(no subject)
I know I haven't gotten around to writing (and posting photos) about our trip, but the last few days have been super busy.
We stayed with my aunt Wednesday and Thursday nights, and were finally able to drop our things here Friday morning. The woman was originally supposed to leave first thing in the morning, but wasn't actually going to be gone till 2. Blah. Still, we could bring our things here, go food shopping and put the stuff away (we needed everything!) while D returned the car to my aunt and cycled home and then went out for lunch. I even asked her if I could come back with J around 1 so that he could nap (she was using the other bedroom) and she said it was fine. She didn't end up leaving till closer to 3, so that D, B and M were already back here, but it worked out in the end. We had planned for a very quiet weekend, but somehow I ended up inviting T (former roommate) over for dinner and we were invited to a picnic for lunch the next day.
Dinner was pretty good and J-less as the nap didn't happen and he was ready for bed by 7. T stayed rather late and D was asleep before he even left which was kind of sucky for me :-/ The picnic on Saturday was really nice, though. P and her family are renting in a complex with a large outdoor area in the middle. We sat on the grass and J could run around and all eight kids could play and make noise. Fun stuff. D took J home around 2 to nap and the big kids and I returned after 5. J napped kind of late, so it took ages to get him to sleep, but now I'm trying to sit on a chair outside the room rather than in the room so that he can slowly get used to being alone. It's been working ok.
Yesterday (Sunday) was fun and busy. D went to work and I had all three kids. We had a few errands to run (toothpaste, yarn for Gramma, drop off J's old clothes to a charity shop, drawing paper for the kids) and I managed to get B and M to come with as they usually prefer to sit around and play/draw/read on Sundays. We stopped at a playground on the way to the shuk (the yarn store is in the shuk) so we didn't return home till lunch time. The previous few days were ridiculously hot, but yesterday the temperature was down to 25 and it was really nice and breezy outside. Another day of no nap, though I did manage to get J to rest in bed for a couple of hours. After that I decided to be spontaneous and took all three up to Mt Scopus to see the university. We ran into D in the Social Sciences building and he walked around campus with us. I showed the kids the English department (where I did my first degree), the building where we met (in 1994), the amphitheater with the view of the Dead Sea and Jordan.... The kids really enjoyed it and we managed a brief visit with that same cousin's sister in law (I wrote about her here) who works at the school for overseas students, and introduced her to B and M (she met J last time). Back home in time for dinner and then D was out for rehearsal.
J fell asleep quickly (I sat outside the room) while B and M played on their stupid machine (my name for the DS). I got them to shower, clear off the table and sweep the floor while I washed dishes, folded laundry and hung wet laundry outside. We played Monopoly - all in Hebrew, I might add! - till M's bedtime. Then I did some more tidying, washed the kitchen/dining room floor and soaked my feet which are looking abysmal and crusty from walking around barefoot and in sandals. I won't even describe what came off of them. Suffice it to say that they look significantly better today. D didn't get home from rehearsal till 11 and we were all set to get into bed when we noticed that J was awake and D (???) invited him into our bed for cuddles. J was absolutely delicious and although we probably should have put him back to bed, kept him with us for the better part of an hour while he burbled and cuddled and was just his delightful little self :-) D even said he could stay in bed with us (he was in the middle) but J got too wriggly at one point and I put him back on his own mattress.
D left very early this morning as he was off to interview someone who lives outside of Be'er Sheva. B and M left just after 8 and J and I had an easy morning eating, tidying, reading and playing. When we were going out, I gave him the option of going on my back and he responded with enthusiasm. We headed over to the shuk to buy cucumbers (B and M are addicted to the cucumbers here!) and then back to the pharmacy to get a pumice stone for my poor feet. We had a really lovely time like that, walking along with J alternatively chirping to me and resting his head against the back of my neck <3
We hung out at home and I made him an early lunch because he seemed too hungry for just a snack. I had him in bed shortly after noon and by 12:30 he was asleep. Win! B and M were home from school at 1 and I made them lunch, then went to rest in my room (first day of period = agony). M brought me coffee in bed before leaving with B for the park.
D arrived home shortly after 3 and made more coffee. B and M are in their room arranging legos on their beds. And J and I will soon head out for a walk and some fresh air. I love this life.
We stayed with my aunt Wednesday and Thursday nights, and were finally able to drop our things here Friday morning. The woman was originally supposed to leave first thing in the morning, but wasn't actually going to be gone till 2. Blah. Still, we could bring our things here, go food shopping and put the stuff away (we needed everything!) while D returned the car to my aunt and cycled home and then went out for lunch. I even asked her if I could come back with J around 1 so that he could nap (she was using the other bedroom) and she said it was fine. She didn't end up leaving till closer to 3, so that D, B and M were already back here, but it worked out in the end. We had planned for a very quiet weekend, but somehow I ended up inviting T (former roommate) over for dinner and we were invited to a picnic for lunch the next day.
Dinner was pretty good and J-less as the nap didn't happen and he was ready for bed by 7. T stayed rather late and D was asleep before he even left which was kind of sucky for me :-/ The picnic on Saturday was really nice, though. P and her family are renting in a complex with a large outdoor area in the middle. We sat on the grass and J could run around and all eight kids could play and make noise. Fun stuff. D took J home around 2 to nap and the big kids and I returned after 5. J napped kind of late, so it took ages to get him to sleep, but now I'm trying to sit on a chair outside the room rather than in the room so that he can slowly get used to being alone. It's been working ok.
Yesterday (Sunday) was fun and busy. D went to work and I had all three kids. We had a few errands to run (toothpaste, yarn for Gramma, drop off J's old clothes to a charity shop, drawing paper for the kids) and I managed to get B and M to come with as they usually prefer to sit around and play/draw/read on Sundays. We stopped at a playground on the way to the shuk (the yarn store is in the shuk) so we didn't return home till lunch time. The previous few days were ridiculously hot, but yesterday the temperature was down to 25 and it was really nice and breezy outside. Another day of no nap, though I did manage to get J to rest in bed for a couple of hours. After that I decided to be spontaneous and took all three up to Mt Scopus to see the university. We ran into D in the Social Sciences building and he walked around campus with us. I showed the kids the English department (where I did my first degree), the building where we met (in 1994), the amphitheater with the view of the Dead Sea and Jordan.... The kids really enjoyed it and we managed a brief visit with that same cousin's sister in law (I wrote about her here) who works at the school for overseas students, and introduced her to B and M (she met J last time). Back home in time for dinner and then D was out for rehearsal.
J fell asleep quickly (I sat outside the room) while B and M played on their stupid machine (my name for the DS). I got them to shower, clear off the table and sweep the floor while I washed dishes, folded laundry and hung wet laundry outside. We played Monopoly - all in Hebrew, I might add! - till M's bedtime. Then I did some more tidying, washed the kitchen/dining room floor and soaked my feet which are looking abysmal and crusty from walking around barefoot and in sandals. I won't even describe what came off of them. Suffice it to say that they look significantly better today. D didn't get home from rehearsal till 11 and we were all set to get into bed when we noticed that J was awake and D (???) invited him into our bed for cuddles. J was absolutely delicious and although we probably should have put him back to bed, kept him with us for the better part of an hour while he burbled and cuddled and was just his delightful little self :-) D even said he could stay in bed with us (he was in the middle) but J got too wriggly at one point and I put him back on his own mattress.
D left very early this morning as he was off to interview someone who lives outside of Be'er Sheva. B and M left just after 8 and J and I had an easy morning eating, tidying, reading and playing. When we were going out, I gave him the option of going on my back and he responded with enthusiasm. We headed over to the shuk to buy cucumbers (B and M are addicted to the cucumbers here!) and then back to the pharmacy to get a pumice stone for my poor feet. We had a really lovely time like that, walking along with J alternatively chirping to me and resting his head against the back of my neck <3
We hung out at home and I made him an early lunch because he seemed too hungry for just a snack. I had him in bed shortly after noon and by 12:30 he was asleep. Win! B and M were home from school at 1 and I made them lunch, then went to rest in my room (first day of period = agony). M brought me coffee in bed before leaving with B for the park.
D arrived home shortly after 3 and made more coffee. B and M are in their room arranging legos on their beds. And J and I will soon head out for a walk and some fresh air. I love this life.