Me: okay kids let's go. no running the wrong way on the moving sidewalks. Inga, wrong way! who needs to go pee? look, airplanes! I'm sorry that your ears hurt. try some gum to see if they will pop. no Dio you can't climb over the seat. watch out so your drink doesn't spill. Zari can you watch Inga while I use the bathroom? uh oh, Inga just ripped the magazine. look, Inga, a picture of a dog! yes, we're way up high in the sky, higher than the clouds. Dio please don't kick Zari. Could we get some more water please? (x 21 hours)
Eric: sleep. watch a movie. sleep. watch another movie. read a book. sleep. (x 21 hours)
The kids did okay on the first two flights, but by the third flight they were a mess. Zari's ears wouldn't pop and she was sobbing the whole time. Dio was shrieking because I made him stay buckled in when the light went on. Inga was screaming because 5 minutes after she finally fell asleep, Dio had to go to the bathroom and she woke when I got up to help him.
We traveled for 21 hours from start to finish, starting at 4 am. Eric got bumped on the way home--on purpose, so he could get vouchers--but that meant I was on my own the first night home. So you'd think we would all sleep like the dead after being awake for so long. But no. Dio woke up at 1:30 am (7:30 am French time) and was convinced it was time to be awake. Oh, and Zari and Inga both woke up multiple times that night, too. Thankfully we're all back on schedule now.
I've been working my way through 4 weeks of weeds in my gardens. It's hot hot hot here and unusually dry. I'm actually watering my plants, which you never do in this part of the country.
Coming up:
- Notes on the rest of the Human Rights in Childbirth Conference
- A set of book reviews about food, France, and raising children
- Reviews of some new DVDs, from documentaries to prenatal bellydancing
The way home is always worse for us, too, but at least the readjustment to our time zone is easier than going to Europe.
ReplyDeleteomg my life is so hard because i have beautiful amazing wonderful children. you guys who have no children and can't make one due to infertility are so lucky, just stay that way luck you. waaah, flying on airplanes.
ReplyDeleteHey anon dude/gal, what's up with the snarkiness?
DeleteI hope he realizes just how good he had it and gave you at least a couple hours of kiddos-with-daddy time! Glad you're back safely!
ReplyDeleteOh man. I've only had a taste of that flying to texas with multiple young ones. Certainly didn't take 21 hours though! Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteCOngratulations on what sounds like your superhuman Mama patience! It's so hard to keep that up when you are exhausted yourself. My husband is flying to France with our two (teen and tween) boys tomorrow and he will be the one to bear the burden. I imagine it will involve a lot of fussing with electronic devices, general discomfort and sibling rivalry as fatigue sets in, though thankfully no diapers or trips to the bathroom with kids.
ReplyDeleteYou're a champ!
ReplyDeleteOof, I don't think I would let my husband travel alone while I take the kids. You have more patience than I.
ReplyDeleteWell, it wasn't a choice to travel separately! It's not really a question of "letting" when there are no other options. He went over a week early to lead an end-of-semester immersion trip. And on the way home he couldn't book the same flights because his ticket was with a different airline. Anyway we survived.
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