Jet lag.

As I wrote in this post, jet lag is a beast that takes far too long to tame and for the ease of international travel, I wish it didn't exist, but alas it does. However, I have realized that it's easier on your children the older they get, and I'd say it's easier on you the older you get, but I don't necessarily know if that's the case. I'm no spring chicken, so I don't just bounce back from a lack of sleep like I use to, but my body is use to interrupted sleep, which I suppose may be to my advantage with jet lag. 

Anyhow, we have been here 11 days now, and I think it took the kids about 7 days before they started going to bed at a normal time. It was really hard trying to figure them out and adjust with them to a different schedule and sleep pattern before they fully reverted to their original sleep patterns. Ryan was hardly awake at all the first few days. I think one day he was awake for like 45 minutes before he went down for his first nap. We were making jokes about him just sleeping the entire trip away. Have no fear that has not been the case. 

The first few nights were the hardest as the boys were literally waking up in the night and staying awake for hours on end. One night Ryan was awake from 10-12 AM and then Jack woke up right after that and was awake till 2 or 3 AM. There were a few nights like that actually. And that was rough as Peter and I just wanted to sleep but our kids were wide awake wanting to be entertained. And Jack kept waking up screaming that he was scared and every single night he has landed himself in our bed, all for the sake of sleep and survival. There were a few mornings where we all slept till ten and I’m sure those were the mornings when they had been awake in the wee hours of the night.

You guys jet lag is real and it is hard and really confusing for kids and for adults as Peter and I have been falling asleep everywhere. And there have been numerous nights where I have gone to bed soon after Jack has. I had high hopes for reading and working in bed, but I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. All that to say, I know it does come to an end, eventually, and then you begin the journey home and have to do it all over again. Haha! In all honesty though, it has helped to look back at the last post I wrote about jet lag and what we went through the first time with Jack.

And I can look back on that now and praise God that this time it is different! I can honestly say if your baby is a good sleeper, then this jet lag thing will be a breeze. Ryan is an incredible sleeper and he has adjusted much more easily than Jack did at that age and even than Jack has now. And maybe we're better at reading him and anticipating when he's tired before he gets past the point of no return, which is where we took Jack far too may times. I have tried my best to honor Ryan's nap times, especially his morning nap, and we normally don't venture too far from home till after that one. And then I normally put him down for an afternoon nap whenever we get home from said adventure and sometimes he'll even have a third nap. It all just depends, but he's going to bed just after six, just like he does at home. And he’s napping around the same time as he does at home. And I am definitely not spending 2-3 hours putting him to bed. Thank you Jesus! He naps with ease and goes to bed with ease and even when he does wake up in the night, I just have to feed him and he goes right back to sleep. I'm sure we'll have to sleep train him again when we get home as he was sleeping straight through the night before we left, but whatever. We can handle that.

Now Jack on the other hand has always had issues sleeping, so I'm not surprised he's decided to forgo his naps and forgo his bed for mama and dadas bed while here, and I'm praying this doesn't continue when we get home. And if I'm incredibly honest, a part of me thinks we created his sleeping issues. We've always done things to facilitate Jack's sleeping whether it's patting his back, lying with him or singing him songs. And I don’t think that’s helped him much. I’m hoping we can get him napping again and sleeping in his own bed all for the sake of a bit of sanity for everyone once we get back home.

All in all, the kids have been a dream. Ryan’s just as sweet as always, with a few more tears and whimpers thrown in there simply out of sheer exhaustion. And I get it. I’m tired too. And he’s definitely a little mamas boy, but nowhere near as bad as Jack was when we were here last. He’s more than happy to go into other people’s arms just as long as he knows mama or dada aren’t too far away. And Jack, well he’s still crazy. That kid has so much energy and he just goes and goes and goes. And he goes stir crazy if he doesn’t get outside at least once a day, which is fine and all, but the weather hasn’t been all that great since we’ve arrived. However, we haven’t let that stop us!

But let’s just say by the end of the day Peter and I are tired. And there have been a handful of times where I have put Ryan down for a nap or put him down for the night and I find myself crawling into bed and pulling the blanket up in hopes of getting a quick nap to get me through the rest of the day/night. And I don’t think a night has gone by that Peter hasn’t fallen asleep himself while putting Jack to bed. I’m now in the habit of going upstairs to check on them (and waking Peter from his slumber) an hour after their departure from the living room.

All that to say it’s all so worth it. This I know. And these moments with Peter’s family and our kids are moments we will treasure always. And the jet lag and sleep deprivation will come to an end, but the memories will remain. And for that, I am grateful.