Japan - Jet Lag

The joy of an international trip is usually followed by another, even greater joy. Unless, of course, you are lucky enough to be flying from the US to South America, or something like that. This joy is called, innocently enough, jet lag. And let:s just get this straight - it stinks, royally so, and is compounded 100x by having children. Maybe in heaven, I will actually get to know Katsu:s family without the barriers of jet lag and language. That would be nice.

First off, it always makes me laugh when people are like, (quote) Oh, my poor pumpkin. Ever since we went on that trip to Utah, she just doesn:t sleep well. It messed her schedule all up (unquote). I always want to say something really uncharitable, like, (quote) You want to really mess up your pumpkin. Try traveling for 24 hours to a place with a 14 hour time difference. (unquote). See, I truly am very uncharitable inside.

Anyways, jet lag is awful. And, get this, in all my experience, coming to Japan is actually WAY easier than going back to the U.S. I actually think that, all things considered, it hasn:t been that bad. But how bad is that really? Keep listening. And keep in mind, that we:ve taken kids (well, one kid, Andrew) to Europe, too, and jet lag to Japan is in a whole :nother league. Now, for way too many details, but seeing as i woke up before 5 am this morning, I have plenty of time.

So, night one ( this would be tuesday night, we lost a day in the travel plus international date line ), Seth and I went to sleep in one bedroom, probably between 7 and 8 (whoa, I just pressed some weird button on the keyboard and it started typing in Japanese, thankfully I figured out how to turn it back). Seth woke up at one, all bright eyed and bushytailed, with a dirty diaper to boot. Please note, we are staying in what I am estimating is a 900 sq. ft condo with 3 bedrooms, pretty decent for Japan, with Katsu:s parents and also his sister. So, the sleeping arrangements can be a little nutty. Note, the bedrooms are the size of a walk-in closet in a relatively big house in America. The boys were sleeping in the living room and when i went in to get a diaper, they were awake, as in, for the day!!! At 1 am. THey watched Seth for me, while I went back to sleep, and then put Seth back to sleep in my room around 2ish. We slept until 5 something, and I think Katsu took another 30 minute nap while Andrew watched TV in the 4 oclock hour. So, Seth and I actually slept pretty well, all thing considering.

Night two (Wed) - Seth, all our best efforts to the contrary, went to sleep for the night (as in, can not rouse the child despite any efforts) at 3 pm. Lovely. Andrew feel asleep, in his high chair during dinner at 6 pm. So, I went to sleep pretty early, maybe 7. This time, we all tried sleeping in one bedroom - Andrew and an adult on the twinish bed, an adult on the futon on the floor, but not enough space for it all stretched out, so it was only about 4 feet long and the rest of you was on the floor, and Seth in the Pack n Play. Seth was up at midnight, so the two of us, played for an hour in the bathroom floor (we had about 4 sq. ft to stretch out in). Then, he went back to sleep. The rest of the night is a blur. I think we were all up before 4, though Katsu watched the boys in the bathroom while I tried to rest some more, mostly in vain. Probably the worst night.

Night three (Thurs) - Despite our best efforts, Seth feel asleep, for the night, at 4 15 pm. And we tried so hard. So, despite it being New Years Eve, I went to sleep between 7 and 8. Seth did wake up for a feeding just before midnight, and I thought about going to do some countdown and decided it just wasn:t worth it. Welcome 2010. This night, just me and Seth were in a room, and Katsu and Andrew in the living room, to prevent the boys from waking each other up. So, at 2, when Seth woke up, I just laid him next to me and nursed him. And then nursed him again at 4. Katsu came in with Andrew, who was missing me, at 5. so, Katsu slept with Seth, I slept with Andrew. Seth woke up at 5 45 sleeping almost 14 hours!!! VICTORY !!! Andrew slept till like 7 30 - sleeping almost 12 hours!!! VICTORY!!!

Night four (Fri) - Seth asleep around 6, maybe a bit earlier. Awakes and nurses 3x at night and then awake for good around 5 am. We are now, I would say over jet lag. I tried to stay up later - we were watching this super ninja (we think that is what it is called in the US) program, but I feel asleep on the couch by 8. Oh, well.

So, all in all, jet lag wasn:t too terrible, except for when it was, and since I have recorded all the gory details, I can remember then for time imorium. Or at least, when I think about taking another trip to Japan (we want to do that again?) or having another child (we want to do jet lag with 3 children!).

Thanks for listening loyal readers (all one of you - hi, mom!)