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.