Back to "Normal"
After an incredible vacation back in the U-S-A where Aiden got to meet all his family and friends, we reluctantly boarded the 15 hour non-stop flight back to Doha... admittedly I was expecting the worst (15 hours of entertaining a cranky little boy); instead Aiden was a superstar, sleeping most of the flight allowing mom and dad to catch a few critical hours of sleep [remember the 'slept the whole flight' part, that's important later]. We arrived back in Qatar ahead of schedule, which also meant ahead of the other 20 flights that arrive between 7 and 9pm, which in turn meant no wait at immigration! Our 8 bags came out within the first 15 or so and we were homeward bound thanks to the extra large baggage carts and a friendly pickup from the Fuller family.
It felt really good to back 'home', even if we were again halfway around the world from the people we loved the most... we miss the States more with each visit. Once we convinced the dogs to settle down, Sheri and I simultaneously put our little 'un to bed, showered, partially unpacked (8 bags remember), and even managed to cook some Mac and Cheese before heading to bed. We had no idea the adventures that awaited us.
Jet lag is a phenomenon you get familiar with as an expat. You know to expect weird sleep patterns the first few days into and out of a trip overseas... having trouble falling asleep at 11pm only to wake up at 2am wide awake. Apparently infants experience jet lag too - but instead of heading downstairs for some toast and early morning TV they opt for crying during all nighttime hours until passing out around sunrise. For those parents who have traveled cross country and had a few restless nights, I'm sure you can appreciate what 2 full weeks of sleepless nights and one very cranky son is like. We were equal parts heartbroken that our son was so upset and at the same time completely frustrated that we were back in week 2 mode, taking turns sleeping 3 hours a pop. I can honestly say that I've never had a more challenging experience in my life - and I only covered the weekend since Sheri was a total supermom and took the school nights so daddy could get his beauty rest for work. I'm happy to report that Aiden is going to bed at 7pm again as of last weekend; but he has yet to fully recover his pre-trip sleep pattern, instead waking up every 3 or 4 hours like months 2 & 3. We're worried he's starting to teeth, which may prolong the sleepless night syndrome a few more weeks.
Despite the challenging return to reality, Aiden continues to grow up. He's now rolling over on his own (typically when mom or dad aren't looking), actively grabbing everything at arm's length and jamming it in his mouth. He's nearly sitting up on his own (especially in the bath), and loves his highchair. Recently he's discovered his feet are indeed HIS, thinks the dogs are hilarious as well as when mom raspberries his belly and dad tries to eat his toes.
If you were expecting phone calls from us in the past two weeks, sorry, but the telecom monopoly of Qatar has abruptly and intentionally interrupted our Vonage service (along with Gmail chat)... to make matters worse the embassy and newspapers are warning folks to avoid shorts and revealing tops as Ramadan approaches... typically this was directed at women, but now they are singling out men too (ahhhh) nothing like wearing jeans and a sweater when it's 120 degrees out! Oh, and if you recall, Ramadan means no food or WATER in public places for a month (like the car, mall, or office) during daylight hours unless you smuggle it into the office yourself. Should have planned our vacation more carefully.
[Aiden isn't a fan of censorship either]
Speaking of vacation, returning to an even more frustrating Qatar is motivating us to plan a last minute trip to Austria with some friends for the Eid holiday in September... should be nice to celebrate the end of Ramadan in a much 'cooler' location (temperature and amenities). If you have any ideas for places to see in or around Vienna / Salzburg leave a comment (we already have penciled in the Eagle's Nest and Innsbruck).
