Notre-Dame, "Blanket" and the Louvre

Last night we ventured out to see Notre-Dame and Sainte Chapelle at around 4:30 - taking the Metro from Place Monge to Chatale. Being Paris and December, it was already quite dark by the time we arrive to the Ile de France. The overcast skies made the appreciation of stained glass less than ideal and we decided to pass on Sainte Chapelle.

Walking around the corner to Notre-Dame, we saw the plaza was still full of people (always seems to be the case) and the big Christmas tree was lit up and sparkling. Violet (in the Ergo) insisted on "walk around" so we let her down, but requiring that she "hold hands" (these are her go-to phrases when we are out and about). She ran right over the brass marker in front of the church, the spiritual center point of France where all distances are measured from (or so the book says) - she didn't even slow down. The interior of the church is as amazing as the exterior - the high vaults, the stone pillars, the second-story arcade, the expectation of Quasimodo. Even though most visitors are "tourists" and not people on a "pilgrimage", Notre-Dame is still the center of action - still draws people from around the world. I'm not Catholic, but I wanted to go there (again) and am glad I did. Permanence and change within history, architecture, the built work 0f man, time - Notre-Dame is a lot of things.

Dinner was at a Greek gyro place (Left Bank has many food options) - lamb, lettuce, tomato, and french fries...? We sat downstairs, below street level and Violet got to poke at the old stone walls. Even small food shops have amazing basements here.

We made it home, and Violet was in bed by 8:00pm, but that was just the beginning of her evening. She was up at 10pm (but stayed in bed) then started calling for "Mama" at 12:30. In and out of our bed once, back in the snuggle bed, I thought she was finally asleep.... no. She has started waking up calling out "blanket!" even though she has both in her bed with her (believe me, I packed them here). What she wants is me or Rachel to come straighten them - lying on one as a pillow, one on top pulled up to her chin. Only then does she settle down. We zip her back in and go back to our bed, only to have her roll around, get the blankets all bunched up, and call out again "blanket!" 10-20 minutes later. She did that 8 times last night over the course of 2 hours. She finally went to sleep at 2:30am, until we woke her at 8am. Ok, time for the day now. Time change is not easy.

But today we decided to tackle the Louvre - and it was well worth it. We had our breakfast of baguette with jam and nutella (plus two croissants because we're here) and yogurt and hit the Metro. By 9am (opening time) there was a 45 mintute line to get in - winding from Pei's glass pyramid all the way back to the Coure Carree. But Violet loved the time to run around unrestrained ("run, run, run!") - darting around the fountains and statues while one of us chased and the other protected our place in line.

Finally in, the central space is fabulous - the glass pyramid frames the surrounding Second Empire buildings with a geometric regularity. While certainly glass, the main aesthetic of the pyramid is actually the aluminum and cable supports behind the glass - a clean, ordered web of lines and angles that divides the ornate detailing of the buildings beyond. Nice work. As impressive as the art is the building complex of the Louvre itself - and this was more our focus, rather than drooling over endless Italian and french sculpture (which I could have done too). Walking the halls of Napoleon's apartments, admiring the ceilings, enjoying the views of Rue Rivoli - often with glass ceilings overhead, the modern touch. Oh yeah, we saw the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, and many others too.

Now back at our "Paris Home" - only a few Metro stops away - and Violet is sleeping with her blankets. I hope they stay in good order for her.

Eiffel Tower

We made it there, eventually, and it was lovely.  Also, very muddy.  Violet didn't sleep well last night, so she was a wild little thing today, and went running all around in the mud.  We chased her all about the base of the tower, down the Champ-de-Mars and through the sycamore trees.  Eventually, on our walk to the Louvre, she fell asleep in the front pack.  

It really is quite challenging to tourist around with a toddler.  We are finding it is best to plan one activity for the morning, and another for the afternoon, with substantial snack-meals and a nap sandwiched in between.  To try to push through the day, squeezing in as many activities as possible is just a call for disaster, so we have to pick and choose what we're going to do very carefully.  

In general, though, our little traveler is doing quite well.  She calls this her "Paris Home" (opposed to "Seattle Home", and we tell her that "India Home" is coming soon).  We are really very proud of her. 

Rachel 

Arrival in Paris

We have just put Violet down for a nap, at 5:09am.... I mean 2:09pm Paris time. Our little girl is adjusting to the time change very well and has slept a lot since we landed. Except for a 3am pajama party (only lasted an hour) she slept from 9pm to 9am!

So to recap: We arrived in Paris yesterday...has it been two days? Tough to tell... The flight from Seattle to Paris was very rough. Violet cried harder during the first 1.5 hours than she has in a long time. The guy behind us requested a seat change - can't blame him. Eventually she settled in and the rest of the flight (7.5 hours) was ok. Landing in Paris, we had to take a bus to the terminal - standing on the tarmac, we began to remember what 30-degrees (Fahrenheit) felt like - snow was everywhere. We got our bags then were off to the RER train into Paris.

Looking quite like a traveling caravan, (I was rolling our two big suitcases, with a backpack on my back AND front, a giraffe and monkey hanging off the sides - Rachel with Violet in the Ergo) we squeezed through the turnstiles and train door and managed to find the right train. Our stop was "Notre Dame" - enough to get an architecture or history student excited. Up two flights of stairs (the escalator was too narrow, no elevator) we were on the Ile de France - staring right at the big Gothic Cathedral. We had arrived.

Not wanting to wait too long ( I mentioned the cold and my beast-of-burden baggage) we rolled our way to 4, Rue Navarre. Narrow side walks, various unmarked winding streets eventually turned into the address we wanted - a remarkable occurrence. We punched our code and the massive door to the street opened. The building "guardian" was not in her office, but we soon found her in the hallway. She informed us she was only here on the holidays (Monday, Dec. 27th?) and none of the keys were marked. So she gave me about 10 keys to try in the door - before coming up with the right one. We thanked her, loaded our bags inside and closed the door.

Such sweet relief after a day of travel - to have a comfortable, safe place to sit. The apartment is wonderful, and I have no doubt it will be a perfect 'home' for the next few days. Two rooms - kitchen/living and bedroom/study with a sliding wall in between. Oil heaters that work very well and large windows that look on to the inner court yard. Violet, desperate to "walk around" as she says, was soon padding along the wood floors and pointing out every thing that wasn't 'toddler proof.' Eventually we calmed her down and she went for a nap in her travel bed. The power of her bedtime routine is awe-inspiring. No matter where we are, a book, kisses goodnight, rocking with mama and bedtime music set her up for sleep.

With her down and Rachel napping too, I ventured out to find food. Feeling like a hunter-gathered I re-bundled myself and walked out to Rue Monge. I found a fabulous bakery, picked up a baguette and a panini sandwich - muttering and pointing just enough to get my point across. Then I spotted a grocery store just down the street - jackpot! I loaded up on yogurt, pasta, eggs, red wine, Nutella, butter, cheese ... perfect. We would venture back out to this grocery once more to finish off dinner supplies. Having a kitchen is such an advantage for us when we travel - makes so much more possible. We all had sausage pasta with tomato sauce and corn for dinner; not distinctly French cuisine, but good food in France - what ever you want to call that.

This morning, we all slept in. Breakfast was baguette with nutella & jam, french press coffee, and yogurt. We then walked up to Sufflot's Pantheon - a neoclassical "question mark" of a building. It was started as a church, but after the French revolution is was completed as more of a "final resting place" famous French people like Victor Hugo, Voltaire, J. J. Roussou, Marie Curie. Violet like the big plaza out front - she can coax smiles out of just about anyone.

From the Pantheon, down to a market at Place Montage for cheese, sausage and vegetables then back to the bakery for another baguette and a "tartellete framboise" for Rachel. From a butcher on Rue Montage we got a rotisserie chicken and potatoes. Needless to say we have just finished a fantastic lunch.

So now the afternoon awaits - most likely a trip back to Notre Dame (without the pack-mule appearance). So much to see - enjoying it all.

--tyler

The Count Down

Slowly every day we are going through our check-points.  Dinner with the family.  Tax meeting.  Dentist appointment.  Our to-do list is finally beginning to shrink, and our suitcases are beginning to fill out.  We just finished watching the enormously long and confusing BBC History of India. 

Here is a fun fact:  13 million people live in the city of Delhi (the city we are flying into).  Just to put that into perspective, only 6.7 million live in the entire state of Washington.  

We are to the point now where we are tired of talking about it and preparing for it.  We're ready to go. 

Oh gee, it's GHEE!

Tyler and I have discovered a fabulous little Indian grocery store near the university where they sell many of the hard to find ingredients that all of our Indian recipes call for.  Now hear you me--- yes, you can make Indian food without these few key things, which we have done many times, but we have always felt that the flavor just wasn't quite there.
Our favorite discovery?  GHEE!

Ghee is something that you can easily make.  It basically (I think) is butter reduced to a pure oil form.  What that means is that it's pretty shelf stable, and more importantly, VERY rich and flavorful.  It's like condensed butter;  essence of butter;  eau de toilette butter.  You use it as you would use any other oil-- olive oil or vegetable oil--  you just spoon a tablespoon in the bottom of the pan before you fry your onions.  And, it is bliss.
Here is a picture of our lovely Ghee, along with a few other beautiful discoveries....

a few updates...

Hey there, friends.  It's been a while.  I suppose we're due for an update.  Here's what's going on.
We leave for India in just over a month!  Our apartment has been successfully subleased, my scooter has been sold, and we are trying to eat our way through our freezer and noodle cabinet.  Also, we have all been vaccinated for polio, hep. A and B, tetanus, typhoid, and a few other things.  That was quite a cocktail-- we all felt a bit wonky for a few days, but at least we hopefully can now avoid some of the major plagues.

The plan is to leave the day after Christmas.  But not for India.
For Paris!
For 5 days!
Then, we fly to Finland for a four hour layover, and then it's on to Delhi.
From Delhi, we take the train to Chandigarh.  Then, hopefully, by then, hopefully hopefully hopefully, the program will have our housing worked out, and we will taxi [or something] to our new home.

One of the best things that has happened, just in the last few days, is that we have gotten in touch with the wife of one of the professors here.  She has gone on the study trip with her husband, their children, and the class a few times before (but is not going this year).  Just emailing back and forth with her a few times has really helped give us more of a sense of what it really is going to be like in Chandigarh with a toddler.  Diapers, she says, are available in the city (although, a bit pricey for India standards), and she gave us a whole list of good places to shop and fun outings to go on.  Also other random stuff-- like info about indoor heating, and she recommended that we definitely bring some sort of bed for Violet.  Her mother-in-law in India has a car seat we can use, as well as a high chair-- these things are golden!  Yes, we could live for 10 weeks holding Violet on our lap at every meal, but having a highchair represents more than just a place for her to eat--- it means that I can put her in it and wash dishes, read a book, type an email, paint a picture, anything at all non-baby related for at least 10 minutes while she's munching.

We've learned a bit about the weather:  It's going to be cold and foggy when we first arrive (seeming very cold due to little or no indoor central heating), but it's supposed to start warming up by February.  By March it should be quite lovely!  With that in mind, we are only just barely starting to think of what kind of clothing to pack.  I think we're probably going to plan on packing winter-type clothing, and then look forward to buying more warm-weather stuff as needed (oh my goodness --  how adorable is Violet going to be in her Indian attire!?!!  sorry, just had to throw that in!)

There is still a lot to process.... but I think things are slowly slowly slowly coming together.
 

Diaper update

We have started using cloth diapers with Violet and it is going fabulously well!  We went to a few used kids-clothing stores and bought about 8 pre-folds (that's the fancy name for the soft white cotton towel-like things that you fold to go directly against the baby's bum), and then we bought (for near to nothing compared to what they cost new) two outer diaper wraps (these go over the pre-folds, and are a bit rubbery and water proof;  they protect her pants from getting wet and soiled).  Also, we bought a handy little contraption called a Snappi that you use instead of diaper pins.  You can read about it here  .  She is still wearing a disposable diaper at night, and anytime we have a major event or outing I tend to put her in a disposable simply because I'm still figuring out how long she can go in a cloth diaper before having to be changed, but for the most part we are using all cloth and it is going very well.  The hardest part so far seems to be coming up with a good system for this whole thing---  I think we now have enough cloth diapers where we will only have to do laundry every 3 days or so-- but figuring out what to do with the dirty diapers while they wait to be laundered has taken some thought.  Letting them soak in a bucket of water with mild soap seems to work pretty well, as long as I remember to change the water every night :)

The most amazing part of this whole diaper experiment is realizing how flexible and adaptable Violet really is.  She does seem to know the difference between cloth and disposable diapers, and has put up a protest a few times when we try to put her in a cloth one (I think they do feel a little strange to her; she is  not completely used to them yet)... but basically as long as Tyler and I have everything on our end figured out, she is fine adapting to the situation.
While this concept may seem fairly simple, it is actually, I think, pretty huge.
It's huge because for quite some time now I have been thinking of this India trip as something that is going to be really hard on Violet simply because a lot of things are unknown, and inevitably a lot of things will be different, and that will be a stress on her.  But I am realizing more and more that beside the main difference of not being at home in a familiar place, she probably won't notice or be affected too much by many of these differences.  Most of the stresses will be on Tyler and myself (i.e. we'll have to boil all the water, we'll have to thoroughly cook all of the fruits and vegetables, we'll have to make sure we have mosquito nets, we'll have to make sure she has diapers of some kind that are clean and safe, etc....)  Really, as long as we can figure out some way to create a safe and comfortable daily life for her, she will be fine.
The stress is on us, as the parents.  And I believe in us, as parents.
We may not have much, but we do seem to have an ability to make what we do have work for us, and make the situation appealing and normal for our child.  Violet isn't going to have to be the one to make certain things, (like cloth diapers) work---  it's really up to us as her parents to figure out how to do things so that they work for her.  
And that, my friends, I think.... I hope..... I'm pretty sure.... we can do.

-Rachel

Diapers

So.... I'm thinking of doing cloth diapers with Violet while we're in India.  From everyone I've talked with, it's really the way its done there.  Laundry is sent out, and there isn't much of this wall-to-wall carpet action, so children are potty trained at a much earlier age and accidents are wiped up off the floor.   Also, my sources tell me that disposable diapers are a bit hard to find, and a bit pricy....  So, cotton-bottom here we come!  


Do what is done in India.  

Simple.  right?
Well, actually, it's taken me about 4 months to feel fine about this decision.  I'm just so used to doing things the way I do them.  It's not easy to figure out a routine when you are a first time parent, and so once you have one down, I think it's really hard to sway away from it.  We buy our horrible disposable diapers at Costco.  They are easy in every way.  And they have zebras on them.  When one is soiled, we roll it into a little ball, put it in the diaper genie, and off it goes.  No smell.  No effort.  And it goes away so easily and quickly that even the guilt of using disposable diapers is [almost] completely taken care of.
Funny-- I never ever ever ever thought I would use disposable diapers on my kid-- but now that I'm a mom, I get it.  Cloth diapers = more laundry, more fuss, more thought, more up-front money--  all things to be avoided in every day life when you're a first-time mommy, if possible.
But India is challenging me to rethink all of this a little.  America is one thing, but if the norm in India is to use cloth diapers, and if the whole point of going on this trip is to experience India, why should I try to force this issue?  I have had several suggestions from other moms--  have diapers shipped half way through, have any visitors form the states bring some with them when they come, or even just pack three suitcases full and hope they'll last....

But a good [Indian] friend put it best when she said: The trail of garbage is very visible in India.  I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable brining 300 disposable diapers into the country knowing that they'll stay there for the rest of my life.  

Really, what right do we have to bring these horrendous things into a country whose own people don't use them and whose garbage system may not even be able to handle them?
Of course, the later part of this question applies to anywhere on earth-- even Seattle.  Violet's diapers will outlive her no matter where we are.
That is just the truth.

Anyway, I am doing my research, and trying to figure out the best cloth diapers to buy.
Here is some advice from a friend who, bless her soul, already uses cloth diapers on her kid (and they aren't even going to India!)

"i have a mix of bum genius and fuzzi bunz diapers.  i like the snaps on the fuzzi bunz but i think the bum genius leak less.  if i were buying more/again, i'd stick to the bum genius.  i have 16 diapers and do laundry every other day.  i also bought some inserts that are made of hemp (called superdo or something) to put in for night-time or longer stretches since the cloth probably need to be changed every 2-3 hours or they'll leak.  that worked for a while at night but we recently converted to huggies overnight disposables for nighttime cuz he was still waking up covered in pee.  sadly, we have to put him in disposables for daycare.

if you want to come over and check out my stash of cloth diapers, i'm happy to show them to you at some point.  you can go to the diaper lady in ballard and check out pretty much any type of diaper you hear about.  look at http://punkernoodlebaby.com/ if you wanted her info.  i went to her house to look at stuff but i bought my diapers in bulk online from the cheapest place i could find them.

good luck!!"  

India Mike

Who is India Mike?  I'm not exactly sure.
Possibly our new favorite friend.
One thing is for sure, this discussion forum is absolutely what we have been looking for....

www.indiamike.com

Here is how it works:   you type anything at all into the search box at the top right of the page--  for example, just now I typed in contact lens solution--  and your worried heart is instantly taken to various  discussion threads containing your search words.  If nothing comes up, you can post a question, and miraculously others write in telling you about their experience in India dealing with contacts, cribs, toddler dehydration, etc......

Also, you can do searches by region and city, and view pictures, discussion boards, hotels, etc...  of practically any area in India.

It is becoming very clear that people generally have a lot to say about India--  and people who have been there love sharing their experiences.  This, somehow, means the world to me.
Here are a couple more links about bringing kids to India....

Interview with travelin' mama: part 1

Interview with travelin' mama: part 2

Rachel 

g & g

Grandma Daisy.  Grandpa John.

every. single. day.  --I miss you both like mad.

There are all these rose colored memories that float around my head--  there you are sitting at your huge wooden table that is covered in everyday bed sheets and also lace from china and always colorful batiks from india. 

Everyone has a little english teacup.  and maybe a brownie or grapes or cookies from a dutch tin.  or a swedish pancake.  or a papadom.    

And the stories of your travels and your life in india wander through the daily conversation.  something about an elephant;  something about getting lost; something about a nice couple selling fruit at the market.  something about a church.  something about cooking.  

I wish I could sit at that table again with you and talk with you about this trip we are taking.  I know you would have miles to say about everything.  I know you could put my mind to rest.  

Rachel  

Vikram's Book

This is the book written by the professor leading the UW trip to Chandigarh - Vikram Prakash. It is widely considered the best book on the city and its history, and is fairly easy to read. It has a great introduction to the Indian independence from British rule in 1947 as well as architectural modernism in the post-WWII era. Le Corbusier was a Swiss-French architect and planner who designed the city - he is probably the most famous architect of the 20th century (either him or Frank Lloyd Wright).

It is called "Chandigarh's Le Corbusier".

--Tyler

Dinner time...

The more food experiences we have with anything surrounding India, the more excited I get. Last week we picked up with dishes from Trader Joe's - ready-to-eat packets of "Indian Fare." I was skeptical of their quality until I saw they were actually made in India.

They both were very good with unique flavors. The Dal (black lentils) was spicier than the Choley, and had a deep tomato-cream base that we great. I wasn't looking forward to the chickpeas ( I mainly got it because it said Punjab on the box) but they were better than I thought - it also had a tomato base. I didn't realize tomatoes were so prevalent in Indian food, but like Italian, they form the base for many sauces in a lot of different dishes. Not native to India (nor to Italy) the tomato seems to be a more successful conquerer than the British, Dutch or Portuguese!

We had these two dishes on separate nights with a marinated pork tenderloin. I used this recipe below - one day in the fridge in a ziplock bag, cooked on the grill.

• Indian Spice Paste:
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water

I am blown away by the spice mixtures and the intensity of them all - even without heat. I also didn't realize so much coriander was used. Violet seems to enjoy it all, although we are being very careful and cautious. This house sure smells like Indian food!

--Tyler

Food Adventures

As we prepare for this trip, I find myself looking to food for hints of what is to come. The sensory experience of eating Indian food is overwhelming - the smells, the heat, the colors, the spices - and in grey Seattle, seems to provide the closest "real" Indian experience we can find. With all our concerns with Violet, gaining confidence in the food we'll eat and give to her in Chandigarh rises to the top.

A few weeks ago we went to Mayuri, a fantastic Indian restaurant on the East Side. At 11am on a Wednesday (the joys of an academic schedule!) we fired up the Jetta and navigated the suburban Redmond street. It was fittingly a very hot day, but the place was air-conditioned (unlike our apartment) and the lunch buffet was just opening up. I filled my plate first while Rachel sat with Violet. Chick peas and spinach, paneer tikka, naan, potatoes, raita, roast chicken - the buffet looked fantastic. In my mind, though, I am trying to sort for a one-year old's palate: too spicy? too hard? too spicy? too spicy? As I finished my (heaping) plate I realized, that spicy (hot spicy) food was my only real worry - and everything had a little heat. When I returned to the table, and relieved Rachel, my concerns dissolved as I watched Violet eat bit after bite of mildly spicy food. I dare say she liked it that way.

Dining out with a one-year old is always a challenge, but she did very well. As we were leaving, all three of us full from a big lunch, I felt a bit more assured about our food encounters in India.

I think eating food in Chandigarh (like eating food here) requires judgement decisions, health choices, and overall attention. We really don't know what it will be like exactly - and there is no way to find out. But I am confident we can handle what ever we find. I continue to be fascinated by Indian food (north and south, veg or meat) and look forward to learning more.

--Tyler

pack 'n play

We have this portable bed that we are planning on taking to India for Violet-- a pack 'n play.  It looks like a fairly normal crib when it's set up-- but then you push a few buttons and it collapses into itself, and you stuff it into this 4-foot carrying sack.  It has been very convenient for us in the past when we've traveled....    

...But I keep thinking about it.  I can't stop.

At 3am I am awake in bed picturing our arrival in India-- we're carrying Violet, suitcases, backpacks, and then this enormous pack 'n play.  It is about as easy to carry as a box full of trombones--  this cumbersome rectangular thing with one little meshy handle sticking out the top.  I picture the scene-- trying to find this thing as we get off the plane, thrown around with all the other cargo-- and then there we are trying to make ourselves as small as possible as we move through a crowded airport, running into people, dropping stuff, shuffling Violet with everything else.  
By 4am I have moved on-- assuming it actually arrives in India still bound together in one piece, and assuming we somehow manage to locate it and get it out of the airport---  I drive myself crazy wondering if we are going to have to puzzle piece ourselves and all of our bags and this pack 'n play into one of these to get to our new home.....

And then around 5am, assuming we manage to get to our place of residence, I start wondering if the pack 'n play is even going to work for Violet by January.  Will she be too big by then to sleep in it?  Will it fit in our room?  Will she be able to climb out of it by then?

Like a good American mother, I have rigorously trained Violet from day one to sleep in her own bed because I was told by everyone that having her sleep with us would be a hard habit to break, and wouldn't work well for anyone involved.  But now that we are going to India, I wish that we didn't have to worry about her having her own separate bed.  Also, in a foreign land, I feel like I am going to want to have her tucked safely in between us at night.  But she is so trained now, and every time we have tried to bring her into bed with us it turns into a bit of a circus.  She stands up and looks down at us and laughs.  She crawls around and is too excited for sleep. I feel like she's going to fall on the floor while we're sleeping (if we don't roll over and crush her first)-- and then she'll started moving around the dark room playing with the electrical outlets; pulling bureaus onto herself; falling out the window.
These are the everyday worries of a mother--  adding India to the equation doesn't help.
But then I breathe a bit and think that maybe we just need to give in, and make it work, and decide that bringing this bed to tote around India just isn't something worth doing.  Maybe we just need to make ourselves adjust.  But also, maybe, it represents a sense of safety for me-- of security.  --Violet will be fine, if only I can provide her with the normalcy of her own bed.  And maybe this is true.
Anyway, I can't seem to come to a resolution.
See you at 3am.

Rachel

passport

Today we ordered Violet's passport. All three of us had to go, and Tyler and I both had to sign the papers. It was all very official, naturally. It's a funny thing though, ordering a passport for a baby. --because by the time we go, 5 months from now, she will look miles different from the photo, and by the time we return it will probably seem as though we're trying to pass her off as her younger sister. She has just recently become a toddler, but by that point she will have passed out of that phase and be well into kid-hood.

But, let me tell you, this passport is going to be adorable. She has this little turnip grin on her face-- she's not smiling exactly (she wasn't allowed to smile in the picture; isn't that strange?) but she has this fabulous smirk on her face with these big round cheeks and her curls waving hello from behind her ears. Tyler and I both about melted when the Wallgreens guy handed them to us. She looks so eager. So very here I am, ready to go.

Rachel

Violet: Ready for Anything