C just informed me that he’s most likely starting on a new project at the end of the month. Which isn’t anything worth mentioning really, except that IT’S IN AUSTRALIA. It’s going to last for a couple of months, which means, WE ARE MOVING TO AUSTRALIA. For a few months only, of course, but still.
If all goes well with his visa application, and if his bosses confirm the posting by the end of this week, we will have to be there at the end of this month. Right now, everything is still up in the air, but I’m freaking out because there are so many unknowns. We don’t know the exact duration of our stay, and neither do we know where we’ll be staying. We will probably start off in Adelaide, though there’s a slight chance we will go to Melbourne too. Heck, we might even be going to BOTH.
Before we had Noah, I was more than happy to join him in France when he was there for his MBA. Living in a foreign country was a huge adventure, and all I had to do was apply for no-pay leave, pack my bag, and hop onto a plane. Now, with a baby in tow, things are definitely more complicated. I really think I would be a lot calmer about our move if not for Noah, so bear with me as I go in panic mode.
Noah has always been a fussy eater, and that really is a huge problem. He hasn’t been eating well recently, refusing to open his mouth, and spitting out the food that I somehow manage to squeeze into his tiny mouth. I even scrambled eggs this morning for him, in the hope that the new cooking method might entice him to eat, but he spat it out, and I ended up having to eat them myself. (This is why I can’t lose weight. I keep having to finish his food!) I’m really hoping that we’ll be able to get a serviced apartment there, so that I can at least cook for him, otherwise, it’s going to be a real problem. I guess I could get a small rice cooker, and cook porridge twice daily for him, if we are in a hotel, but that would mean getting fresh ingredients daily. We would then have to be near a supermarket, or things will be really crazy.
Sleep-wise, he’s still waking up very frequently at night, and I still nurse him to sleep each time. We were sort of trying to wean him recently, but he has also been rejecting the different types of formula milk that we have offered him. Now that we might be overseas for some time, I think I won’t try to wean him so soon, and stick to breastfeeding him. He also sleeps on our bed with us most of the time now, so if we can’t get a cot there for him, I guess we’ll just have to keep sharing our bed with him. For such a tiny person, this baby sure takes up a lot of space!
I’m also wondering if we should bring his car seat and stroller along. We’ll probably rent a car, but I haven’t checked if we can also rent a car seat for him, and if it’s expensive to do so. I also don’t know how practical it is to bring the stroller, as I normally pop him into the Manduca when we go out.
Diapers are another area of concern for me. Noah currently uses Mamy Poko diapers, but from what I’ve heard, they aren’t available in Australia. As if moving to a foreign country isn’t stressful enough, we have to find a new brand of diapers for him too. I know it sounds silly, but if you’ve suffered from having poo all over you because of leaky diapers, you’ll understand what I’m saying.
I’ve also amassed quite a bit of clothes, books, and toys for Noah, many of which I haven’t even opened yet. If we are going to be away for so many months, it’ll be quite a waste if I don’t bring them there. Some aren’t age-appropriate for him now, but they will be while we are there. Also, I’m definitely going to need them to entertain him while C is away at work during the day.
Noah has been attending gym classes at Gymnademics, and I think a lot of his physical progress is definitely due to his lessons there. He still hasn’t been able to stand or walk unassisted, and I’m worried that his progress will be greatly affected because we are overseas. I’ve also been looking for a playgroup for him here, but now that we will be away, all my plans will have to be on hold. I’ll probably have to see if there are gym classes and playgroups there that we can join on a short-term basis.
If things work out, we will have to leave in about two weeks time. Two weeks! I’m torn between jumping up and down with excitement, and running around like a headless chicken from the stress. I’m reminded of our wedding verse, Jeremiah 29:11, that God has plans for us, and therefore, we just have to trust that whatever happens, is all part of His great plan for our family.
So much to do, and so little time. Wish me luck!
PS. If anyone has any tips or advice for me, I’d be grateful if you could leave me a comment below. Thanks!
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