The Eagle Has Landed

We moved into our new place today.  Actually, our old place--we lived in this building the last time we were in the U.S..  It feels like home, which is strange when you consider that we only lived here for about three months the last time.  But that was the start of this grand adventure that we've been on for the last few years, the beginning of our new life, and so it's home.  It's nice to move to a different city, and yet know the neighborhood.  A few things have changed around here, but in mostly good ways--we discovered a great, cheap burrito place; there's a great newish playground; there's a new bagel place.  It was fun to walk around today with Miss M and talk to her about how we lived here when she was just a baby like SB.

We did a bit of unpacking, then some grocery shopping.  Is it just me, or have grocery prices REALLY gone up?  I know we are in a big city, but we just paid $8 for a jar of peanut butter, and $7.50 for a tub of greek yogurt!  I've been joking that we are going to commute to buy groceries in the suburbs.

Tomorrow we are going to go and visit Miss M's new school, just to prepare her for Monday, when she will start (as long as the weather cooperates, that is).  We've been talking with her a lot about starting school, but in all of the recent chaos, I forgot to get a book to prepare her.  For all of our other big changes, like SB's birth and the move and potty training, we bought books and read them every night to help prepare her, and it worked really well.  In hindsight, I wish we'd done the same for school.  Still, we've been talking about it every day, about how mommy and daddy and SB will go with her, but then we'll leave her there with her new teacher and her new friends and she will play all day.  Today was the first day she voiced some concern about this plan.  Before now she's always been really excited.  I reassured her that I would be nearby, and that her teacher could call me and I would come back if she really needed me.  Hopefully, it will go smoothly.

I'm looking forward to her going to preschool, because I know she needs the stimulation, and I'm excited for all of the new things she will learn and be able to relay to us, but it's bittersweet.  All of a sudden, she's almost THREE.  How is it possible that she's been with us three years already?!  My little baby is growing up.  She's been at home with one of us her whole life.  She's never stayed with "strangers" before.  Her whole world has been created by us up until now.  When she has said something, we know exactly where it comes from--we get all of the references, because we've been with her every step of the way.  And now, all of that will be different.  I know it's a good thing and a healthy thing and a necessary thing (at some point), but it's also a little scary to let her out of our sight, out of our care.  But then, it's clear that she's also ready.

And then, there is Frankenstorm.  We tried to buy water today, and the grocery store was completely sold out.  There was a half an aisle that was completely empty.  I am still hoping that the storm just turns and goes out to sea.  Nobody needs a freak hurrican/nor'easter/storm!