The last four weeks of prego-vac are like stepping out of my normal life. I'm not in Manila. I don't have Wm or Patch begging me to play trains or cars with them. I have been seeing my sister pretty much every day she's not working a strange shift. I'm living in a new neighborhood. Oh - not to mention the obvious: I'm not working and have a newborn hanging around :)
The days pass pretty quickly, though, thanks to out of town family and friends visiting on the weekends and local friends amenable to meeting up for lunch. Luckily, I'm feeling well enough to venture out on the bus or metro - and Ian seems to be a trooper, happy to be dragged along. True, my bed doesn't get made every morning. And it can take two days to wash, dry, and fold a load of laundry - and I've cooked exactly one time since the fam returned to post, finding eating out and left overs easier to manage - but I'll sacrifice those to keep my spirits up, especially when just hanging out with a super cute, but totally non-verbal, baby.
I've had fun watching the Nats in the playoffs - even if the last two games were sorely disappointing and no indication yet how tonight's game will end. I've managed a little shopping, hitting up my two favorite consignment stores (Secondi in Dupont for me, and Wiggle Room in Bethesda for kids and nursing-wear). I've visited most of my favorite DC restaurants. I've tried to stay on top of bidding for my next assignment, though I currently have a pretty decent level of stress that November is going to come and go and I will still be looking for a job.
And I've spent countless hours "bringing baby into bureaucracy" trying to get Ian documented and with travel approval to return to post within six weeks of birth. No small feat!
I haven't yet finished (or even started) resolving our outstanding insurance claim with State Farm. Somehow, I just haven't had the energy to fight with the claims representative. I picked photos to put in a Hyderabad photo book, but haven't yet actually *made* the book. (baby steps are important, right?) I also haven't taken nearly as many naps as I would have liked to, mostly because the autumn weather has been so beautiful I've wanted instead to be outside.
All the same, though, I miss my normal life. I miss Wm and Patch - and Greg and Bagwelle :). I miss my office. (I don't miss the food, though.) I'll be sad to say good bye to America in two and a half weeks, but I'll be happy to be back.
The days pass pretty quickly, though, thanks to out of town family and friends visiting on the weekends and local friends amenable to meeting up for lunch. Luckily, I'm feeling well enough to venture out on the bus or metro - and Ian seems to be a trooper, happy to be dragged along. True, my bed doesn't get made every morning. And it can take two days to wash, dry, and fold a load of laundry - and I've cooked exactly one time since the fam returned to post, finding eating out and left overs easier to manage - but I'll sacrifice those to keep my spirits up, especially when just hanging out with a super cute, but totally non-verbal, baby.
I've had fun watching the Nats in the playoffs - even if the last two games were sorely disappointing and no indication yet how tonight's game will end. I've managed a little shopping, hitting up my two favorite consignment stores (Secondi in Dupont for me, and Wiggle Room in Bethesda for kids and nursing-wear). I've visited most of my favorite DC restaurants. I've tried to stay on top of bidding for my next assignment, though I currently have a pretty decent level of stress that November is going to come and go and I will still be looking for a job.
And I've spent countless hours "bringing baby into bureaucracy" trying to get Ian documented and with travel approval to return to post within six weeks of birth. No small feat!
I haven't yet finished (or even started) resolving our outstanding insurance claim with State Farm. Somehow, I just haven't had the energy to fight with the claims representative. I picked photos to put in a Hyderabad photo book, but haven't yet actually *made* the book. (baby steps are important, right?) I also haven't taken nearly as many naps as I would have liked to, mostly because the autumn weather has been so beautiful I've wanted instead to be outside.
All the same, though, I miss my normal life. I miss Wm and Patch - and Greg and Bagwelle :). I miss my office. (I don't miss the food, though.) I'll be sad to say good bye to America in two and a half weeks, but I'll be happy to be back.
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