Back to normal. Well, almost.

Last night I went to bed with the children around 8pm. We woke up this afternoon at 12.30! Toby missed school and swimming lessons because we slept right through them. I'm suffering with jetlag more than I ever have before. I woke up with a pounding headache, double vision and nausea. Nothing some food, coffee and paracetemol couldn't fix though.

I thought fresh air and exercise would be a good idea so we all bundled up (funny to think that Tobes was wearing a T-shirt and shorts the day before in Texas) and went into the village. It was nice to abandon the hair and make-up routine I fall into in Texas and just go out with a messy ponytail and no make-up. They were testing the Christmas lights for the big turning-on ceremony on Saturday and the village looked lovely. We spent a couple of hours running errands and stopping at Costa for a snack. We bumped into Rosie's friend Fillipa, her brother Freddy and their nanny Haley. By the time we headed home around 4.00pm it was already dark and I had fallen back in love with Blackheath which looks particularly gorgeous this time of year.

Every time we visit the States I start to feel a tug at my heart. That feeling of 'belonging' that I'm not sure I'll ever really have in England. My accent changes, my body language is more relaxed. I can really feel myself shifting into Texan mode and I enjoy it. I start to worry that our flat in London is too small, that life in England is too hard and that maybe it's time to move back. Then we come back to London and I see that our flat is tiny but it's lovely and that I fit in more than I think I do. I do find my Texan accent fading. I speak more quietly and I sit straighter and walk differently but I guess that's just me fitting in. A full-on Texan in Blackheath would be a little disruptive! We've made a lovely life for ourselves in London and I think we'll stay a bit longer.

Our trip home was one of the best ever. Mom had really prepared for us and had gotten a travel cot and double stroller from a cousin. It made things so much easier. I've also learned over the years to keep a kiddy box at Mom and Dad's with a bedguard, kiddy plates and cutlery, sippy cups, sun visors for the car, etc, etc. Having the organic grocery store for Rosie really helped too. I was able to stock up on snacks for her. We came back with some great apple cinnamon oatmeal that Rosie loves. I'm going to have to see if I can buy it online. It's really yummy. Even I like it.

I did buy another suitcase and we stuffed it full. I bought so much but I know we'll use it all. I found some peppermint and white chocolate chips that will make great Christmas cookies and I brought back some shredded coconut. The English coconut is like sawdust but the American kind is soft and sweet. Not sure what I'm going to make with it yet. Maybe a big coconut cake. That always looks festive.

I came back to some amazing news. A friend of mine had a baby over the weekend... and she didn't even know she was pregnant! I thought that kind of thing only happened in magazines or talk shows but I guess not. Thankfully she and the baby, a little girl named Sophie, are both fine. I'm looking forward to introducing them to the world of double strollers soon.