HELP! Ask and you shall receive

Growing up, I always believed that asking for help was a sign of failure.  Not sure what I "won" all those years having to do it ALL for myself.  But doing for yourself and suddenly having a huge house, two kids, and a husband to take care of in the sweltering tropics away from all your friends and family are dramatically different experiences.  I give!  I need help!  Thanks to the ladies of the West and South Coast Toddler Groups, of which I am a relatively active member, I have lots of suggestions for house cleaners and babysitters/nannies.  It is hard for me to give in and do this, in part because it is really FOR me that we need these things.  But let me tell you what, the choice is help with this stuff, or my getting committed to some institution here in Barbados and I can imagine that THAT is not pretty.  Will keep you posted on what we discover. 

I was able to provide the Romper Room atmosphere for the girls all day yesterday which put me in bed at 8:30 pm.  For those of you who remember me when...isn't THAT some kinda change?  Luckily we brought so many toys from home because this country is a killer for families!  Toys and games and strollers, etc. for kids are incredibly expensive.  It's downright criminal, especially given that they encourage the population to procreate and populate and make lots of little Bajans. 

Didier is home today which is always a massive change from our daily routine.  For one, Virginie is convinced she is a teenager and does not have to take a nap even after greeting me with the "hi hi hi's" this morning at 5:30 am.  We drive around and check out the island, looking for little secret places to love, or at least love once we have left here and I discover some nostalgia for this place.  Today we were on the South Coast picking up a child safety gate from an ex-pat returning to civilization.  She and her husband and son are going to Geneva.  I think I saw Didier actually salivate when they said where they were going.  Better brush up on that French, no?  Then we toured some new developments being built, kind of pre-fab style.  Everything looks the same, but they are cute, modest family homes.  Our final stop on the tour took us to Hillaby in St. Thomas, farm country, where we accidentally stumbled upon a field of gorgeous brown cows!  We got out to moo at them (we do have a 3 1/2 year old and 1 year old) and enjoy the lush green of the countryside.  It is nothing if not gorgeous here...and I always did love a cow.

We are back home now and Didier is opening coconuts from the garden with his machete.  Yes, HIS machete.  Think it was one of the first things we bought together here.  Oh love.  Will probably write more today.  It's funnier and much more fun when we are all together.

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