Leaving for three months is long enough that it takes about 2 -3 weeks on the front end to prepare and 2-3 weeks on the back end to get back into the swing of life. Jet lag is pretty bad with toddlers as it is impossible to just get them to lie in bed until they go back to sleep (= It is 4am and I am actually the only one awake! I've tried to arrange playdates at key times when they would be falling asleep and then just forewarn whomever it is that we will all be groggy and probably grumpy.
After the last three nights of awful sleep, I was determined to keep the kids awake yesterday evening (while I took a nap, no less!!) and forced them to play and watch TV with our wonderful nanny/house helper. As soon as I popped my head round the corner (after sleeping for two glorious hours) and turned the TV off, Layla was sobbing to just lay down and go to bed. I forced baths and a few bites of food and she sobbed the whole time. At one point she just escaped me and climbed into bed. Now that is what I'm talking about.
Ryan - true to his nature is happy regardless of how exhausted he is (= He is just sweet and fun and bouncy and fell into bed as well. I am thrilled to have gotten more sleep tonight than in the previous three nights combined even though I am still up at 4am.
Because we moved to a new home 6 weeks before visiting the US it sort of didn't feel like we were actually coming home. There are no memories here and I haven't quite emotionally bonded with the house. I'm still comparing it to my old one and longing for our yard though we are thrilled with the space for kids to run around inside and for space for hosting. We could actually host one dad and three kids, two unrelated single folks, one couple and a new family..... this weekend! Won't do all that though honestly we could almost stash everyone in a separate place if they didn't mind being in a crazy house (= I'm low key enough and with a wonderful house-helper I don't mind hosting a bunch of folks. Especially since it is SO helpful for new people in the country to talk to other folks as they compare career options or schools for kids etc etc.
Part of "planting" back in our home here is to drive slowly around and look at what has changed. Not much has though some key things have happend....the huge, lovely playground and park area that popped up so enticingly then sat dormant and half-finished looks like it will be done this year! We are THRILLED. Our town is small enough that the only decent play area is the one at Layla's school. There is another park in town but is half-finished and about on par with an inner-city US playground (=
There is a small intersection that FINALLY has signage so you know who is (technically) supposed to go. I had been resorting to the biggest car gets their way for the last year. I drive a big car so there you go! One of our favorite restaurants is rumored to be having a major bling overhaul. There are now pillars covered in disco-ball tiles in the eating area. wierd.
We we'll see how long it takes but I'm only okay seeing people I can be around when totally groggy and and when the kids are wildly unpredictable (= That is a small crowd at the moment. Really I should be off to bed but I"m so happy the kids are sleeping and so happy for some peace and quiet. I'm just going to stay up a bit longer (=
After the last three nights of awful sleep, I was determined to keep the kids awake yesterday evening (while I took a nap, no less!!) and forced them to play and watch TV with our wonderful nanny/house helper. As soon as I popped my head round the corner (after sleeping for two glorious hours) and turned the TV off, Layla was sobbing to just lay down and go to bed. I forced baths and a few bites of food and she sobbed the whole time. At one point she just escaped me and climbed into bed. Now that is what I'm talking about.
Ryan - true to his nature is happy regardless of how exhausted he is (= He is just sweet and fun and bouncy and fell into bed as well. I am thrilled to have gotten more sleep tonight than in the previous three nights combined even though I am still up at 4am.
Because we moved to a new home 6 weeks before visiting the US it sort of didn't feel like we were actually coming home. There are no memories here and I haven't quite emotionally bonded with the house. I'm still comparing it to my old one and longing for our yard though we are thrilled with the space for kids to run around inside and for space for hosting. We could actually host one dad and three kids, two unrelated single folks, one couple and a new family..... this weekend! Won't do all that though honestly we could almost stash everyone in a separate place if they didn't mind being in a crazy house (= I'm low key enough and with a wonderful house-helper I don't mind hosting a bunch of folks. Especially since it is SO helpful for new people in the country to talk to other folks as they compare career options or schools for kids etc etc.
Part of "planting" back in our home here is to drive slowly around and look at what has changed. Not much has though some key things have happend....the huge, lovely playground and park area that popped up so enticingly then sat dormant and half-finished looks like it will be done this year! We are THRILLED. Our town is small enough that the only decent play area is the one at Layla's school. There is another park in town but is half-finished and about on par with an inner-city US playground (=
There is a small intersection that FINALLY has signage so you know who is (technically) supposed to go. I had been resorting to the biggest car gets their way for the last year. I drive a big car so there you go! One of our favorite restaurants is rumored to be having a major bling overhaul. There are now pillars covered in disco-ball tiles in the eating area. wierd.
We we'll see how long it takes but I'm only okay seeing people I can be around when totally groggy and and when the kids are wildly unpredictable (= That is a small crowd at the moment. Really I should be off to bed but I"m so happy the kids are sleeping and so happy for some peace and quiet. I'm just going to stay up a bit longer (=
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