterQ, who, until recently, HATED the feel of sand on his hands and feet.)

6. More rogue wave attacks and one shivering little boy require retreat from the water's edge.

7. Toddler spends the rest of his time at the beach literally swimming in the warm sand and being buried by his auntie and mama.

8. Impromptu beach day: Massive success.

Up North

This week I'm up north with my sister, her three year old and her eight-month old twins. We're visiting our parents and it's madness! Madness, I say! I knew it would be busy when I signed up to accompany the sis and her kids on this trip, but I have a whole new level of appreciation, respect and awe for mothers.

Are you a mother? You're amazing.

This is where I am this week:

Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Most people think it's gorgeous up here, and sure, I'll concede that it's pretty. I'm definitely a California girl, though. I like sunshine. (And of course, this week it's 70+ and sunny in California.) And the ocean.

So enjoy your week, everyone, and wherever you are, I hope it's sunny!

Acting Our Age

"Do you want to come over after your kids are asleep and get caught up on Downton Abbey?" I asked my sister. It was 7:30pm on Friday.

"YES!" came the exuberant reply.

At 9pm we began our marathon of Downton Abbey, season two, complete with sparkling water and a massive slice of yummy chocolate cake from the Cheesecake Factory. (If you like amazing, rich chocolate cake, try their Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake!)

It was going to be grand! It was going to be like when we were teenagers and we'd sneak the tiny tv/vcr my parents bought for road trips down to my room and watch the five-hour BBC version of Pride and Prejudice until the wee hours of the morning and then get up and have an adventurous weekend. Glorious!

Five and a half hours and two aching bellies later, we'd made it through episode 7, and the cake, with only the Christmas episode left to watch. 2:30 AM, and we were both straining to stay awake.

"I can't do it. I'm out," was the communal consensus and I staggered to my bed and she to her car.

It's Monday now and we both have yet to recover, she because she has kids that wake up at 7am no matter when she went to bed, and I because I had appointments and commitments that prevented me sleeping in, or napping the entire weekend.

And all of you twenty-somethings, enjoy the boundless energy while you can, because it goes.

I have a theory. I have a theory that we're born with a certain supply of energy. And as a child, not knowing any better, being so full of that energy and rearing-to-go, we use it as though it will never wane. This energy inhibition lasts through your twenties, after which, you slow down and you just keep getting slower and slower. That's my theory. It's not scientific. But I'm not a scientist, so what did you expect?

The sis and I laughed and laughed when we read this meme this weekend, because it's just oh-so-fitting. Except for the being nearly 40 part. That's a decade premature.

All late-night activities may now be postponed until sister can once again sleep in. It's gonna be a while.

Post Christmas

Somehow it's Wednesday. And it's the day after Christmas? Was that just the fastest Christmas break in the history of Christmas breaks, ever, or what?

Back to the grind today, but yesterday! Oh, yesterday, you were so fun!

Last Christmas was spent in Southern California in the company of great friends and a gorgeous beach. This year, the draw of my sister's now-6-mo-old twins and my nearly-three year old nephew were too great and I spent the day in their company. And about a million other relatives on my bro-in-law's side. And it was great!

The sister and I got together on Monday morning and made a zillion gooey cinnamon rolls. (Well, we made them to the point of being completely prepped and not baked... we baked them Christmas morning). And because cinnamon rolls from scratch require several hours and several "rest" periods, (while the scalded milk cools and dough rises, etc), the sis and I made a morning of it, complete with a trip to target for baking supplies and a delicious breakfast at a local breakfast joint called Katy's Creek. (Seriously, if ever you are in Walnut Creek, CA, go to Katy's Creek! Yum!)

What else can I say? Christmas this year was magical. The kind of warm, squishy gooey Christmas that seeps into your clothes and hair and melts your soul as you listen to the same Christmas songs on the radio for the millionth time in a month, and you don't mind. It's all much better than the auto-tuned garbage they play on teeny-bopper radio stations anyhow.

I might just keep listening to Christmas music. Or I might go back to Classical. (When did I turn into my father? And I thought I was supposed to turn into my mother?)

In case you haven't seen the fun family photos I took of my sis and her gaggle, here they are:

 This was the picture the Sis used for her family's Christmas card this year. (above) Hilarious!

This Just Happened...

That one time, you know... the time my sister had twins and the boy baby came home after twelve weeks in the NICU and the girl baby stayed in.

And it came to pass that the girl baby was still in the NICU after 13.5 weeks and her mommy did become extremely agitated.

And so the twins' (and Q's) Mommy came up with a plan. She went to the hospital and busted baby girl out.

See:

 The W fam. Back together for the first time in nearly four months.

Master Q wasn't so impressed to see the other half of the "TwoBabiees," as he calls them. He kissed baby "A-Rhys" (That's how Q says Avery) on the head and then prompty ignored her. I was told to put her down a few times so he could throw the ball to me. I guess if you can't get rid of them, ignore them. It works for two-year-olds. If you want to read more about this adorable family, check out my sister's gorgeous blog: kellywestover.com


This happened, too:

Remember that credit card I had the fraudulent charges pop up on? Well, turns out Chase Sapphire cards are METAL. And ya can't cut those suckers up with scissors. A friend of mine came over with some fancy tin snips and went to town. And that's how you destroy a metal credit card. Now that you know, your weekend is complete, I know.