Wayward Observations From a 4, 6, and 35 Year Old

Over the past few weeks as we've finally settled in to our temporary lives here, the girls have made many comments about the differences between living in India and Southern California.

While Sheridan's observations are nowhere near as prophetic as Riley's, she does notice some changes. Such as how much colder it is here than in Chennai. And how clean it is at her school. And how much bigger it is than her old preschool. And how the teachers aren't called Auntie's...

Riley on the other hand goes through the litany of differences on an almost daily basis. It usually starts with how much better it is here because there are less bugs. And then moves into what she calls the "cool factor" that her school cafeteria offers three choices for lunch... and the bathroom isn't in the classroom, but rather outside and around the corner. Very exciting stuff for a six year old. She also loves taking baths now because the water is clear, not brown when it comes out of the faucet (um... yeah, I like that one too). Riley remarks how clean everything is too. Stores, roads, cars, the hotel room... nothing can be too clean for my neat freak. But there is one thing she does miss in India. When we're stuck in traffic, we're stuck... we can't just honk and go around the cars. There are rules here, and we actually have to follow them. Bummer ' cuz I do miss that one too.

I've also had a chance to notice a few things of my own. Like how I can totally embarrass my six year old. Rock on! Last week I dropped Riley off at school wearing the same sweat pants that I slept in the night before and a sweatshirt that I threw over my tank top. No big deal. I'm pregnant and have very few clothing options, right? WRONG!! Apparently she considered what I was wearing pajamas and she was mortified. You would have thought with all the whining and complaining that I drove to school naked, got out, and walked her to her classroom. I didn't. All I was doing was dropping her off at the curb. Arghhh.

Riley also has an issue with my car. I clearly don't wash it enough for her taste. Every single day she tells me that it's too dirty and she doesn't even want to touch the door anymore.... or be seen with me in it. So after 3 weeks, I broke down and finally took it to the car wash. And when Riley saw the car after school she couldn't contain herself. She thanked me again and again, gushing about how clean the car was and how excited that the inside was vacuumed too. Oh the drama...

My other observations? The cars here are nice!! After being overseas for so long, I'm not used to seeing so many nice cars in such a small geographic vicinity. When I drop Riley off at school, my itty bitty Nissan rental is usually sandwiched in between a gaggle of Range Rovers, Land Rovers, Escalades, Lexus SUVs, BMWs, Mercedes Benzs... Wow do I feel out of place. And my "school drop-off outfits" are SO not up to par with the JCC scene. I must have missed the memo that the outfit of choice is a track suit or yoga pants, sports bras with tight t-shirts, and perfectly coiffed hair (the uniform of the stay-at-home-mom here). Sheridan should just be darn lucky if my face is washed and I'm wearing a bra...

Twenty two days and counting. It can't come soon enough... as someone actually asked me today if I was carrying twins. Come on? Seriously?