Monthly Archives: December 2010

‘Ere We Go!

Well, we are close. We’ve checked in at the airport, made it through security (very pleasant for us, a total nightmare for them– yes, you read that right. A nightmare for THEM– the stroller got stuck in the conveyor belt, they weren’t quite sure what to do with 24 vials of insulin, and they had to swab BOTH of my carry-ons from stem to stern–), and are now eating in “Roadway 66” or some other cleverly named airport slopstand with kitchy license plates and “Americana” art on the walls. I feel like many of the battles have been fought already (though the 11 flight remains before us).

Here’s to the New Year!

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Countdown Clock

Three bags packed– all the clothing (yes, Lana managed to keep herself to one bag only); have to finish the “toy” suitcase & finalize all the carry-ons.
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Began this post last night; it has since been “superseded.” As of now, the main things that remain to be packed (humorously, autocorrect REALLY wants that to be “thongs,” not “things”) are several pair of shoes, some medical supplies, our router, and some last-minute wash items.

And, as far as “last-minute wash” goes, the kids are finally having a bath. It would seem that this is a truly novel event– bathing this early in the day has been the cause of much mirth and hilarity. Which of course has led to much rough-housing, and the dreaded splashing of bath water. Ah, well. If only one could guarantee that these youthful high spirits would be expended NOW, rather than, say, as an example, on the 11 hour-long flight. Just for instance.

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What The Kids Will Miss…

JAY-sus! Evidently, the app on my device doesn’t auto-save unless you have initially SAVED the post at some point. I will now attempt to reconstruct a BEAUTIFUL, long-winded post (if this one fails to entertain, just imagine the incredible humor of the one that got away). Lesson learned, WordPress app. I will now fear you more than love you.

Anyway.

I WAS posting about what items I thought the kids would miss the most whilst we are abroad, in a clever attempt to anticipate what we should pack (as we have not packed ANYTHING yet) in terms of toys and entertainments for the children. Let the cleverness begin.

Item for all three children: the playground structure immediately outside the door of our house in California. I feel confident that this item will not fit in a airplane regulation size bag, and would probably be overlimit for weight as well. (Not to mention the chagrin of our neighbors if we hauled it off.) However, I believe we will be able to find a local substitute in Highbury Fields, immediately outside the door of our flat in London. Using Google Maps to stalk our new neighborhood fills me with hope, though I cannot see a structure in its particulars… At the very least, we can take the children into the center of the park & let them run (and try to restrain ourselves from hiding from them when they want to go back in).

Item for Eli: the FIVE MILLION POUNDS (weight, not Sterling) of Legos his room is burdened with. We will be taking a selection, obviously, but there will certainly be some rending of garments and gnashing of teeth at some point regarding a specific piece (or set of wheels, etc.) that will have been left behind. And then, the secondary (and far more abstruse) question– what balance of Bionicles / Hero Factory / straight Legos will be satisfactory? Which variety of Lego will the hoped-for English friends want to play with the most? File under: questions without answers.

Item for Finley: IF the brand-new doll with the brand-new trousseau and brand-new accessories is packed, THEN we should just accept as a given that many tear-filled nights will be had in memory of the wooden brick (or feel free to insert any radically inappropriate object here) wrapped in a bit of cloth diaper that Finley said was “a baby” at some point in the indiscriminate past.

Item for Sawyer: nothing will be missed. Any found bit of plastic or rubber will do for “entertainment” purposes. I am choosing not to speak of the wooden-monkey-bell-rattle-thing that she freaked out over during the holidays. That will not be going with us. It will NOT.

General items: Bikes– file under “oh well.” Books– going to have to get a lending library card. Playmobil– they’ll have to be satisfied with Legos. Hot Wheels– probably have to take a few of those. Magic wands– only one of the kids get really worked up about these, so we can probably fit what we need. Art supplies in general– have to bring some, and then buy more… The critical thing (perhaps the most critical thing on this list) will, of course, be scotch tape.

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