The last time we heard from the voices in my head (or at least the last time YOU heard from them…they won’t freaking shut up for me), they were cheering me on while I attempted to walk/run 6 miles with my friend in the middle of the Australian summer. I also ate a fly and may have accidentally married Miss A in the process. All in all, a very productive workout session, I would say.
Well, both Geanie and Meanie now want to let you know how to survive the first week after uprooting your entire family and moving across the globe. Again. For the second time in 9 months.
Let’s see what they have to say, shall we?
Geanie: OMG! We totally get to move to England! I’ve ALWAYS wanted to move to England!! I hope I get to have tea and crumpets with the Queen! I need to practice my accent: The raaaaain in Spaaaaain faaauls gently on the plaaaaaaain. I CANNOT WAIT!
Meanie: OH DEAR GOD! Not again! We just freaking moved! We just got our stuff from Australia after waiting 4 FREAKING MONTHS and now we have to pack up everything AGAIN???? KILL ME NOW!
Geanie: Wahoo! We get to go through all of our belongings and get rid of the clutter. I bet we can sell quite a few things to make some extra cash so that we can have another fresh start! Decluttering feels so good! Hmmm….what else do I have a lot of that perhaps I can sell so we won’t have to lug so much stuff with us? Hmmmmmmmmm………..
Meanie: DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! Get your disgusting, cheery hands off of my yarn! I don’t care that I have enough to open my own store and that the guest room is going to consist of a yarn stuffed mattress, closet, dresser, and possibly bathtub! If I even catch a glimpse dollar signs in your eyes when you look at my yarn, I WILL CUT YOU!
Geanie: Oh, the kids are going to love being on an airplane again! Luckily, the flight isn’t very long, and it’s at night so they can sleep, so they should get over the jet lag pretty easily. YAY!! My kids are awesome!
Meanie: UUuuuuuuughhhh. A red eye flight. And we’re leaving hours after the kids’ bedtime which means they’re going to be super tired and probably super cranky. If we have another episode like we did flying to Bangkok, I may have to kill…….everyone.
Geanie: We made it!! Yay! It’s so freaking cute! It’s like we stepped out of an Agatha Christie novel! I cannot wait to meet the neighbors! Maybe they know the Queen and can introduce me. YAYAYAYAY!
Meanie: Wow. It's.....not bad. So many wild blackberries growing all over the place. I actually could really like this pla…..WHAT THE CRAP??? I’ve been attacked by some plant and am swelling, itching and hurting all at the same time!! STINGING NETTLES???? I thought I left all the dangerous wildlife back in Australia!!
Geanie: Oh yay! Going car shopping has never been so fun! A beautiful car drive along the quaint country roads! The kids have been such troopers, even though they’ve been stuck in the car all day. Oh my sweet little angels! I just want to snuggle them to pieces!
Meanie: Holy crap this is a long drive! Where the heck is this dealership? What?? Down a dirt road that leads to a farm? Are we in the right place?? Just great! We’re lost in the middle of England somewhere and both the kids are saying they need to go potty. UGH!! It’s not like we can just take a 50 pacer on the side of the road!
Geanie: Awwwww! How cute! Seeing their tiny little butts hanging off the side of the fence while they potty out in the country, just like the cows and sheep they’re looking at! Their first Poop On The Side of The Road in the Country! What a momentous occasion!
Meanie: DO NOT TAKE A DUMP ON MY SHOES! Point your butt THAT way! HURRY UP AND PUSH, ALREADY!
Geanie: Whew! What a long day! The end of our first week in England! Now to sleep in our cute English house, with the cute English windows, on our cute English beds. SO LOVING IT HERE!!!
Meanie. GAH! I’m so ready to pass out from all the exhaustion! When will our bed get here?? And, GREAT GOOGLY MOOGLY, ENGLAND!! Put some freaking screens on the windows! I’ve never seen so many spiders in my house in my whole life! AND I LIVED IN AUSTRALIA FOR 3 YEARS!!! I hope we’re going to survive here…..
We have definitely survived our first week and are enjoying discovering all the different quirks of living in a new country. One thing’s for sure- there is enough vegetation all around so that, if needed, you can pull over during a long drive and poop on the side of the road in complete privacy. No toilet paper? No worries! There are plenty of leaves to choose from! Just be careful, though. Australia has some dangerous bugs and animals, but England has plants that can bite you. (SERIOUSLY!! Stinging nettles?!?! They freaking hurt, man!)
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
On The Move Again
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was a time of insane stress, and a time of unbridled excitement. Moving day is always like that- a mixture of OMG! We're moving again! and, OMGWE'REMOVINGAGAIN!!!
We are currently in yet another hotel room, awaiting our flight tomorrow to take us to another land where we’ll have another house, have to look for another car, hopefully meet new friends (wanna be my friend?? There may be yarn in it for you...), and pray our stuff doesn’t take another freakin’ 4 months to come back to us.
It’s almost exactly 4 years since our last big move from the States. Moving is never easy, but I must admit, compared to 4 years ago, this has been a walk in the park.
Back then, we had a 2 month old newborn, I was having horrendous postpartum depression and anxiety and was *thiiiiiiiiiiis* close to a total meltdown. I was so afraid my precious little baby was going throw me a curve ball and, instead of just eat, sleep, and poop like he normally did, he'd....I don't know....poop, eat, and then sleep? Or something similarly crazy like that.
I was terrified of breastfeeding on the plane and then having a huge diaper blowout to contend with, as well as a potential screaming baby for all to enjoy. I was terrified of everything, really. Man. I was a mess.
Now, even though we have 2 small children this time around, we thankfully don’t have a newborn anymore. I am not dealing with postpartum hormones (THANK YOU, JESUS!) and I don’t worry about what goes in or out of their mouths or butts anymore. Just a little duct tape for their mouths and a cork for their butts and BOOM. We have this travel thing down.
Even though this has been an easier move, comparatively, it has not been an easy move by any means. This last bout of Lyme has seriously kicked my butt, making me all but useless many days. Perrrrrfect timing for when I need to be on my game for such a stressful time, let me tell ya.
However, today has been a good day. A calm day. We have finished most of the large items on our list and have a good plan in place for the other things we need to do tomorrow before we leave. Everyone is sleeping right now, including My Mister. It’s a well-deserved rest for him and I just hope these next couple of days will go smoothly so we’ll all be relaxed and have an easy transition to our new abode.
One of the large items on my list included an activity with my BFF Lyteyz. You see, after hearing about all the fun I’ve had yarnbombing with my Aussie friends, she really wanted to get in on the action before we moved. However, since it would just be the two of us, we had to choose a small target so we could complete it in time, as well as minimize our chances of getting chased by the PoPo. Dude. I don’t need any more stress. Or arrest warrants. I’m hardcore, yo.
So we decided to yarnbomb my sister’s Jeep.
It was brilliant, really. She was on a mission trip to Haiti, so we were able to get the measurements without her knowing. Lyteyz worked on many of the squares right away while I went nuts trying to get ready for a move. She was afraid that I wasn’t up for it anymore since our move date was getting closer and closer and I hadn’t worked on it at all. However, she totally underestimated my ability to crochet like a madwoman when jacked on adrenaline, stress, and a mountain of mind altering drugs. (Don't you dare take away my caffeine- I will cut you.)
I had the perfect design for her- something I designed years ago, though for a different purpose. I had to polish up my rusty algebra skills to get it to work just right and am pleased to report that I am still able to solve for “x.” Yes. I know. I am all that and a bag of Cheetos.
Lyteyz was leaving early Saturday morning on vacation (which means she won’t be able to see us off tomorrow- *sniff*), so we stayed up Friday night til 1am crocheting and sewing and yet, alas, we still were not able to finish everything to pull it off that night. BOOOOOOOOOO!
So, even though it was her first yarnbombing, my dear Lyteyz was unable to participate in the actual “bombing” part. However, since it only took a couple minutes to put up, she really didn’t miss anything. Well, actually, I could have used her help during the knife fight and subsequent tazing, but otherwise, she didn’t miss anything.
So, on the eve of the eve of my last day here, I put up my latest yarnbombing.
My sister loved it and both Lyteyz and I are happy to know our hard work will be appreciated and will last for a long time, instead of being torn down and tossed away like last time. (Oh wow- seriously forgot that I never blogged about the last time!)
It felt good to get my creative and designing juices flowing again. Now I just need to wait for all my yarn to make it back safely to my hoarding arms so that I can once again unleash bombs of yarny goodness all over my future hometown.
Where will that be, you ask? Well, guvnah, I’m not going to tell you just yet. Though I’m sure you brilliant chaps will be able to figure it out.
Peace, love, and yarn, y’all! See you on the other side!
We are currently in yet another hotel room, awaiting our flight tomorrow to take us to another land where we’ll have another house, have to look for another car, hopefully meet new friends (wanna be my friend?? There may be yarn in it for you...), and pray our stuff doesn’t take another freakin’ 4 months to come back to us.
It’s almost exactly 4 years since our last big move from the States. Moving is never easy, but I must admit, compared to 4 years ago, this has been a walk in the park.
Back then, we had a 2 month old newborn, I was having horrendous postpartum depression and anxiety and was *thiiiiiiiiiiis* close to a total meltdown. I was so afraid my precious little baby was going throw me a curve ball and, instead of just eat, sleep, and poop like he normally did, he'd....I don't know....poop, eat, and then sleep? Or something similarly crazy like that.
I was terrified of breastfeeding on the plane and then having a huge diaper blowout to contend with, as well as a potential screaming baby for all to enjoy. I was terrified of everything, really. Man. I was a mess.
Now, even though we have 2 small children this time around, we thankfully don’t have a newborn anymore. I am not dealing with postpartum hormones (THANK YOU, JESUS!) and I don’t worry about what goes in or out of their mouths or butts anymore. Just a little duct tape for their mouths and a cork for their butts and BOOM. We have this travel thing down.
Even though this has been an easier move, comparatively, it has not been an easy move by any means. This last bout of Lyme has seriously kicked my butt, making me all but useless many days. Perrrrrfect timing for when I need to be on my game for such a stressful time, let me tell ya.
However, today has been a good day. A calm day. We have finished most of the large items on our list and have a good plan in place for the other things we need to do tomorrow before we leave. Everyone is sleeping right now, including My Mister. It’s a well-deserved rest for him and I just hope these next couple of days will go smoothly so we’ll all be relaxed and have an easy transition to our new abode.
One of the large items on my list included an activity with my BFF Lyteyz. You see, after hearing about all the fun I’ve had yarnbombing with my Aussie friends, she really wanted to get in on the action before we moved. However, since it would just be the two of us, we had to choose a small target so we could complete it in time, as well as minimize our chances of getting chased by the PoPo. Dude. I don’t need any more stress. Or arrest warrants. I’m hardcore, yo.
So we decided to yarnbomb my sister’s Jeep.
It was brilliant, really. She was on a mission trip to Haiti, so we were able to get the measurements without her knowing. Lyteyz worked on many of the squares right away while I went nuts trying to get ready for a move. She was afraid that I wasn’t up for it anymore since our move date was getting closer and closer and I hadn’t worked on it at all. However, she totally underestimated my ability to crochet like a madwoman when jacked on adrenaline, stress, and a mountain of mind altering drugs. (Don't you dare take away my caffeine- I will cut you.)
I had the perfect design for her- something I designed years ago, though for a different purpose. I had to polish up my rusty algebra skills to get it to work just right and am pleased to report that I am still able to solve for “x.” Yes. I know. I am all that and a bag of Cheetos.
Lyteyz was leaving early Saturday morning on vacation (which means she won’t be able to see us off tomorrow- *sniff*), so we stayed up Friday night til 1am crocheting and sewing and yet, alas, we still were not able to finish everything to pull it off that night. BOOOOOOOOOO!
So, even though it was her first yarnbombing, my dear Lyteyz was unable to participate in the actual “bombing” part. However, since it only took a couple minutes to put up, she really didn’t miss anything. Well, actually, I could have used her help during the knife fight and subsequent tazing, but otherwise, she didn’t miss anything.
So, on the eve of the eve of my last day here, I put up my latest yarnbombing.
 |
| It's Mrs. Skullhead Bony Hands! |
My sister loved it and both Lyteyz and I are happy to know our hard work will be appreciated and will last for a long time, instead of being torn down and tossed away like last time. (Oh wow- seriously forgot that I never blogged about the last time!)
It felt good to get my creative and designing juices flowing again. Now I just need to wait for all my yarn to make it back safely to my hoarding arms so that I can once again unleash bombs of yarny goodness all over my future hometown.
Where will that be, you ask? Well, guvnah, I’m not going to tell you just yet. Though I’m sure you brilliant chaps will be able to figure it out.
Peace, love, and yarn, y’all! See you on the other side!
Sunday, August 2, 2015
All of the Feels
Feelings…..nothing more than feeeeeeelings……….feeelings of……. O.M.G!
One of the reasons I’ve been so silent here as of late is because life has been a huge roller coaster for me and my family for a long while. However, instead of having the uphill reprieves of a normal roller coaster, there were so many more scary, downhill, “OMG-I’M-GOING-TO-DIE!” moments in our lives.
I truly do try to find the funny in the not-so-funny parts of life. I think I have a good sense of humor and, truth be told, use humor as an escape from the not so humorous parts of life. As far as escapes go, using humor seems to be one of the healthier ways about it, don’t ya think? Of course you do. You’re not a heartless sociopath, right? Because, if you are, ummmm……………heeeeey there, you……..amazing person, you. *Don’tkillmeplease*
Ahem.
I figure there’s a difference between being depressed and being depressing, ya know?
Well, things here have been rather depressing for us, to be honest. And, even though I’ve truly been craving social interactions with others to help keep my mind off of all the craziness that’s surrounded us, I have not been able to find words to convey the ugly without bringing the ugly to everyone else.
So. I have been trying really hard to focus on all of the good that’s been happening, in spite of all the bad. I am a natural optimist, after all, so putting on rose colored glasses usually isn’t that difficult for me.
Today is a case in point.
Today happens to be the 3rd anniversary of my dad’s death. (OH NO! Please stop crying!! It gets better- I promise!)
Today also happens to be the mrfmrfmrf anniversary of my birth. It’s something I’ve really not had any reason in which to find joy the past 3 years. (Dude. Please ignore the hundreds of tiny violins you hear right now. Unless they’re playing your favorite song, of course. In that case, enjoy the music in your head, you crazy person, you.)
I’ve been hiding my birthday from all of my online interactions for years. Paranoia runs deep in my family, young padawan. Don’t judge me. I’ll cut you.
I’ve mentioned my birthday was in August many times on this blog, but have not actually put my actual birth day because………stalkers. And Big Brother. DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!
But, this time, I decided to actually unmask my birthday from my FB friends because, well…..truth be told, I needed the love. I needed to know that folks knew who I was and actually cared about me and that today was special enough for them to connect with me…..even though I was too engulfed in my stress, anxiety, and fears to connect with them.
OH COME ON! Don’t pretend you don’t also love the attention you get on FB on your birthday! YOU TOTALLY DO!!!!
Well, not only was today filled with amazing love and gifts from My Mister and kids, I was also rewarded with lots of birthday wishes from friends and family that I haven’t heard from in a long time on FB, AND (!!!) I was also rewarded with an amazing birthday gift from an interaction on Twitter, as well.
You see, I was already feeling bummed since today reminds me how freaking old I truly am. And then, to pour salt in my aging wounds, as I was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with my kids, huge waves of nostalgia washed over me, once again reinforcing just how old I am.
If you don’t already know, the voices of Daisy Duck and Toodles also happen to be the very talented voice actors of just about every cartoon that makes up your and my childhood. For instance, they voiced Dot and Yakko Warner on Animaniacs, respectively. If you do not know what Animaniacs is, then…………OH DEAR GOD I’M OLD!
So, I happened to send out a tweet that said, “Hearing @yakkopinky and Tress MacNeille work together on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse just makes me miss Animaniacs. And then I feel old.”
Little did I know that Rob Paulsen, the voice of Yakko himself, also happens to be an all-around cool guy who just so happened to respond to me. Then I responded to him. And he responded to me………..again and again.
I’m not going to lie. IT WAS AWESOME.
It finally culminated in me tweeting, “(FYI: today’s my b-day….chatting with you has made it very memorable, to say the least."
And then………..you guys!!!!!
He tweeted back this:
 |
| AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! |
I KNOW, RIGHT?????!!!!??????
So, even though my birthday has sucked for a few years, this year, thanks to an amazing husband who knows just the right gifts to get me, a neurotic need for online relationships and appreciation, an aging sense of nostalgia, and an amazing person who also happens to be one of the most talented voice actors to ever grace our TV screens, today was a great day.
I’m feeling all of the feels, all of the love, and all of the pains associated with aging. Because, OhMylanta, people. I’m old.
And yet I’m also really happy.
Big hugs to all. Even the crazy ones.
(BTW......in other news..........we're moving. AGAIN. In 2 weeks. But where? DUN DA DUNNNNN....... You'll just have to play, "Where in the World is Gege Sandiego" to know for sure! Because I'm old.)
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Four Months
Four LOOOOOOONG months. That’s how long it’s been since my last blog post (!!) and how long it’s been since our stuff has been making the long journey from Australia back home to us on the East Coast. And today, that journey finally ends. FINALLY. In other words, I GET MY YARN STASH BACK TODAY!!!! If that’s not cause for celebration, I don’t know what is.
I had fully intended to blog during our trip back home- documenting our various travels and the yarn stores I visited along the way. However, starting with SweetPea catching a bad cold during our first stop in Guam, things kinda went downhill from there. We were like chain smokers, except with sicknesses, and I don’t mean plain ol’ colds, either. After we all caught SweePea’s cold, I was treated with an urgent care visit in Hawaii (for a doctor’s note saying I was healthy enough to fly….now there’s a fun story that goes with that….) where I found that I had ALSO had developed shingles. (!!) And that was just the beginning, finally culminating with Little Mister and I getting the flu last month. After that, I implemented a lock down for the kids and I. We had our groceries delivered and were true hermits and didn’t leave the house for weeks, except for doctor’s appointments of which there were quite a few.
Thankfully, that means that we have actually been well for about 4 weeks now, 2 of which My Mister was out of town, leaving me a neurotic mess hoping and praying we didn’t get sick while he was gone. Four straight weeks of not sneezing, coughing, runny noses, screaming babies, ERs, MRIs or CAT scans. There were still a couple urgent care visits, though. However, those were a result of SweetPea’s proclivity for sticking beans up her nose rather than snot coming out of it.
After traveling for nearly a month, visiting family and friends along the way, we were in a hotel for a month and a half until we found a house- our Christmas present. We moved in on Christmas Eve and had fun unpacking all our stuff that had been in storage for the past 3 years. It’s quite odd, actually. Seeing evidence of My Mister’s and my life pre-kids and all the memories that come with it, and then seeing our kids playing with these things that predate them by many years. It brought up some important questions, actually. Questions like, why the heck did we have a Blue’s Clues doll, anyway?
We celebrated Christmas a few days later because we were determined to have a Christmas tree and to make some happy memories with our kids. Seeing their ecstatic faces with the tree lit and all the presents for them was priceless. We were actually blessed with 4 sickness free days at that time and that was indeed a Christmas miracle.
Being well these last few weeks has been a true blessing. I was so close to losing my
And now, finally, today we get our stuff back from Australia. We get to have our house filled with memories from the past 3 years. The kids get their toys again. I get my kitchen back. (I’m so thankful to a very nice gal from church- someone I had never met- who has loaned me a set of pots and pans so I could cook these past 6 weeks. People can be so awesome sometimes!) And I finally, FINALLY get my yarn back.
Actually, funny enough, our stuff was delayed a bit because of said yarn. You see, when the Aussie movers packed it up, they labeled it “Wool,” which is the Aussie way of saying “yarn.” After a few boxes of wool, it then became, “WOOL!!” So, we got a nice email from US customs asking what these 9 boxes of wool were and if it was “directly from an animal” which made me laugh and laugh. Although I wanted to say, “It’s still on the animal…you did feed and water our flock, didn’t you?” I wisely decided to hold my tongue since I’m pretty sure US Customs folks don’t have senses of humor. Aussie ones sure don’t. They made us destroy our fake ficus tree when our stuff first arrived there 3 years ago. It was a FAKE tree, Australia. Thanks a lot! Now my house is ficus less!
The movers should be here shortly and I’m going to take the kids to a Fiber Friends get together, which brings me full circle to my first few weeks in Australia. You see, that same woman who started the Fibre Friends group in Australia lives not too far from me out here and has invited me to her newest group out here. She’s been one of the biggest blessings since moving back, actually. More on that later. I promise.
For now, I’s gots ta go. But, I promise it won’t be 4 months until my next post! As a matter of fact, I’m going to do a guest Valentine’s post for Libby….stay tuned….
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Moving On Up...
The movers are here. (!!!) THE MOVERS ARE HERE!!
Did I set aside enough yarn and clothes and yarn and toys and yarn to last us at least 2-3 months? I think I need to take some more yarn before they pack it all away.
DON’T TAKE MY YARN FROM ME! *SNARL SPIT HISS*
Will the kids transition easily? Of course they will, what am I thinking? They will think they just got the mother load of Christmas presents when they open up all the boxes with their toys on the other side. Kids are dumb.
Were we organized enough this time around to avoid all the snarling, hissing, and spitting that occurred last time? ORGANIZED??? HA! Just who’s blog do you think you are reading? Although, My Mister is super organized. That’s good. He’s probably thought of things that I didn’t think of. He’s amazing like that. I like him. I hope he likes me, too. DON’T LEAVE ME! I’ve got yarn! Though, that may not be as enticing for him as it is for me…. Hmmmm…. I’VE GOT YARN!!!!!
Yep, that should do it.
The movers just took a look at my vacuum packed stash and asked who the knitter is and then said, “I bet it’s not him!” WHAT? Just how racist can you be??? I AM A CROCHETER, NOT A KNITTER! I mean, yes I can knit now, BUT STILL!
It’s ok, Gege. It’s ok. Just hold on for a couple more days until they are all done with the packing and it will be ok. Remember your mantra! “I am a woman, not just a mindless eating machine. Fish are friends, BUT YARN IS BETTER!”
Better pack some more yarn….
Did I set aside enough yarn and clothes and yarn and toys and yarn to last us at least 2-3 months? I think I need to take some more yarn before they pack it all away.
DON’T TAKE MY YARN FROM ME! *SNARL SPIT HISS*
Will the kids transition easily? Of course they will, what am I thinking? They will think they just got the mother load of Christmas presents when they open up all the boxes with their toys on the other side. Kids are dumb.
Were we organized enough this time around to avoid all the snarling, hissing, and spitting that occurred last time? ORGANIZED??? HA! Just who’s blog do you think you are reading? Although, My Mister is super organized. That’s good. He’s probably thought of things that I didn’t think of. He’s amazing like that. I like him. I hope he likes me, too. DON’T LEAVE ME! I’ve got yarn! Though, that may not be as enticing for him as it is for me…. Hmmmm…. I’VE GOT YARN!!!!!
Yep, that should do it.
The movers just took a look at my vacuum packed stash and asked who the knitter is and then said, “I bet it’s not him!” WHAT? Just how racist can you be??? I AM A CROCHETER, NOT A KNITTER! I mean, yes I can knit now, BUT STILL!
It’s ok, Gege. It’s ok. Just hold on for a couple more days until they are all done with the packing and it will be ok. Remember your mantra! “I am a woman, not just a mindless eating machine. Fish are friends, BUT YARN IS BETTER!”
Better pack some more yarn….
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Life Marches On
Whoo hoo! March is finally here! Although, baby is not…yet. It can be any moment now, though, so of course I’m walking like a sumo wrestler in hopes that the next time I sneeze, she’ll just gently slide out because….well, labor hurts, y’all.
This pregnancy started out quite…challenging, to say the least, but I’m happy to report that it is ending a heck of a lot better than I could have ever anticipated. I thought I would be a miserable mess of a woman who couldn’t wait for this darn baby to get out of me NOW! Because that’s how I was with my first pregnancy. I was actually resenting Little Mister for not being born prematurely because I was in so much pain and misery. Yeah…I was in a pretty messed up place last time.
As they say, every pregnancy is different- glory be hallelujah! The biggest difference is that I’m not in constant pain every day and that has made a HUGE difference in EVERYTHING. Yes, I still have pelvic issues, but for the most part they are more on the “normal pregnancy” scale. I’ve been avoiding activities that will aggravate my joints, so no long walks or pushing Little Mister in his stroller, but I’ve been able to be a whole lot more mobile than I thought I would!
And that, my friends, is a very good thing because I needed to have all the strength I could muster in the last couple of weeks since we moved….AGAIN.
BOOYAH! Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?!? Major life stressor on the horizon?? No worries, mate- just pile it on top of the other ones so we can get them all out of the way at once! That’s the way we roll!
Thankfully, however, this was not an international move- we just moved houses. (Ha! I made that sound like it was so easy, didn’t I?!?) So, it wasn’t as bad or as stressful as it could have been, but still….I think I overestimated just how much I could do (and how quickly I could do it) at 8/9 months pregnant. I am thankful that we were able to move before the baby got here, though. It’s a whole lot easier to get things done when you’re carrying a baby around in your belly rather than in your arms!
We are now almost completely settled in again- just a few more things to get unpacked and find places for. This house doesn’t have as much closet space as the other house, which means I’ve been playing Tetris with my yarn stash trying to find room for it all. Heh…heh…….*gulp*
Speaking of Tetris…..
BOOYAH, AGAIN!! FINALLY! Little Mister’s Blanket o’Love! I have more (better) pictures- and the pattern!- to come, but since I’ve been so busy with the whole moving thing, I haven’t had the time to get it all together quite yet. BUT. It’s been two years since I started this thing so I thought I could at least show y’all what I had been working on. It’s actually not 100% finished yet- I still need to put a lining on the back. I had to order the fabric from the States and waited over a month for it to get here and then had other things to preoccupy my time (WE MOVED!) so my Little Mister is still Blanket o’Love-less. However, since it’s still a very hot summer out here (100 degrees today!), I figured he’s not going to need it for a little while yet, so I can procrastinate just a little bit longer.
I also have been crocheting things for the Little Miss, too. You’d think that I would be doing a lot of stash busting with the whole crocheting-for-a-new-baby thing, but then you’d be reading the wrong blog. I HAD to order just the perfect yarn, you see….so the increase to my stash truly was minimal……cross my heart! Besides, now there’s a whole new crib that I can stuff (more) yarn under, so…. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!
Anywho….just wanted to let y’all know that I’m still here and doing much better than I thought I’d be. Just waiting (and waiting) until I can meet our sweet Little Miss. Although, as much as I can’t wait to meet her, I must say I’m really savoring these last few days alone with Little Mister. He’s such a sweet little cuddle bug and I’m really going to miss our one-on-one time together. Oh man….I’m getting all verklempt over here. Talk amongst yourselves- I’ll give you a topic. Lightning McQueen is neither lightning nor a Scottish monarch. Discuss.
This pregnancy started out quite…challenging, to say the least, but I’m happy to report that it is ending a heck of a lot better than I could have ever anticipated. I thought I would be a miserable mess of a woman who couldn’t wait for this darn baby to get out of me NOW! Because that’s how I was with my first pregnancy. I was actually resenting Little Mister for not being born prematurely because I was in so much pain and misery. Yeah…I was in a pretty messed up place last time.
As they say, every pregnancy is different- glory be hallelujah! The biggest difference is that I’m not in constant pain every day and that has made a HUGE difference in EVERYTHING. Yes, I still have pelvic issues, but for the most part they are more on the “normal pregnancy” scale. I’ve been avoiding activities that will aggravate my joints, so no long walks or pushing Little Mister in his stroller, but I’ve been able to be a whole lot more mobile than I thought I would!
And that, my friends, is a very good thing because I needed to have all the strength I could muster in the last couple of weeks since we moved….AGAIN.
BOOYAH! Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?!? Major life stressor on the horizon?? No worries, mate- just pile it on top of the other ones so we can get them all out of the way at once! That’s the way we roll!
Thankfully, however, this was not an international move- we just moved houses. (Ha! I made that sound like it was so easy, didn’t I?!?) So, it wasn’t as bad or as stressful as it could have been, but still….I think I overestimated just how much I could do (and how quickly I could do it) at 8/9 months pregnant. I am thankful that we were able to move before the baby got here, though. It’s a whole lot easier to get things done when you’re carrying a baby around in your belly rather than in your arms!
We are now almost completely settled in again- just a few more things to get unpacked and find places for. This house doesn’t have as much closet space as the other house, which means I’ve been playing Tetris with my yarn stash trying to find room for it all. Heh…heh…….*gulp*
Speaking of Tetris…..
 |
| It's not lopsided...promise. Just a crappy picture. |
BOOYAH, AGAIN!! FINALLY! Little Mister’s Blanket o’Love! I have more (better) pictures- and the pattern!- to come, but since I’ve been so busy with the whole moving thing, I haven’t had the time to get it all together quite yet. BUT. It’s been two years since I started this thing so I thought I could at least show y’all what I had been working on. It’s actually not 100% finished yet- I still need to put a lining on the back. I had to order the fabric from the States and waited over a month for it to get here and then had other things to preoccupy my time (WE MOVED!) so my Little Mister is still Blanket o’Love-less. However, since it’s still a very hot summer out here (100 degrees today!), I figured he’s not going to need it for a little while yet, so I can procrastinate just a little bit longer.
I also have been crocheting things for the Little Miss, too. You’d think that I would be doing a lot of stash busting with the whole crocheting-for-a-new-baby thing, but then you’d be reading the wrong blog. I HAD to order just the perfect yarn, you see….so the increase to my stash truly was minimal……cross my heart! Besides, now there’s a whole new crib that I can stuff (more) yarn under, so…. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!
Anywho….just wanted to let y’all know that I’m still here and doing much better than I thought I’d be. Just waiting (and waiting) until I can meet our sweet Little Miss. Although, as much as I can’t wait to meet her, I must say I’m really savoring these last few days alone with Little Mister. He’s such a sweet little cuddle bug and I’m really going to miss our one-on-one time together. Oh man….I’m getting all verklempt over here. Talk amongst yourselves- I’ll give you a topic. Lightning McQueen is neither lightning nor a Scottish monarch. Discuss.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Welcome Home
Thank you to all you fellow mothers who have been giving me encouragement during these sleep-less days and reinforcing the fact that these days only seem interminable but will in actuality eventually end... one of these days. One of these long, long, never ending days I will indeed get more than 1-2 hours of sleep at a time. The crazy thing is that, cumulatively, I actually get around 8 hours of sleep. However, the constant waking up and never getting into a deep sleep really takes its toll, ya know?
These last couple weeks have been some of THE.WORST. in the sleep department. Whenever I hear, "He's 4 months old and still eating every 2 hours? Really? My little angel was sleeping 12 hours straight at 3 months. *smirky smirk*" I just want to ever so maturely, in my best grown up voice, tell them, "Yeah. Well you're ugly and so is your kid." And then moon them.
Even though I've been the embodiment of The Walking Dead, these last couple weeks weren't as bad as they could have been. My in-laws came for a 10 day visit for Thanksgiving which ended up being a huge blessing. Little Mister started waking up at 6am and wanted to tell us all about the awesome raves he attended in his dreams- complete with all the dance moves he learned- and I would weep as I realized my baby had better dance moves than me. My Mister would take him to the living room and let me sleep for an hour at which time Little Mister was ready for his early morning nap. He would eat and then sleep until 9am. This is his longest nap of the day and the only time I can "sleep when he sleeps." (And, yes, I may be a new mom, but I do know that I should attempt to "sleep when he sleeps." However, he takes 30-60 minute naps during the day. As soon as I close my eyes or get into a deep sleep (which is usually the same thing), he wakes up and I get a pounding headache. I feel more groggy and less rested than if I had just stayed up. Argh.)
Once he and I woke up, I'd bring him into the living room and let Grandma and Grandpa play with and entertain him until the next feeding time. I was able to get a little "me" time and for that I was very thankful. It was also nice to have help in the kitchen to prepare the Thanksgiving meal. I knew it was going to be a challenge not only because of Little Mister being a new addition to the equation, but also because all of my kitchen stuff was still en route and I had to do the best I could with very limited tools. It was quite funny, actually. We had to use the same pot- including washing it in between each dish- to boil the sweet potatoes, the regular potatoes (for mashed taters), the spinach (for creamed spinach...which I ate a little bit and then paid for it with a humungous diaper explosion from Little Mister the next day), and the brussels sprouts. It was also funny planning out how to cook/bake everything in the little teeny tiny hot-box they call an oven over here. (For reals- I had to use my neighbor's oven to cook the sweet potatoes since only the turkey fit in mine.)
The day after they left, another huge blessing occurred- our household items FINALLY made it here!!!! WHOOOO HOOOOO! For the first time in 3 months, we were able to sleep in our own bed and eat on our own plates and even use our own toilet paper. Yes. We shipped over some Charmin since we learned the Aussies are not privy to the opulent, spongy, cloud-like pleasure wiping one's butt can be.
So, we've been unpacking all weekend long and are just about finished. I must admit that it's kinda fun deciding where our stuff should go and it was like an early Christmas as we opened up boxes and said, "Why did we bring this crap?"
The best thing of all is that my yarn is back home!!! YAY!!! Ahhh....How I missed my precioussss. However, I was very distraught to learn that not ALL of my yarn made it here. I have A LOT of yarn. A lot, a lot. But, I also know what yarn I have and I could definitely tell that some of it was missing. I had quite a bit of brown wools (used to make several of my purses) as well as a great stash of the pink yarn for my Felted Watermelon Tote. They didn't make it. (Well, some of the pink did, but not all of it.) Honestly, had it not been some of the yarn that I use most often, I wouldn't have been so upset, but those happen to be the two colors that I use the most. A.R.G.H.
Another HUGE bummer- one that I don't know if I'll ever get over- is that a selection of my favorite books did not make it. I had set aside a collection of my favorite books to be mailed here when we packed out of our house so that I could read them during our 3 month wait time. Well, due to time and weight constraints, those books ended up having to be shipped here. HOWEVER, much to my dismay, that box must have gotten mixed up with the boxes sent to storage and now I don't know when I'll see them again. Many of them were my comfort and escape books- ones I've read numerous times like Jane Eyre, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I AM SO BEYOND UPSET ABOUT THIS.
As I contemplate how I'm going to survive without some of my best literary friends, I can take comfort in knowing that our new home is starting to truly feel like "home" now. It's weird seeing our stuff in new places- and I'll readily admit I became a little weepy as I was unpacking and picturing each item in its place in our old home- but it sure does feel good having some familiarity around me now.
So, as I'm off to face another night cycle of sleep-wake-weep, at least I can do it on my own bed, snuggling next to My Mister while holding our new baby. Welcome home, Gege. Welcome home.
These last couple weeks have been some of THE.WORST. in the sleep department. Whenever I hear, "He's 4 months old and still eating every 2 hours? Really? My little angel was sleeping 12 hours straight at 3 months. *smirky smirk*" I just want to ever so maturely, in my best grown up voice, tell them, "Yeah. Well you're ugly and so is your kid." And then moon them.
Even though I've been the embodiment of The Walking Dead, these last couple weeks weren't as bad as they could have been. My in-laws came for a 10 day visit for Thanksgiving which ended up being a huge blessing. Little Mister started waking up at 6am and wanted to tell us all about the awesome raves he attended in his dreams- complete with all the dance moves he learned- and I would weep as I realized my baby had better dance moves than me. My Mister would take him to the living room and let me sleep for an hour at which time Little Mister was ready for his early morning nap. He would eat and then sleep until 9am. This is his longest nap of the day and the only time I can "sleep when he sleeps." (And, yes, I may be a new mom, but I do know that I should attempt to "sleep when he sleeps." However, he takes 30-60 minute naps during the day. As soon as I close my eyes or get into a deep sleep (which is usually the same thing), he wakes up and I get a pounding headache. I feel more groggy and less rested than if I had just stayed up. Argh.)
Once he and I woke up, I'd bring him into the living room and let Grandma and Grandpa play with and entertain him until the next feeding time. I was able to get a little "me" time and for that I was very thankful. It was also nice to have help in the kitchen to prepare the Thanksgiving meal. I knew it was going to be a challenge not only because of Little Mister being a new addition to the equation, but also because all of my kitchen stuff was still en route and I had to do the best I could with very limited tools. It was quite funny, actually. We had to use the same pot- including washing it in between each dish- to boil the sweet potatoes, the regular potatoes (for mashed taters), the spinach (for creamed spinach...which I ate a little bit and then paid for it with a humungous diaper explosion from Little Mister the next day), and the brussels sprouts. It was also funny planning out how to cook/bake everything in the little teeny tiny hot-box they call an oven over here. (For reals- I had to use my neighbor's oven to cook the sweet potatoes since only the turkey fit in mine.)
The day after they left, another huge blessing occurred- our household items FINALLY made it here!!!! WHOOOO HOOOOO! For the first time in 3 months, we were able to sleep in our own bed and eat on our own plates and even use our own toilet paper. Yes. We shipped over some Charmin since we learned the Aussies are not privy to the opulent, spongy, cloud-like pleasure wiping one's butt can be.
So, we've been unpacking all weekend long and are just about finished. I must admit that it's kinda fun deciding where our stuff should go and it was like an early Christmas as we opened up boxes and said, "Why did we bring this crap?"
The best thing of all is that my yarn is back home!!! YAY!!! Ahhh....How I missed my precioussss. However, I was very distraught to learn that not ALL of my yarn made it here. I have A LOT of yarn. A lot, a lot. But, I also know what yarn I have and I could definitely tell that some of it was missing. I had quite a bit of brown wools (used to make several of my purses) as well as a great stash of the pink yarn for my Felted Watermelon Tote. They didn't make it. (Well, some of the pink did, but not all of it.) Honestly, had it not been some of the yarn that I use most often, I wouldn't have been so upset, but those happen to be the two colors that I use the most. A.R.G.H.
Another HUGE bummer- one that I don't know if I'll ever get over- is that a selection of my favorite books did not make it. I had set aside a collection of my favorite books to be mailed here when we packed out of our house so that I could read them during our 3 month wait time. Well, due to time and weight constraints, those books ended up having to be shipped here. HOWEVER, much to my dismay, that box must have gotten mixed up with the boxes sent to storage and now I don't know when I'll see them again. Many of them were my comfort and escape books- ones I've read numerous times like Jane Eyre, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I AM SO BEYOND UPSET ABOUT THIS.
As I contemplate how I'm going to survive without some of my best literary friends, I can take comfort in knowing that our new home is starting to truly feel like "home" now. It's weird seeing our stuff in new places- and I'll readily admit I became a little weepy as I was unpacking and picturing each item in its place in our old home- but it sure does feel good having some familiarity around me now.
So, as I'm off to face another night cycle of sleep-wake-weep, at least I can do it on my own bed, snuggling next to My Mister while holding our new baby. Welcome home, Gege. Welcome home.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Perfect Storm
It seems like the Perfect Storm has occurred for me in the last couple days. A really wonderful Perfect Storm full of snuggles, feedings, sleeping, and baby poop.
Yes, Little Mister has been going through a growth spurt and I’ve basically been held prisoner in my bedroom for the past couple days. Now, up until this point, I would have been filled with anxiety and counting the minutes on the clock until he finished eating. HURRY LITTLE BABY! Eat! Eat! EAT!! Up until this point, I’ve unfortunately not been able to enjoy the whole breastfeeding/bonding experience to its fullest since I’ve had something or other to accomplish RIGHT NOW and a tiny little baby takes too long to gulp, slurp, and motorboat his way to fullness.
I’ve been on-the-go non-stop for the last few months and, truth be told, I’m a little concerned how hard I’m going to crash once I’m able to process everything that I’ve been going through. I’ve been putting it off- mainly because I’ve not had the time to truly think and process and OH.MY.LANTA! I’M A MOM NOW!
Since moving here 3 weeks ago, we’ve had to do the normal things you have to do when you move to another country- get a local driver’s license, get a local bank account, get a new vehicle, have a heart attack due to sticker shock since everything out here is SO VERY EXPENSIVE, and walk, walk, walk everywhere since you do not have a car and then you are stuck walking in a strange city when your very hungry little baby needs to eat RIGHT NOW and you don’t have the privacy of your own car with tinted windows and a sun shade and your dearly beloved Boppy with you so you can feed him properly so he cries and cries and your heart breaks and you yell and cry at your husband, “WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO US???” even though you know he’s been through so very much himself and his heart breaks hearing his son cry and seeing his wife have a meltdown and he wishes he could just fix it RIGHT NOW.
*HUGE inhale*
No. It’s not been an easy transition for me. Not into motherhood, nor as an ex-pat. Although, I do think the transition into motherhood would have been much easier (MUCH!) had the whole moving-to-the-other-side-of-the-world thing did not happen AT THE SAME TIME. (When the opportunity first came up and we knew we’d be most likely be moving with a 2-month old, we thought, Crikey! Sounds good to me, mate! And we danced a dance of joy and threw shrimps on the barbie. And then the reality slowly sunk in as I started getting bigger and bigger and the pain became unmanageable and the baby just WOULD NOT BE BORN no matter how much I begged and pleaded and cried and bribed him with candy.)
When Little Mister started having blood in his stools and I couldn’t just jump in my own car and take him to his pediatrician or even to an urgent care center, I seriously thought my heart was going to break in two and would never mend due to all of the shoving aside of thoughts and emotions I’ve been shoving down deeper and deeper until I started becoming a walking zombie- emotionless and simply going through the daily motions of life- and I can’t even have the comforts of cheese to help me cope! I do not like this version of me. Not at all, Sam I am. It reminds me too much of the “me” I was last year when I wouldn’t- couldn’t- process my first pregnancy…and loss. Even to this day, I have a difficult time saying the “m” word.
Heck. It’s not been a tough couple months. It’s been a tough couple years, really.
My creativity has both waxed and waned during these times. Sometimes I’ll have a creative frenzy where the most beautiful creations and colors will rush through my mind. Other times the colors are muted and the creativity just won’t come. Sometimes I escape in my books- living vicariously through the lives brought forth in the pages before me. Recently, my creative juices have been flowing (I’m being published!!!!) and I’m happy about that. Yet I felt guilty when I would pick up my hooks knowing that I had SO MUCH to do to get ready to move and shouldn’t I be enjoying this time with my baby a little more since that’s what everybody tells me to do? “Enjoy this time- they grow so fast.”
But I couldn’t enjoy it. I wanted to very very badly to just hold my baby and love him and kiss his huge (HUGE!) cheeks and smell him- even when he’s smelly- and kiss that gummy mouth of his and snort him like a new skein of wool and I COULDN’T.
Instead I had to pass him off to my mom during the first week of his life since I knew it would be a very long time before she would see her first grandchild again. I had to put him in his car seat so he could sleep instead of lying down with him or letting him fall asleep on me anytime he wanted to just so I could get something done RIGHT NOW. I had to watch the clock and think, “Why aren’t you done eating yet?!? Don’t you know I have things I need to do RIGHT NOW and you are eating and eating and eating and I love you but you need to HURRY!”
Hurry! Hurry! HURRRRRRRY!!!
This brings me to the last couple of days. We finally have a vehicle so I don’t have to walk 45 minutes into town and 45 minutes back to run errands. We have our bank account and driver’s license. We don’t have all our stuff here yet, and that’s good. It means I don’t have to rush unpacking. I’ve been able to stay home and b-r-e-a-t-h-e and NOT in a hurried way that causes hyperventilation. And, best of all, this is the time that Little Mister has decided to go through a growth spurt.
He’s needed me every hour or so to feed him and gets cranky when I’m not with him. I’ve been able to sleep-in with him in the morning- having him nestled in the crook of my arm which is a perfect position for me to kiss his little head. Ok. So he’s sprayed me with fountains of poop which was really gross and did cause me to HURRY to get it all off me. BUT then we were able to snuggle again so he could eat (again!) and then I was able to nap with him because all of that eating and growing makes a baby very sleepy. And I didn’t need to HURRY and get up, leaving him in the bed alone, so that I could get Something Really Important done RIGHT NOW. I’ve been able to just stare at him and think- Oh.My.Lanta. This is my son and I love him.
And I thank My Mister for “doing this to me.”
Saturday, October 1, 2011
My Neck of the Woods
So I started a blog post last week in honor of my 3rd blogiversary (YAY ME!) but just never had time to finalize it due to Little Mister deciding that he prefers sleeping at night rather than during the day. Part of me is so thankful, yet part of me misses the time when he would sleep all day long so I could get some things accomplished. Granted, I never got things accomplished then either since the moment I moved he would wake up and thus want to eat again. Now when he wakes up he actually wants to interact with parts of me other than my boob and I feel compelled to interact with him lest he grows up to be a big fat dummy.
Another obstacle I’ve faced in accomplishing anything is the fact that we do not have a vehicle yet. We’ve been test driving cars- which in and of itself has been an adventure since they drive on the wrong side of the road here*- and will hopefully finally buy a car on Monday. The people here are very nice and have basically bent over backwards offering us assistance as we get settled in. I’m so very thankful for that but also hate becoming an imposition. However, I did have to take my new neighbor up on their offer to borrow their vehicle yesterday when we had to take Little Mister to the hospital for some tests. I’ve been super freaked out since finding blood in his stools on Tuesday. After many trips to and from doctors to figure it out, they suspect it’s due to a milk protein allergy. Thus, I have to stop eating/drinking dairy and he should be fine.
Considering the other, scarier causes for bloody stools, I am thankful that it’s something that I can actually control. That said, after the initial relief swept over me upon hearing the news, the full reality of the sacrifice I will have to make hit me. I am totally a dairy queen! I eat cereal every morning for breakfast (or oatmeal made with milk rather than with water) and will eat it for a snack or even for dessert. I eat yogurt just about every day and I’ve once again picked up that nasty ice cream eating habit. However, I know I can drink rice milk with my cereal and, let’s face it- I really don’t need that ice cream- but I think the toughest part for me is giving up the ooey gooey gloriousness that is cheese. I love cheese. I would totally marry it if I could. I LOVE cheese. And now… no more Brie and Bread. No more cheesy omelette or burritos. No more fondue. No more Melted Cheese on a Plate! (Which is where you get some cheese, put it on a plate, and then melt it. YUM.) Gah! This kid better appreciate my sacrifice!
Another frustration has been the inconsistency of our internet access. We’ve been using a wireless hotspot since arriving here and are waiting (and waiting and waiting) for our internet service to be hooked up. We used to use our cell phones for internet but now can only do that when we have access to wifi which is NOT freely available here. I really don’t want to be the snobby American, but dang…we really do have it good in the US! (Something I totally miss from home? FREE REFILLS! Do they really think that 3 oz of Diet Coke poured over 9oz of ice will last an entire meal???)
We are still waiting (and will be waiting for a few months) for our stuff to be shipped out here. However, we were able to mail some things ahead of us- the things we deemed the most important- and thankfully those things have arrived. I, of course, mailed my yarn. Not my whole stash, unfortunately, but enough to last a good year or two while I wait for the rest of it to arrive. Big Mister tried talking me out of mailing so much of my yarn, but he quickly backed down when I growled and hissed calmly explained that I’ll need something to keep me busy and sane out here.
So, I’ve been on a crocheting spree while Little Mister takes his 30 minute cat naps during the day and when he finally goes down to sleep at night. I made us some felted coasters and am currently making some placemats. (Pictures coming soon!) Our coasters and placemats are being shipped over right now. They were not as important as my yarn. Neither was the majority of my clothing, actually. I may wear the same 5 outfits every day for a couple of months, but gosh darn it- I’ve got my yarn.
Anywho- just a little update on what’s been going on in my neck of the woods. Hopefully things will start to settle down really soon. Getting a car will be a huge step in establishing normalcy again. Well, as normal as things can be without cheese. (Why did it have to be a dairy allergy??? WHY?!?)
* This is the second hint in the Where in the World is Gege game. The first hint was my sign off to y’all in the post where I told you I moved. I guess I was too subtle. You call people Zoobaroos one to many times and they eventually figure out you don’t really live in Zoobilee Zoo, so they think you’re just quirky and ignore any other ways you sign off. *sigh* HINT FAIL.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Far, Far Away
Ok. So now that we have finally moved to a land far, far away, I can finally just rest and take it easy. I didn't blog about the craziness I've been going through because I've been under way too much stress and didn't want to go through a very public meltdown of epic proportions. (Kuddles asked if I was insane in the comments yesterday...oh girl- you have no idea how close I came!) As much as I'm excited to be here and am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us, I have to admit that this wasn't the smoothest of moves for us.
Things I've learned when making an international move with a 2 month old newborn:
1) DO NOT make an international move with a 2 month old newborn.
They take up so much time. Know what else takes up so much time? Planning an international move. You have to choose one or the other otherwise much tears and swearing at your husband even though you don't normally swear will occur. As well as feelings of "WHAT THE HECK ARE WE DOING?!?!" and "Why the heck do I have so much crap??" and "I AM GOING TO DIIIIIE! And I'm taking my husband with me!"
2) Don't put off thinking about the international move in hopes it will disappear.
I've known for a while that this was coming but really could not wrap my head around it since I was a leeeetle preoccupied with being a first time mother. Was my baby going to be normal? What if he's ugly?? (Don't judge me!) Am I going to ruin his life? What if he's a she and they made a mistake in the ultrasound? What if he doesn't like me? Will I be able to breastfeed? IS HE EVER GOING TO BE BORN?? Get this baby out of me NOW!! I AM GOING TO KILL MY HUSBAND FOR DOING THIS TO ME!
3) Reduce or eliminate the number of hours you work outside of the home.
I was finally able to reduce my work hours to 24 per week mid-April. However, by then I had tons of doctors appointments and other things to take care of on my days off that I never had any time to actually get prepared for this move. I actually liked my job and do miss my coworkers (Hi MrsWilcox!!) but I really really wish I had quit sooner so that I wouldn't have been so incredibly stressed out.
In all honesty, I truly think I may have had pre-partum depression. I was a complete mess and had a very difficult time coping with everything that I was going through and knew that once the baby got here things would become even more difficult. I couldn't move because of all the pain I was in and knew a good portion of that pain was because I sat all day at work. I was bitter about having to work when I knew I'd be stressed out about this move. I was bitter that I couldn't exercise. I was bitter at my husband for "doing this to me." I was even bitter at the baby for not being born and seriously wondered if I would be able to bond with him once he was born since I was so angry. Yes- ANGER is what filled me for a good portion of the end of my pregnancy and it wasn't pretty. I tried keeping things under wraps (I do have a history of trying to be strong and just working my way through things....when will I ever learn??) and just tried biting my tongue so that I wouldn't lash out at my husband or total strangers, but it was getting more and more difficult. In that respect, things definitely got better once I gave birth. Pregnancy hormones suck. And not just for giving me epically long facial hairs.
I've obviously now quit my job and am now officially a Stay At Home Mom. Wow. That's going to be weird to get used to. Actually, a lady here who was helping me get around town told me, "I'm not sure about what cleaning products to get since I work. You'll obviously be better at that than me since you stay home." WHAT THE WHAT?!? I was incredulous at her audacity, but just replied, "Well, I don't know about that. I've only just been home 8 weeks." I was very proud of my restraint! I didn't owe her any explanations and didn't want to come across as defensive by listing my educational and employment accomplishments and I especially didn't want to smack her across the head for being so rude. Ok. Yes I did want to do that.
4) Enjoy the time you have with your family and friends and make as many memories as possible.
Oy to the vey was this an emotional move. I miss my sister so much more than I can express and have shed so many tears with Lyteyz and other close friends. There are so many folks at my church that I wasn't able to say goodbye to and that sucks. Thank the Lord for Skype! Hopefully they'll be able to invent a way to hug through the internetz. Or maybe Smell-o-Vision. That'd be cool too.
BIG HUGS TO YOU ALL!!
Things I've learned when making an international move with a 2 month old newborn:
1) DO NOT make an international move with a 2 month old newborn.
They take up so much time. Know what else takes up so much time? Planning an international move. You have to choose one or the other otherwise much tears and swearing at your husband even though you don't normally swear will occur. As well as feelings of "WHAT THE HECK ARE WE DOING?!?!" and "Why the heck do I have so much crap??" and "I AM GOING TO DIIIIIE! And I'm taking my husband with me!"
2) Don't put off thinking about the international move in hopes it will disappear.
I've known for a while that this was coming but really could not wrap my head around it since I was a leeeetle preoccupied with being a first time mother. Was my baby going to be normal? What if he's ugly?? (Don't judge me!) Am I going to ruin his life? What if he's a she and they made a mistake in the ultrasound? What if he doesn't like me? Will I be able to breastfeed? IS HE EVER GOING TO BE BORN?? Get this baby out of me NOW!! I AM GOING TO KILL MY HUSBAND FOR DOING THIS TO ME!
3) Reduce or eliminate the number of hours you work outside of the home.
I was finally able to reduce my work hours to 24 per week mid-April. However, by then I had tons of doctors appointments and other things to take care of on my days off that I never had any time to actually get prepared for this move. I actually liked my job and do miss my coworkers (Hi MrsWilcox!!) but I really really wish I had quit sooner so that I wouldn't have been so incredibly stressed out.
In all honesty, I truly think I may have had pre-partum depression. I was a complete mess and had a very difficult time coping with everything that I was going through and knew that once the baby got here things would become even more difficult. I couldn't move because of all the pain I was in and knew a good portion of that pain was because I sat all day at work. I was bitter about having to work when I knew I'd be stressed out about this move. I was bitter that I couldn't exercise. I was bitter at my husband for "doing this to me." I was even bitter at the baby for not being born and seriously wondered if I would be able to bond with him once he was born since I was so angry. Yes- ANGER is what filled me for a good portion of the end of my pregnancy and it wasn't pretty. I tried keeping things under wraps (I do have a history of trying to be strong and just working my way through things....when will I ever learn??) and just tried biting my tongue so that I wouldn't lash out at my husband or total strangers, but it was getting more and more difficult. In that respect, things definitely got better once I gave birth. Pregnancy hormones suck. And not just for giving me epically long facial hairs.
I've obviously now quit my job and am now officially a Stay At Home Mom. Wow. That's going to be weird to get used to. Actually, a lady here who was helping me get around town told me, "I'm not sure about what cleaning products to get since I work. You'll obviously be better at that than me since you stay home." WHAT THE WHAT?!? I was incredulous at her audacity, but just replied, "Well, I don't know about that. I've only just been home 8 weeks." I was very proud of my restraint! I didn't owe her any explanations and didn't want to come across as defensive by listing my educational and employment accomplishments and I especially didn't want to smack her across the head for being so rude. Ok. Yes I did want to do that.
4) Enjoy the time you have with your family and friends and make as many memories as possible.
Oy to the vey was this an emotional move. I miss my sister so much more than I can express and have shed so many tears with Lyteyz and other close friends. There are so many folks at my church that I wasn't able to say goodbye to and that sucks. Thank the Lord for Skype! Hopefully they'll be able to invent a way to hug through the internetz. Or maybe Smell-o-Vision. That'd be cool too.
BIG HUGS TO YOU ALL!!
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| Good-byes at the airport. My hormones affected everyone. |
Monday, September 19, 2011
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
Wow. So things have been pretty intense here lately. Lots of changes- both big and small. What’s been going on? Let me see….
- I’ve been forced into organizing my house. This has been a very emotional ordeal for me since, 1) I’m a recently postpartum woman who tends to be a mite bit emotional about many things and 2) I’m a little pack rat and have a lot of…crap - for lack of a better word- that takes me for freakin’ evah to go through. Being the highly sentimental person that I am, I often struggle with the, “should I toss it or keep it forever and ever and call it George?” mentality. Even if it’s over a pen. Quick factoid: before collecting yarn, I collected pens. I have probably over 1000 pens. I do not need any more pens and really should toss the ones that I have duplicates of, but….it’s a pen! You do not toss pens! What if you needed to jot something down that you need to remember but you end up forgetting to get your mother a birthday gift because YOU THREW AWAY YOUR PEN and now you feel guilty and need to eat some ice cream to make the guilt go away but then you gain 5 pounds and feel even guiltier and cry and then eat some more and then you NEVER LOSE THE PREGNANCY WEIGHT. See Mister?!? I’m fat all because you forced me to toss a pen!!
- I've not been able to exercise since I’ve been busy trying to organize my house. I have my yoga and pilates DVDs all raring to go but have yet to get through them since I have pens to throw away. I did go on very long walks this weekend with my Mister and Little Mister and I very nearly died. This is mainly due to the fact that my body is more crooked than the crooked man who lived in a crooked house. (I bet he gets to keep his crooked pens!) I need to see a chiropractor very badly and really need to strengthen my core so that my back and hips will actually stay inline. Thus, the yoga and pilates that I should be doing. Need to remember to do my exercises! Where’s my pen so I can jot that down?
- I'M BEING PUBLISHED!!! I submitted to the Cooperative Press Fresh Designs Crochet book series and one of my patterns has been accepted!! YAYAYAYAYAY! So, I now have a secret project that I need to work on. SO EXCITED!!!
- Little Mister is just growing and growing and growing. At his 6 week checkup, he was 14 pounds 5 oz. He had gained 6 pounds in 6 weeks! My milk must be pure cream…note to self: probably should stop eating ice cream so much. Yipes. He is still sleeping in our bed with us so I’ve gotten pretty good at the nursing while lying down technique. A little too good, actually. I need to break this habit if I ever want him to sleep in his own bed since he tends to motorboat me in his sleep so he can eat in comfort and never even wake up. It wakes me up, though. And makes me laugh- seeing him doing an impression of Stevie Wonder in his sleep is pretty darn hysterical.
- We do hope to get him to sleep in his bed in the near future. Both of us have gotten accustomed to him in bed with us and I must admit that we both like him there. He’s like a security blanket. A security blanket that wiggles, grunts, and cries when he needs to fart. (Seriously- I was so concerned the first few times thinking he was sick or in pain or that I must have dropped my phone on him again (yes for reals….twice). When we found that he just has a problem with nighttime farts, we stopped worrying so much. Still laugh and encourage him to PUSH IT OUT, SON and laugh some more, though.) However, it’s cute now that he’s only 2 months old, but I really don’t want to share a bed with a toddler. I’d really like to have my husband to myself again, quite honestly. Once Little Mister gets over his jet lag, we’ll start working on it. He’s starting to get better with the time change.
- What time change and jet lag? Oh. Didn’t I tell you?
- We moved. To a land far, far, away. Where? I’m not going to say. And with that, I wish you all a good day. A very g’day. To all of my mates.
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