Ending our Australia Adventure

We’ve been back in the US now for 4 months and things have been so busy that I haven’t had time to wrap up the DandLdownunder blog… It’s hard to believe our Aussie adventure has come to an end.  I have much to close the loop on – let’s see if I can make it a quick and dirty summary…

David’s contract came to an end rather abruptly but it came as a relief to both of us.  We were emotionally ready to be back in the US so it all ended as it should.  Our flight departed (first class, no less!) on March 18^th.  Before the big move, we had much to celebrate with the wonderful friends we made in AU!

My mother’s group was kind enough to throw me a great going away lunch, complete with Aussie-inspired gifts.  I can’t wait until we get our own house so we can proudly hang our AU flag and drink beers from yellow and green cozies J I miss my mother’s group terribly – I’m so grateful that I had (and still have) such a great group of women to lean on during the first months of Sydney’s life.  Becoming a mother is so magical and difficult all at the same time.  I really don’t know how anyone does it without a strong support system.  Thank you, Yummy Mummies for being there when I needed you.

In standard Aussie tradition, we threw ourselves a going away BBQ at the beach, complete with Sydney’s first ocean swim experience!  Well, I wouldn’t really call it a swim per-se, but more of a foot-dunk but we can officially say her first time was (appropriately) in the ocean off Shelley Beach in Manly.  She’s a swimmer in the making!

We enjoyed our first sailing adventure as a family with our friends Kimmie and Tim, and their two daughters.   The sail around Sydney Harbour was beautiful but let’s just say I wasn’t exactly as relaxed as I would have liked to have been.  Having a 4 month old on a sail boat was a little more nerve-racking than I expected.  I’m so glad we did it, though.  David even had the chance to take the helm for a bit!  

David got his Summer 6K and Summer 10K badges with Bold & the Beautiful.  Ocean swimming and David really get along.  If we could live on the ocean again, I think David would be in heaven. :)  This picture of David and Sydney is with Jules, the head of B&B.  What a sweetheart!   

After selling almost every piece of furniture in our apartment (thank you, Gumtree.com!) we moved out of our place and into Laura and Scott’s across the street for a week.  They were traveling through NZ and kindly offered their adorable apartment so we didn’t have to rent a place for our last days in town.  It worked out great for all of us!  Thank you SO MUCH to L&S (and Noah too, of course) for sharing your space with us for a bit!  We miss you tons!

Our last hurrah was with Jo, Pete and little Samuel as we ventured to Barossa Valley for a last wine-tasting adventure.  After a successful first flight for both babies, the 6 of us had a ball visiting all of our favorites – Rusden, Rockford, Torbreck, Greenock Creek, Kalleske – the kids both did great while their parents drank too much wine (with a DD of course!)  Somehow David got out of having to drive at all so the responsibility was left up to Pete, Jo and me.  Don’t worry, I got him back when we went to Napa over the 4^th of July. ;) I think we might make it a habit to do wine trips with the Schofields.  We had a blast together as always! 

Our flight home to the US went far smoother than expected.  Let me just say if you’re going to travel 24 hours with a 5 month old, the only way to do it is in first class.  We had multiple people ask us if Sydney made a peep the entire flight!  She slept well in the lay flat seat next to me (she couldn’t fit with David!) and I was able to feed her with no problem.  We opted to delay the introduction of solids until after we returned to the US to simplify the trip home and I’m so glad we did that.  We even had a celebrity sighting during our travels – Evander Holyfield was on our flight from LAX to ATL!  David took a picture of Sydney and me with him in the airport.  What a nice guy he was!

We’ve been home now for 4 months and it almost feels like our experience in Australia was a dream.  I am so grateful to have had the experience.  What a special time for David and me.  We started our marriage with an amazing adventure and through the ups and downs of the past 3 years we are all the better for it.  To top off the experience of a lifetime with the birth of our daughter couldn’t have been more perfect.  Sydney won’t have memories of AU until we bring her back there when she’s older, but her roots started there and her path will definitely take her back there someday.  Who knows, maybe the ocean will call to us and we’ll find ourselves living down under once again… 

On to our next adventure!!

~LAA :)