Monday, September 8, 2014

#MicroblogMondays: La Rentrée

Is summer vacation for a mother of small children ever really relaxing? We had lots of fun, but I can't say I was rested upon return (especially since M. Gourmand thought it was too much trouble going to the bathroom on the campsite - so much easier to let mommy clean up the mess… I must admit I threw away a few undies…).

Today the second week of school started with both boys attending. Last week I immediately noticed how much easier life is for the younger child. School was already familiar to him, while his brother had again to navigate a new situation as his Kindergarten class is located in the building of the elementary school - so tears for M. Sensible, big smile for M. Gourmand (who has everybody's favorite teacher as well so how can you not smile).

I now have at least my mornings back (and who knows, maybe also my blog?) - and some part of the afternoon too as M. Sensible stays at school all day and M. Gourmand takes long enough naps for me to get some work done. If I get as far as to revive my Cultural Differences series, there will certainly be a post on the topic of "La Rentrée" too.

#MicroblogMondays is another great idea from Mel at Stirrup Queens. Join in!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! As another ex-pat mom (currently in Germany, very very soon to be in England), I found your blog shortly before it went on hiatus. Looking forward to reading more.

I'm very glad to hear I'm not the only one who took the "pack ALL the underwear, and throw away what isn't salvageable" to the summer 'vacation' (scare quotes necessary because it was a two week trip involving four countries, an academic conference, holiday, and house-hunting in our soon-to-be-new-city).

Valery said...

Halloooooo, so nice to hear from you again!
I always joked that mothers of young children should go to the office to rest. Little did I know how right that was!
While vacation was a lot of fun, it is not the same as relaxing. (Although it does make life a bit easier when there is more than one adult around more of the time)

Lollipop Goldstein said...

Welcome back! No, those trips and never relaxing, per se. But fun, memory-building?

Turia said...

I remember being shocked when I realized how much more WORK 'vacations' were with a baby. Or with a toddler. Now, with a preschooler, we are getting somewhere (slowly), but hoo boy are they still a lot of work!

Mina said...

Sometimes, if stars align, we have wonderful, incredible holidays. And then we get cocky, and think we can do more. We just came back from a long weekend from hell. Both boys have been awfully misbehaved for weeks now. I wish I could predict this kind of things.
Welcome back!

Buttermilk said...

I recoup my sanity at work. Sometimes it feels like rest, sometimes not. But at least I can count on my colleagues to be more tepid and rational than my toddler.

md said...

gosh, exactly, vacations NEVER feel like vacations anymore!! i miss those days of lazing on beaches or wandering around museums or sitting for hours in cafes.

apart from the actual vacations, the packing and unpacking also stresses me out!

i am waiting for the twins to get a tiny bit older, and a whole lot more understanding!! :P

areyoukiddingme said...

Our holidays always involved traveling to see family - therefore, it was fun for my daughter and somewhat relaxing for me. I always gained a whole host of people willing to watch her and play with her! Now, she's old enough to want to do some of the things I want to do, so vacations should be even more fun...