I could totally turn this into a post about why I’m not a co-sleeper or tips for traveling overseas with young children or how much jetlag sucks. But I think instead I’ll just tell you a story and let you glean your own wisdom for it!
We arrived in Dublin a little over 24 hours ago for the first time in three years and after a 29 hour journey.
After having to dissasssemble our double stroller to get everything in the car. After driving to Orlando. After getting stranded at T-Rex Cafe after a horrendous downpour when we had been 30 minutes late for our reservation as it was. After rushing to Hollywood Studios to do 3 things before rushing to the airport. After changing in the airport bathrooms, checking in, getting a bite to eat and boarding our first flight to London.
After an 8 hour overnight flight when Honeybun and I hardly slept and Doodle kept waking up crying. After 2 hours in the Passport Control que at Gatwick, 2 hours in the terminal and an hour waiting to find out our gate number. After basically running to the gate when they called boarding just minutes after posting the gate (at the far end of the terminal). After getting on board our RyanAir flight (with our car seats and no hassle, yay!)
After the quick one hour flight to Dublin, 10 minutes in the passport que, collecting our luggage immediately off the belt, walking out to be greeted by our favorite taxi driver and a 30 minute drive to our hotel.
After checking in to our triple room (hubby is staying somehwere else for work the first few days and the quad was not available the first night so we switched today). After walking to a favorite pub for dinner and realizing it was after 8 when most places kick kids out. After finding out they were welcome until 9:30, eating quickly and heading back to the hotel for bed.
Our room was arranged is a double bed plus twin bed and while usually we travel with a small blow up bed for Doodle, one of our cats decided to attack it a few months back and the cat won leaving us with nothing for him to sleep on the first night (it was an awesome toddler one I bought for Sugarplum in Dublin before we moved back so I got another today to replace it!). I decided to put the girls together in the double bed and Doodle in the twin bed with me. We all said good-night to hubby and laid down in bed right at 10. All the kids and I passed out immediately.
Then 11:45 and Honeybun is bawling because she can’t sleep because Sugarplum is kicking her. I’m a hot sweaty mess from the combination of my hot body sleeping partner and the “summer weight” duvet on my bed (no sheet as is typical in Europe). Then Doodle’s up. Wide-eyed. And a hot mess too.
I try to get Honeybun to calm down and Doodle to lay back down. He’s tossing and turning and I’m about to fall out of bed when I notice the glorious amount of space in the girls’ bed. So I move him in between them.
He continues tossing and turning over there until I invite him back to my bed and he obliges. Then spends the next 15 minutes going back and forth until I say no more and make him lay back down with me.
Commence tossing and turning. And poking my nose and doing my hair and guzzling water and flopping every which way. For 3 hours. Just before 2 he finally dozed back off and all the little ones slept until morning.
I did wake about 5:30 when the sun was super bright in our room (blackout curtains would be an amazing investment for the hotel!). But did fall back asleep, until 9:33 when Sugarplum called my name, Doodle fell out of bed, Honeybun was still out cold and I realized we had to pack our bags, get breakfast and be to the park in 27 minutes.
Jetlag at its finest. Hopefully we will be more on schedule as the days pass!
