The Homecoming

And now, we are home. Our Sandy Island adventure is behind us. And, once again, I'm feeling a deeper connection to my mom.

I have a vague memory of what it was like to get home from vacation. I vaguely remember pulling in the driveway and suddenly there was a frenzied feeling. Unpack the van, bags to the laundry, take baths, get to bed. My parents were suddenly in go mode to get things back together. I remember all the next day my mom would do laundry and try to get everything back in order. I vaguely remember, at least once, her wondering out loud if it was worth it.

And 20 years later, we pulled into the driveway with our van and I went into go mode: bags in the basement (I had seen spiders in our bags, and nothing was coming into the apartment until it had been washed!), dirty baby dishes to the kitchen, babies bathed, bedtime, switch laundry, do the dishes. I was in a desperate frenzy to get things done. Except the lack of sleep from checking on my bundled babies and looking for spiders had me so exhausted that I crashed (literally) on the couch. Lucas woke me up around 11 to go to bed and informed me that I fell asleep around 8 (I don't even remember sitting on the couch...).

2 days later, and the laundry is done, but not folded. So we are surrounded by mounds of laundry that threaten to bury us in an avalanche of cotton. The dishes got done, but the babies provide a never ending supply, so you cannot tell. Piles of mail are overflowing on the coffee table (we only missed 2 days of mail, but it looks like a week!). Baby toys are strewn around the apartment making it look like a mini-tornado swept through. And the babies have been fussy (methinks they picked up a cold...and it is further aggravating the teething pain), which has made mama's days long. And I honestly cannot figure out how I will get everything done in time for us to turn around to go to MI next week!

At the same time, the twins have done some adorable things. They have suddenly started to turn over to grab toys that they drop. Something falls out of their hands and they turn their heads to locate it and the turn on their stomach to grab it, and then turn back on their backs! I love it! Allie has started giving "kisses" - which means she lunges at my cheek with an open mouth and then pulls back and smiles! Ryan has started consistently saying "mama." Granted, I don't think he is using it to address me, and he almost only says it when he is mad and then he cries "a-mamamama, a-mamamama-a-a-a-a!" But I love it anyways. And, finally, the twins have started to entertain each other. They were doing tummy time while their bottles were warming, and they scooted to face each other and talked and shared toys. I snapped a quick picture, it was the best moment!

Bring on the next adventure! Life is good!