getting ready

Traveling to Russia and back 3 times within 11 weeks is one wild ride. Each trip has been about 8 days. Just long enough to almost adjust to the 11 hour time difference only to bounce right back and give jet-lag another go. It's also been a challenge making arrangements for our crazy household to stay afloat during our travels over and over. But the hardest part of the traveling has been leaving our 3 year old, Drew.

The first trip was great. Drew was a little uneasy when I kissed him goodbye but happily trotted off to "the waving spot" when I told him I would be bringing home a special prize from Russia. When we returned home he was super happy to see his "Russia cars" and while he was a little clingy, it wasn't any worse than I had dealt with before.

Then came trip two. This time his experience would be a little different as he would need to spend a few days staying at a friend's house. First sleepover without mom. Not at home. Not in his own bed. No sisters. We did a fair amount of preparation and he was thrilled. I was relieved to hear he even rolled his own little suitcase out to the car with his chest out and head held high (this was a great adventure). But then our trip was extended an extra day and things got a little crazy. Returning home without mama being there to greet him was a major problem. The payment for leaving my "baby" twice in one month's time was suddenly past-due and gaining multiple fees.

In hopes to settle some of Drew's anxiety about mama leaving yet again I have come up with a plan (big surprise, right?). We have spent a great deal of time working on being excited for this trip. Not only will Mom and Dad be gone again, this time we won't be coming home alone... So here are some of the ideas I found and came up with:

We went to the library and found a few great books all about being a big brother, having a new baby, and even a story about baby "Joel" coming home on a plane after being adopted internationally. These books have been invaluable and have opened all kinds of talking and excitement from Drew about being the "big brother."

 

We created a paper chain counting down the days to Jacob's homecoming. It hangs from the light fixture over our kitchen table and Drew cuts off a new link each day. Some of the links have activities written on them that we will do together and some he will do while we're gone.

 

I went to the dollar store and got a gift for each day that we are gone. Caitlin and Amber got involved with this one and are excited to help Drew be enthusiastic about opening his "prizes" while we are away.

 

I found these number cookie cutters at a gourmet kitchen store. The day before Brad and I leave we will be baking number cookies together with the kids. While we are gone the kids can frost, decorate, and eat a cookie for dessert each night counting down our arrival with their new brother.

 

We will be making a "flat family." I'll be posting pictures once they are done. They are basically paper dolls. The flat people representing Brad, Jacob, and I will stay home with the kids and we will be taking the flat people representing Caity, Amber, and Drew with us to Russia. We will take pictures of the "flat" kids on our adventures (on the plane, gotcha day, at red square, etc.) and the kids will take "us" with them (in the car, church, the zoo, special dinners out, etc.) Then we will email each other pictures of where we've been every few days.

We also helped the kids make Jacob a present to give him on gotcha day. It's a simple tag-blanket and I plan to post pictures about this later. They don't know it yet, but Jacob is also leaving a special present for them to open on gotcha day too.

Overall, everyone is very excited for this final trip. And I think Drew is definitely showing less anxiety than a week or two ago. Fingers crossed...