Our crazy, amazing, exhausting trip!

 Jo Vooght the baby whisperer

 jet lagged

 making a friend

 making a daisy chain bracelet

 the town of Luss

 Danno!

 Lunga House

 a little sink for a little tooshie

 the flower girl/ring bearer

 all dressed up.

The Kumars tearing up the dance floor...as usual.

We got back from Scotland on Friday night and we were all absolutely worn out.  I actually got my first decent night of sleep last night because the girls schedules are so mixed up.  But let’s start at the beginning…

The trip there went really well, on the flight from Philly to Glasgow Mala was asleep before the plane took off and slept the entire flight except when she woke up briefly to tell me she was going to dream of kit kats and that Jill was really going to like her princess blanket.  Meena did great too, slept most of the flight, nursed the rest of the time.  We were not the crying, seat kicking pains, in the butts that some are.   I got zero sleep though because I had Mala’s head in my lap and was holding Meena.

So we got there on Tuesday, my plan was to hang out with Jill (with Meena) on her hen day/night and let Mala stay with my parents.  When it was time for me to head out for the boat trip with the girls, Mala started crying.  Not naughty crying that makes you angry, but quiet pathetic crying that makes you feel rotten, needless to say I did not attend the boat trip.  We spent the rest of the day getting to our hotel, resting, and finally, getting to see our very dear family friends Jo and Keith Vooght.  Anil made it home from work around 5pm and we were super excited to see him…and I did end up making it out to a pub for drinks and dinner for the Hen night.  Meena in tow.  Picture me nursing, while standing and chatting with some very stylishly dressed girls in a pub.  But I did have a fantastic evening meeting Jill’s friends and spending some time with her family.  Mala was up when I got home at midnight, waiting for me (read: the exhaustion begins).

Wednesday was a beautiful day, sunny.  We headed to an awesome park, with Jo and Keith.  This park had a really nice coffee shop right by the playground, so you could actually sit and drink coffee at a table while your kids played…why do we not have coffee shops in playgrounds?  In the afternoon the girls and I took on the adventure of taking the train to Jill’s parent’s house for a pampering party.  What??  I rode the train in Scotland, just me and my two kids…yes I did people.  Please feel free to be proud of me for my ambition.  Not because I rode a train in Scotland, but because it was just me and the girls.

Thursday was the big bus drive to Lunga House.  It ended up being an all day affair.  I was really nervous because Meena hates her car seat, but somehow she miraculously was wonder baby and only a few times let out a few little fusses.  The trip was crazy, we ended up having to detour off the motorway because of an accident so we took these winding, hilly, country roads seeing loads of sheep and highland cows along the way.  We stopped 3 times and I nursed each time to try and keep my little bottomless pit full.  Finally that night we got to the amazing Lunga House.  It was everything I had hoped it would be from the pictures I had seen.  I was so worn out when we got there from the tension of wondering when the little one’s screaming would begin, but the girls were still on N.C. time so they weren’t nearly ready for bed.  I’ll try not to dwell on the fact of how bummed I was when everyone excitedly decided to head to the pub for drinks, and there I was…me and my kids.  I’m frequently jealous of childless people for their freedom and sleep, but nothing quite like the envy I felt that night.  Ok, moving on.

Friday went great, the night before Meena slept 8hrs straight and went right back to sleep…it’s only fitting she sleeps so well in a castle.  My family was still sleeping when breakfast was being served so I left Anil with the girls and enjoyed a peaceful meal with my parents everyone staying in the castle and got to eat my meal with both hands because I wasn’t juggling two little ladies.  Most folks took a day trip, but mom and I hung back with the girls.  We had a nice pub lunch, then a relaxing afternoon.  Friday night was the rehearsal dinner in the pub, which was delicious, but I ended up enjoying my meal up in mom and dad’s room above the pub.  Both girls were super cranky and just needed some quiet.

Saturday…the big day.  Another good breakfast then on to Jill’s room with all the other bridesmaids for primping.  Jill gave Mala this snazzy little pink digital camera that actually takes really nice pictures.  This was perfect for Mala because she loves taking pictures with our camera.  She took tons of pics throughout the rest of the day.  We enjoyed sandwiches and champagne while getting ourselves all ready for the wedding.  Anil headed down to the boy’s room where he got kilted, I don’t think that’s an actual term, but hearing him describe putting a kilt on reminds me of when Anil’s family helps me dress in a saree.

Jill stepped out with her mom to get dressed and when she came back in her gown the waterworks began.  She looked absolutely amazing!

The wedding was really sweet and personal and best of all, my kids behaved themselves!

The best part of the night for me was the céilidh (pronounced “caley”) dancing.  Which is kind of Scottish square dancing, but with more spinning and more fun.  The music gets faster and faster throughout the song causing the dancing to get crazier and crazier.  It was a blast.  Mala loved it too and would have participated more if I’d let her.  I was terrified she was going to get trampled due to the craziness of the dancing, the alcohol consumption of everyone, and the fact that she refused to wear shoes.  I actually got to enjoy a lot of the evening because my sweet little cluster feeder gave me a break.  Apparently blasting music helps her sleep because she took a really long nap with my mom carrying her around during the dancing.

Sunday before leaving Lunga House and heading back to Glasgow there was a hog roast that was delicious.  After everyone’s belly was full of pig there was a tea cake eating contest which Anil and Brandon were a terrible representation for the U.S. eating only about 4 cakes, the winner ate 11.  The trip home went well too.  Both girls were very good.  I pathetically lost the battle of fighting back tears about 15 miles out of Glasgow and was a blubbering mess by the time we actually said or goodbyes.

The trip was amazing and even though the girls probably won’t remember it I’m so glad that we have pictures and they were both a part of such an important event.  This trip would not have been possible without my parents.  A huge huge thank you to both of them for helping get us across the Atlantic and back in one piece.  I'm so glad they came and on this trip with us.