Goodbye Vacation - Hello Normalcy!

I've always found the transition from a long vacation to normal, everyday life to be a difficult one, and then we added kids to the equation. So you can bet that as our five-week vacation in the States recently neared its end, I gave much thought to how the boys would adjust to a life without daily trips to beaches, pools, theme parks, and restaurants.

Fortunately, the answer is surprisingly well! Though they certainly seemed to enjoy themseleves whilst on the road in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Vermont, New York State, and New Hampshire, 2-year-old Alexander's strong little personality did not fare well being in a new place every 2-3 days, surrounded by new faces.

Now that we're home, his strong will has proved to be a wonderful trait at last. Afterall, when Alexander puts his mind to something, he locks on like a pit bull, letting go only when it's been completed or accomplished. Which explains why, for a week now, he's been diaper free (during the day) and using the potty on his own accord!

In other news, it appears as though Alex has begun managing the people around him at the wee age of two. A month of having to speak only one language did wonders for his ability to express himself, and he loves dishing out orders now that he can talk. While on a walk a couple days ago, Alex reacted to his brother running up ahead, shouting "Lukas stop!", "Lukas GO!", and "Mama, walk!"

Less than a week after we arrived back home, Alex underwent an adnoid operation, where his adnoids were removed and tubes were placed in his ears. This meant a week without the trampoline, Kindergarten, running, and other normal toddler behavior.

Of course, this didn't stop he and his brother from having an adorable dance party in the living room, and even seemed to fuel his imagination, prompting him to experiment with make-believe play, asking things like "Crocodile bite me here?", followed by a giggle.

As for Lukas, I've carried him to bed a couple times recently (since he often falls asleep in ours), and have wondered "When will he be too heavy, and when will it be the last time I carry him before he's 'all grown up'?". Now that he's mastered swimming (to a certain extent), Lukas' biggest milestone has been learning how to ride his bike. This explains why he stared at me in deibelief when I swerved on my bicycle after nearly dropping the kids' lunch bags. Seeing this prompted the question, "Mama, did you forget how to ride a bike?", which made me smile.

Other sweet moments that I'd like to remember include Lukas reading to Alex, me walking around our (big) block with Alexander and Felix - and Alex walking the whole way (not asking to be carried once) - with him removing the dogs leash occasionally, as he saw fit (I seemed to be tagging along for fun's sake!), and the new weekend -- better known as "Papa do it!" time. I better not even think of helping him eat his meal, buckle up in the car, or get dressed. If Papa's home, he's the parent of choice. :)

As for the pregnancy and my ever-growing belly, the boys are excited about the fact that they'll soon have a little sister. Alexander giggles when he feels the baby kick in my belly and wonders if he has a baby in his belly, too. So, so cute. Soon it will be time for a photo shoot with the boys and my disproportionately large tummy, which I dare say will be the last of its kind for our family. But most of all, we're all looking forward to meeting the little girl who's turning and twisting and kicking inside me. August can't come fast enough, and yet we sure are enjoying these last couple months with the boys and the boys alone! :)