Jet Lagging. With Babies.

We got back to Kinshasa a few days ago and the first night everyone slept perfectly. We had beat jet lag. We were back in our normal routine. We were proud of ourselves. So much so that I bragged to our neighbors that jet lag is totally psychological and the proof is our children who we just put to bed, tell them it's time to sleep and they do it.

Then last night came. Again Charlotte and Ani went to bed without a problem. Adam and I were wide awake. The rest of the night went like this:

9:30- Toss. Turn. Toss. Turn. Yell at Adam for doing the same.

10:45- Stare at the ceiling. Contemplate my future. What am I doing with my life? How many days until Christmas vacation? Can't sleep.

11:00- The future is boring. Finally fall asleep.

11:06- Receive sad text message from Jill and Johan. They've just returned to Congo. They're back home, but locked out of their house.

11:07- Reply with short, unhelpful message.

11:07- Feel like bad neighbors/friends. Reply with more optimistic message offering our apartment for them to crash for the night.

11:10- Pray they don't crash our apartment and wake our children.

11:15- The children wake up anyway on their own. Charlotte comes into our room to confirm Papa is making pancakes in the morning. Yes Charlotte, we'll make pancakes.

11:16- This is when I send Adam a telepathic message to stop talking to her. Do not wake up her brain. I have a theory that when our children wake up in the night, if we don't look them in the eye or engage them in conversation they will fall back asleep.

11:17- She then asks, "Pancakes cut in squares?" Yes. "With syrup?" Yes. She's obviously been thinking about her future too. Her brain is totally awake. There's no going back.

11:25- Ani starts screaming. She joins us in our bed. There we are. All 4 of us tossing and turning. Wide awake.

11:45- Charlotte strokes Ani's cheek to help her fall asleep. She gets a little too close to Ani's mouth and she bites her finger. Hard. Charlotte's feelings are hurt more than her finger. She cries. Adam tries to explain intentions vs. feelings to Charlotte.

11:46- Adam, stop talking. Do not engage her brain!

12:30- Ani starts plucking hairs out of my head one at a time. She's doing a pretty good job. People have told me she has good fine motor skills, now I understand. I completely ignore her and say nothing. This is how strongly I believe in my no-brain-engagement theory. She keeps plucking away.

12:45- Charlotte whispers, "Mama?" Um, hmm. "Mama, do you remember the Congo?" Yep, sure do.

Welcome Home. Photo by Jill.

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A Funny Thing Happens...

A funny things happens when you're about to cross the Atlantic. When we get ready to return to the States, we have all kinds of fears. Remember this? And now that we're about to cross the ocean the other way, we find ourselves having completely opposing thoughts about everything. Here are the multiple personalities that develop after one short summer.

On Car Seats

Thought in Congo: Do I really have to put my kids in car seats in the States? They will hate it and scream the entire car ride.

Thought in the US: Do we really go everywhere without car seats in Congo? Eeek! How irresponsible! How do we manage the kids bouncing all over the car.


On Stuff

Get lots and lots of stuff!

  by  Steve Snodgrass 

In Congo: Maybe this year we don't need to buy as much stuff to bring back with us to Congo. We do have a real grocery store now. Paying $5 for a toothbrush isn't that bad. And hey, I kinda like these Turkish diapers.

In the US: 50 cent toothbrushes?! Get 20! And 15 tubes of toothpaste. And enough deodorant for 5 years! And I've never used hair gel, but let's get 5 tubes just in case. How much space is left in the suitcase? Can we pack a few more rolls of toilet paper in there? And I'm not using those damn Turkish diapers!

On Illness

  by  I woz ere 

In Congo: Boy it's going to be nice to be in the States where we don't have to worry about the kids getting sick.

In the US: I can't wait to get back to Congo after the kids have recovered from all their vaccinations. They've both been miserable for weeks. Charlotte is covered in measles or mumps or something, and Ani has developed an allergy to anything that touches her skin. She's constantly covered in hives.

On Safety

In Congo: Things are so safe in the States. Won't it be nice to not have to worry about political instability.

In the US: We're gathered in a public area and no one has gone though any kind of metal detector or security screening. Is this safe? Also, I have a mild heart attack every time I ride in a car. Everyone drives so fast when there are no potholes to dodge.

And finally I know it's time to go back when my thoughts have changed on the cleanliness of public restrooms. Fresh off the plane from Congo I can visit the filthiest bathroom in the States and be impressed there's running water. Now I find myself judging an establishment if the trashcan is too full and the water doesn't get hot fast enough. Don't even get me started on no changing tables. I guess it's time to get reacquainted with changing diapers mid-air.

So, so clean.

  by  loop_oh 

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