A few weeks ago, we jumped on the train after lunch and went into downtown London for the afternoon. Chris and I have spent several days in London, so we didn't really have a particular list of things we wanted to see or do, just wander around a bit, sightsee, and periodically let the kids out to play. So that's exactly what we did.
Jayce was very curious, but unsure about the various people that are painted up like statues, so he gave one some change so that he could get a picture with her. Even after she proved to be friendly, he still hadn't made up his mind.
We walked along the river, and Jayce pointed out, "This is London, just like in the Olympics!" which I thought was cool.
He had to endure more pictures, of course, but this one was while he was still on the stroller, so it required even less effort than usual on his part.
We made our way towards this park, stopped to feed the wildlife, and then feed ourselves a little bit.
The park had a few little play areas, so we hung out there for a bit to let the kids explore and stretch their legs.
I spy my girl and my boy...
Then we moved on and circled back towards the river.
I got Jayce this book before we moved here, so we had to go visit the Lion. (Ps-Look at the building in picture above and on the book cover. I didn't even do that on purpose.)
Then back across the bridge by the Eye. It was a bit chilly, but a BEAUTIFUL afternoon.
The last time that we went to London, I was pregnant with Jayce, so it seemed slightly surreal to be back with him as a boy. I had imagined before that we would bring him at some point, but I never guessed that it would be this early in his life. What a blessing.
We ate dinner in London, then headed home, and were in just before the kids' bedtimes. The ease of "an afternoon in London" still seems crazy to me. Crazy and wonderful.
Oh, hi Mom.
I spoked to his teacher each day after school, and discovered that every day he would get sad and weepy around lunchtime and in the afternoon. This is normally when he would be napping at home, so I asked the teacher if, instead of him going outside for the post-lunch recess, if he could stay inside to just read and rest in their quiet corner. He even brought his bear that he sleeps with at home to give him some comfort and sense of home while he rested. This seemed to help somewhat for a few days, but by the end of the week he was worse and didn't want to go to school at all.
The most difficult part of all of this, from Chris and I's perspective, is that Jayce's behavior and response to his school more than likely had little to do with the school itself. I'm guessing that the main factor was that EVERY SINGLE THING in his life has just changed. (Aside from his immediate family, of course.) New house, new bedroom, new parks, new mode(s) of transportation, new school, new teacher, new, new, new. Old house gone, old toys gone, old friends gone, old school gone, old car gone, etc. In the midst of all of these huge changes, (that are difficult for even full grown adults to deal with,) he goes to school from 9-3:30, and I think it was just too long for him to be away from the only stable thing in his life for the past month, me and Chris. 
That was it. It broke me. There were so many huge changes in his life that I couldn't do anything about. But if the school day was too long, I could do something about that.
The next day I told him that I would pick him up from school right after lunchtime. That he would only go for the morning and lunchtime. This perked him up considerably. I talked with his teachers, whom I had been talking with all along, and they completely supported our decision. We decided that we would only send him to school for these "half days" until the end of the term (end of October) or maybe until after Christmas, and he would start going full days in the new year.
This week one morning, completely out of nowhere, he told me that he wanted to go to school the whole day. We talked about it a bit here and there all morning, and I kept suggesting that maybe he go all day the next day, but he was confident that he wanted to on that day. Thinking that it was better if this idea came from him than us, I decided to let him. The teacher said the same thing when I brought him to the door and informed her that he'd be staying all day. "And it was his idea? How wonderful!" 
He has been in for 4 full days of school now, and though I am hesitant to declare that we are completely out of the woods, I am just so happy and relieved to have my boy back. 
Hannah and I arrived about 10 more minutes before the shop opened, so we walked back to the previous bus stop that was near a Starbucks. I had accidentally left my cereal bar breakfast at home, I was starving, and I knew that a muffin would be perfect. I was DELIGHTED to discover that English Starbucks also carry my favorite autumn drink, a Salted Carmel Mocha, and promptly ordered one with my muffin. So Hannah and I enjoyed a sweet little breakfast before I perused the gorgeous fabric.
We left the store and headed towards Richmond where we were running some errands that morning, and I was absolutely beaming because I had this funny sense that I felt so much like me. 
There are things that have provided happiness and comfort in each of the places that we've lived, and there is a small degree of panic when we move, knowing that we're leaving those thing behind to move on to our new location. But it is so satisfying to find the new routines and activities that make us feel that same level of peaceful happiness. 
And that morning, I felt that same thing, but just for me. 
Chris has been out of town for the last 4 nights and 5 days, and to be honest, it's been a lot of work. I know there are people with a lot more kids than me or more going on, but when you're used to having a partner, and now there is no one to help with any part of the day, it's kind of rough. Particularly when they tag team you, and you have your first child free moments after 10:20, for two days in a row. Anyway.... Dinner time can be a bit sticky around our house with two picky eaters, so I decided on a plan of attack that worked like a charm. I spread my duvet on the living room floor, made a spread of lunchtime food that my kids both like (carrots, apples, bananas, bite-sized peanut butter sandwiches, and crackers), we picnicked and watched Fireman Sam. 
Anyway, the above picture is Jayce's room the weekend that we moved in. It's obviously not staged, decorated, beautiful, or anything else, but it's a great room. Bright with lots of natural light and light-colored elements, with a big "big boy bed" that he has never fallen out of, and has all of the space that he needs since he doesn't have any furniture other than his bed. The room is not that different today. We still have not received the items that we shipped, so he has barely any books or toys. We hope to have everything by the end of next week, fingers crossed!
