out with the kids

my friend Kristen and her mother

   

Enoch holding Tuana

After school today I brought the kid's to my American friend's hotel.  All five of them were staying at the Hilton in hopes to relax and enjoy their last few days in Turkey.  Instead they were still caught up in the logistics of moving overseas.  The foreign registered car sale had paperwork to be finalized.  They had wine and liquor the movers hadn't packed so they were wrapping to ship back to America.  (They pawned quite a bit of rum off on me).  Their hotel room was an explosion of suitcases and even their dog required paperwork.

I had vaguely intended on joining them for dinner - but I had all three kids with me so I was trying to stay flexible according to how they were doing.  Tuana slept on their bed while we chatted and Tomris and Teoman played with Kristin's teenagers.  Kristin's friends showed up in the lobby downstairs so we moved down their as well.  Their friends were from Texas, had two girls and a boy Teoman's age, and they all liked to drink beer.  I sat for a while - anxious it get onto dinner, looking at the bar menu, cooing to Tuana laying next to me.  The Americans were loud and the kids unruly - I could imagine Tolga or Gokhan with me constantly hounding after the kids to not run around, apologizing to the Turks - but I could only handle so much, and Tuana soon took all my attention.  She was having gas pain and couldn't sleep.  This is a relatively new problem - and aggravated by being outside in a noisy environment.  Teoman ended up sitting and playing iPad with his new buddy and Tomris quite impressively kicking a soccer ball in the hotel lobby to the older girl, while I nursed, burped, strolled, bounced, went upstairs, and kept moving to try and find relief for Tuana.  Tuana eventually slept - I would have tried to escape home fast at this point, but the kids had gone on the backs of the older kids to a nearby restaurant so I joined in.  I ordered food for the kids right away, but no myself because I new Tuana would wake up again.  She did so I changed her, fed her - but those Americans were sooooooo loud.  I was half embarrassed - half shrugging it off because I was inevitably going to be grouped with them anyhow.  

Kristin took Tuana so I could eat.  I hadn't mind not eating, nor had I planned on it - but she, then Enoch took the baby - insisting I sit down at our table of fourteen and enjoy the company.  There was a small strip of grass where the kids were back to playing football.  They closed the evening with a fruit boat which the kids were thoroughly impressed.  

It wasn't exactly quality time - but in fact, Kristin and I had only spent a couple times a year together exactly like this: me distracted by kids, and she distracted by everybody - but it was worth it.

fruit boat on dry ice - or as
Sydney said, "Is that liquid Nitrogen?!"

Texan: "Don't touch it our you'll freeze your giblets!"