Excuse the blogging hiatus but we are still running on temporary Wifi which doesn’t work very well and all the running around has been tiring me out!
We arrived two weeks ago now and I think I’m starting to find my feet. Our house is beautiful but nowhere near unpacked and there is a lot to do. Thomas is having an incredible time! He sleeps all night in his own room, even before it has anything but a mattress in it! (waiting on carpets upstairs…). Every morning he comes running in to me – “Mummy, Mummy, it’s morning-time! It’s morning-time!”. It just makes my heart melt to see him so happy.
There are bugs galore but most of them hidden and/or small, like stink bugs and mole crickets, some are more eek-worthy, like the mantis on the front door the other morning…
I can now drive on the other side of the road! There are outlet malls and strip malls and BIG shops around, as well as the historic downtown Frederick which has an amazing library and a brilliant toy shop, along with restaurants and coffee shops and museums and a canal (I might do more of a post on downtown, I think we will spend a lot of time there!).
I’ve done some research and found day trips for all of us, pumpkin patches and giant corn mazes, farm visits, hay rides (maybe not for me, being allergic to hay and all), science centres, zoos and the upcoming Dora Live at the Frederick Theatre! Plenty of fun to be had if we can sort the house and buy a car and get social security numbers and a driving licence and a transformer (of the electricity variety, not a robot) and get my head around all of the possible UK substitute foods. I mean seriously, no cordial?! The powdered stuff just isn’t doing it for me! And why does everything have sugar / maple syrup added to it? Why can’t I just buy baked beans? Why are they filled with bacon and maple syrup or brown sugar and other vegetables?! My UK Malteser supply is dwindling (if you know me and know my address, please feel free to send Maltesers, Oxo cubes and Moroccan spice mix… I would be eternally grateful!). The vegetables are amazingly fresh though and the choice is sometimes overwhelming but brilliant. There are pros and cons to everything!
I found a midwife, well two actually, and feel incredibly lucky to be able to plan a home birth in a country with an extremely medicalised view of pregnancy and labour. I love the fact that my list of “I do not want X, Y and Z” was met with “well we would never do that a standard anyway”. I have my first official prenatal appointment this week and feel that this pregnancy has so far been brilliant! I haven’t suffered from any of the aches and pains I had with Thomas, no carpal tunnel syndrome, no swollen legs and painful feet, less weight gain… I don’t know if it’s because I am more relaxed about it all this time or whether it’s because I don’t have to get up and go to work every day! I am getting more tired as the weeks go on (25 and counting!) and am getting bigger and less able to do things, but I feel really well! Oh, and in case you missed it, it’s a boy!
So much to tell and I will try and get better at updating and taking photos. It was a big shock to leave my parents and come here and I really struggled for the first week. I’m getting better, I miss my Mum every day, but there is email and Skype and the world is a much smaller place than it once was.
This week we will venture to the 2-5 year old storytime at the library and see if we meet any new friends. This is the one part lacking so far, but mainly due to not getting out and meeting people. There are so many things that need sorting out so friendship has been low on my priority list for the time being. People are so friendly and so willing to chat, so I just need to put on a big smiley Lindsey face and be brave. If I can remember how!
:)
Lovely to read all your news Lindsey - sounds as though you are settling in well but your last few lines spoke volumes. The world is a small place and I know your Mum and Dad must miss you lots too but at the same time be so proud of you and happy that you are taking on new challenges and experiances. Tke care of yourself and those that love you , talk on skype soon , Loluv Lynne xxxxx
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the unwelcome shock that is sweetened American bread...
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you're doing a great job of adjusting to a new country, particularly considering that it tried to greet you with two natural disasters! Hang in there; it gets easier. If you were me, that list of day trips would be key - it's much harder to be homesick when I'm regularly doing things I couldn't have done at home.
And you've got access to delightfully cheap books now. :-)
On the Maltesers front, I've done some quick googling. Wikipedia suggests that Whoppers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoppers) are similar, though I bet the chocolate's not as good. ;-) Amazon has some options: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=Maltesers&x=0&y=0
And there is, or used to be, a shop called "Classic Cigars & British Goodies" in Frederick, which seems to be expensive but might be useful. Their website's not working for me, but I'm using an iPad so it could just be Flash.
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Abigail, in case the books comment didn't give it away! ;-)
Wow! What a welcome to the USA am pleased that you have not suffered from the hurricane at all. Am also so happy for all three of you are adapting to your new surroundings so well. Especially Thomas :)
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on expecting another baby boy - boys have been very popular among us tweeting/blogging mummies this year! It's great that you are able to plan for the type of birth you want.
I look forward to reading more when you are able.
Take care and look after yourselves xxx
am a little behind, I hope you are settling in and not missing your mum too much. Hope by the time you read this you've made some friends and settled in. Well done on finding midwives and organising a home birth.
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