Home Again

We've been back in Shanghai for about a day. We're catching up on our sleep and I'm sorting through our luggage. It looks like a typhoon ran through the apartment.

I had been stressed about our home trip for a while. I wasn't sure how Lincoln would travel or how his internal clock would readjust with jetlag. I've been on flights before where when I see parents with small children boarding, I roll my eyes and grit my teeth. A 3-hour flight is bearable at best, but with squalling children, I'd rather poke my eye out with a dull stick. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, how would my 2 1/2-month old infant travel on a 14-hour flight? I avoided eye contact with the other passengers, most of whom I'm sure were scrabbling desperately in their pockets for an extra Valium or Ambien or both. So far, he has amazed me. I tried to nurse him during take-off and landing or at least to wedge a finger in his mouth to suck. He remained good-natured throughout, though he didn't really take to his bassinet.



Here he is lying in the bassinet. You can see he's trying to figure out where the heck he is. He'd sleep fitfully for about 15-20 minutes and then wake up. He slept best in my arms (of course) and we'd catch a few hours of sleep together. Despite the fact that it was just Lincoln and myself on the return flight to Shanghai, the trip back was just as uneventful.

I feel like I left Shanghai with one baby and returned with another one. It seems that he has grown. There is a bald line around his head where it seems that his head outgrew his hair. He is more talkative and engaging. He seems to notice his surroundings more and interacts more with his environment.

I think he misses his Grandma a bit. I think the sudden loss of adoring masses has left him a bit bewildered.

I returned to a hot and humid city (90's) and a needy cat. Mugsy is all purrs now that I'm back. He has been making every attempt to get into my lap, even when it's occupied by a nursing baby. I think that he'd lie on top of the baby if he could get away with it. It's now nearly 10:30 at night. Lincoln didn't sleep much last night and has been sleeping on and off during the day. I've been catching naps when I can. He's been sleeping now since about 8. I hope we can get back into our routine with little fuss.