I just realized that I never posted the rest of our break pictures! (ie: the period where Darin was gone and we were still taking pictures, because all we've been doing since he's been back is hugging and loving him...in between his bathroom trips that is...the transition back to America did not do anything good for his belly...). 

We were so lucky to have 5 days with Anna when we got back to PA. Love this girl so so so much.

While in PA we met up with Philip and one of the boys that he nannies to bowl and then...DUCK DONUTS! Darin and I discovered that there was a Duck Donuts close to my parents last fall but hadn't had an opportunity to go yet. We made sure to go this visit. These donuts have a special place in our heart from when we lived in Williamsburg. So fun to see it expand throughout the east coast.

 Love his sweet face, full on enjoying that amazing donut. I want more right now!

 Perks to sleeping in the same room with the kids for a week: seeing the fun positions they get themselves in to. Waking up every couple of hours with them was definitely an unperk. (They really struggled those first two weeks back after being in the west. They seemed to have devised a plan so that at least one of them was up every hour. Good times). 

 It's always fun to see the kid's reaction to our apartment/toys/their room when we get back home after being away for so long. Shae ran around saying, "I love my room! I love my toys! I love my pillow! I love my bed!" etc. etc. etc. Of course the first thing to come out, the stuffed animal/pillow pile. Always. 

 She was happy to have hummus back in her life. 

 Shae and I taking an early morning selfie to send to daddy before he went to sleep a world (and day) away from us. The flash was pretty bright, so this is what he got. 

 As much as I love to have the whole bed to myself, it was fun having Shae sleep with me for the last week of Darin's trip. I tried to put him in his bed a few times, but he somehow always ended up back in bed with me (granted, he had been sleeping with an adult in the room with him for the past month, so it was understandable). 

How to pass the week by when all you can think about is how many days are left till seeing daddy:

 Shae was at Joy School when we went up to Syracuse to get Darin. It was a bummer he wasn't there to greet him, but I'm also glad that me and Belén got some daddy time first. We arrived at the waiting area right as Darin was walking out. Belén saw him first and pushed herself right out of my arms and ran full speed to him yelling "daddy!" the whole way. My heart melted. It was the sweetest and then she gave him the BEST BIGGEST bear hug. Oh that girl loves her daddy. All I got was a picture of her letting go of the bear hug, but still a WONDERFUL moment (for so many reasons!)

 The kids can finally stop climbing other people's dads (seriously, anytime Shae saw a man the last week of Darin's trip, he would start to climb them or try to wrestle them, it was pretty awkward at a friend's bday party to look over and see some kid's dad--that we don't know--holding Shae while he caressed his face...). They now have their jungle gym/wrestle buddy back! And all is right in the world again.

And if there are no new blog posts for awhile it's because all we will be doing is this:

Potty training! (and eating lots of hummus because that is how we do) All of last week that is what we did and for the next weeks and months and years to come. That little toilet ring around her bum, ha! Wish us luck!