Mommy Diaries: Big changes on the way - new baby and the journey home

Plans are quickly taking shape for our big move home in May

Happy New Year. Where did 2011 go? Now that 2012 has arrived in full swing, plans are quickly taking shape for our big move home in May.

Our second baby is scheduled to arrive on February 20, and exactly three months later my husband and I are set to board an Aer Lingus flight at JFK bound for Shannon with two kids, eight pieces of luggage, two car seats, two strollers and God knows what else. It will be a mini adventure to say the least.

We had John’s (my husband) sister and brother-in-law visiting over the holidays, and that was very special. Nothing like having family around at Christmas.

We made the most of the beautiful weather, took a few shopping trips (Woodbury Commons, etc.), had a nice few meals locally and rang in the New Year with our 13-month-old jumping up and down to the Times Square ball drop on television.

It was probably the most memorable Christmas we have had in our nine years in New York. It was of course bittersweet too. Our last Christmas in New York, our last everything from now on!

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Dropping my in-laws back to JFK on New Year’s Day had me up in a heap. I’m usually sad saying goodbye to anyone at the airport, but this time the tears came from a different place.

I knew the next time I would see the departure area of Terminal 4 at JFK would be in May. And then it will be us boarding the plane.

Don’t get me wrong. John and I are fully confident and happy with our decision to move home, but naturally after building a life together and spending nine wonderful years in New York we will be a little (or a lot) sad leaving.

Saying goodbye to the wonderful friends we have made down through the years will be heartbreaking, and knowing that the next time I’ll see the Manhattan skyline will be on television will also sting a little.

But as I’ve said before and will say again, the reason we are moving back home is to be close to our family, to allow our children to have full access to their grandparents, cousins and relations.
The bottom may be falling out of Ireland but that’s okay; we’ll survive and once we remain optimistic all will be work out.

So back to the present. We are currently getting ready for the arrival of baby Mooney number two.
For those of you new to this column, we have a 13-month-old son, Colum, and are excited at the prospect of our second in February. (yes, Irish twins).

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