We're Home

We arrived back home on Sunday afternoon. The whole trip from hotel to home was 34 hours. Needless to say it was not pretty. The first leg of the trip to Tokyo went really well. Daniel slept in the bassinet, we cleared Vietnamese customs no problem (but did have to show all of our adoption papers) and they gave us the two aisle seats from the three seat section in the middle of the plane which meant we had three seats. As well in Vietnam they let us through the gate with a thermos full of water plus 5 small bottles of water - no questions ask. We actually didn't have a problem bringing liquids through any of the gates as long as it was for the baby.Even the 3 hr stop over in Tokyo went well. We played a bit, Daniel finally did a #2 - everybody was happy (except when changing the diaper)Then we got on a packed plane to Chicago. No empty middle seat this time and the seats where actually smaller. I almost had to squeeze into it. Daniel did not want to sleep at all. He cried for most of the trip and we could not console him. The only thing that helped was to walk around with him and occasionally Dave, the baby whisperer, managed to calm him down. Daniel could have negotiated practically anything - no bedtime, no more prunes,cell phone with unlimited minutes, a sports car.... I felt so bad for the people around us and want to apologize to any parents with a screaming banshee baby I've ever shot a look at. By the end of the 11 hour flight we were almost delirious.
I also know how to get a seat at an airport waiting lounge area now - just mention to your partner that the baby's needs to be changed and start making preparations to do it there. People clear out really fast. Now I was just talking about changing his clothes but hey whatever works.
I wish I had brought disposable bottle liners on the plane because there is nowhere to wash the bottles. The best I could do was to rinse them out really well with the hot water on the plane.
Once we got to Toronto, they made us go to immigration. Only because our custom agent was not familiar with the new citizenship regulations. Thankfully a woman there let all Cnd citizens go to the front of the line otherwise that would have been another 1-2 hours.
Once we cleared our customs our parents and Dave's brother were there to meet us. It was really exciting. I just started running towards them, sobbing, pushing the empty stroller and leaving Dave who was carrying Daniel who by this time would not go any other way, in the dust. It must have looked pretty funny but like I said, I was completely kaput.
Then came the car seat ordeal where Daniel screamed for another 1/2 hour during the car ride home with poor Oma and Opa. When we got home it was incredibly emotional. We finally had our baby in our house. It was for real.
Daniel did not sleep well that night and I don't blame him. I can't imagine what was going through his mind during that hellish trip. But when we woke the next morning the sun was shining and the birds where chirping and Daniel was smiling.