: We are home. SIGH. I was not looking forward to the trip home for many reasons but mostly because the entire time we were away Harper had the most outrageous separation anxiety that meant that every time I moved out of her sight she cried. Actually, screamed. It was very boring. And exhausting. And enough to send me bat shit crazy. I even told her to shut up it was that bad. I know. I am awful. It’s OK, I know. But it was really bad. So I thought she would freak herself out because I was in front of her, and she couldn’t see me, but she was fine. Which was awesome. I was also not looking forward to it because it is a 5+ hour drive. And I was solo. With 2 kids. And nothing says concentration more than driving at 110km/h whilst 2 kids lose their shit in the back seat and scream for the toy that they dropped THAT YOU CANNOT PICK UP BECAUSE YOU ARE DRIVING AND NEED TO WATCH THE ROAD. They didn’t really get that. So there was that. And there was the fact that it was back to the city. To reality. To 2 weeks of packing/organising hell that falls squarely on my shoulders. Enough said really.
: The time away did reinforce how much I love the country and how the move is going to be the right one for us. It just has to be, doesn’t it? Sure, there were a few moments when we were home alone in the house, without power, and I freaked myself out a little by being so, well, alone. No parks. No cafes. No city. But then I managed to shrug that off and I managed to slap myself and remember that we are not moving anywhere half as remote as the farm. We have neighbours. We don’t have paddocks. Or animals that need work. And shops near by and we can still walk to a park in the afternoon. So I got over it, again. And all convincing vanished the moment we hit our street and I had to double park the car out the front (after 5.5. hr drive) with kids ever so slightly over being stuck in their car seats, to unpack the bags inside, then drive around for 35 mins looking for a park, which I eventually got. No, this is the right move. I am not going to miss this. One bit.
: The girls were sleeping so well before we left and now? SHIT HOUSE. It’s always so disappointing when that happens, and it never fails to completely deflate me. Ah parenthood you tricky beast! If you have ever had kids that are bad sleepers each night of good sleep is like a special gift that you hold close to your heart. The good sleep is not spoken of out loud (seriously Rob and I never say it out loud) because that inevitably stops the pattern, and you kind of wait, knowing, waiting that it will turn soon enough….but when? WHEN?! That time is now my friends. Daisy woke twice in the night, then up at 5.30am and Harper took so long to go down last night and woke as well. I know it’s just a ‘phase’ that will pass soon enough, but appears that good sleep is just that too, a phase.
I hear you on the good/bad sleep thing. Our house is exactly the same. Our kids don’t tend to sync their good sleep, they tend to take turns.
The next two weeks will be over in the blink of an eye and the new adventure of your life will begin! And what an adventure it will be.
PS – If you need a hand, an ear or anything else over the next little while, you know where to find me. I mean that 100%.
hmmm I knew that there was a reason that I get Cam to take the kids for the long haul trips, while I take the ‘little car’ and blast myself out with good music! the farm does look gorgeous though, I so with that our ‘property’ had good accommodation facilities *sigh*
ps: I saw a blog post yesterday that said “if you have only a short time to pack, pretend that you are a friend packing your house up, they aren’t sentimental and they will just put it in a box, any box” {or something like that} I think that the theory was, if you chuck it all in, in the order of the room/house/cupboard, when you unpack it again, you can just chuck it all back in the same order!?!?!
Looking forward to hearing of your whining, complaining, packing, moving, excitement, settling, etc adventures. Count me in!
Good luck – and great advice from Jo!
Ok sister – you are moving to a fabulous house in a beautiful little town. Enough of the sighs!!! I will come and help you pack I love doing it. Plus if you don’t pack you won’t have anything to unpack in your delightful new house?!?!
Lots to do now! It’s great that everything has been reinforced for you.
The ‘sleep issues’ thing is what ties the weaker parents to the routine train tracks. We need to suck it up and know that they’ll get back into the swing of it soon enough. But I always dread breaking the routine, don’t you? x
Just caught up on your week! I’ve been slack! Haven’t done any packing here either!
Can’t wait for your new adventure! xx.