As Andrew recorded in the last post-Kailyn and I did have to take a separate flight home (13 hours on a plane!) at the last minute. The flight that we all had tickets for had a short lay-over in Canada because there were not enough seats on any direct flights that Friday when we were booking our flights before the trip. No big deal we thought-and apparently our travel agency was only familiar with U.S. citizen travel. So Friday morning, our guide was asking about the flight itinerary home and when we told her that we would be stopping in Canada, she immediately knew there would be a problem. Kailyn, having a Chinese passport, would need a visa to go through customs in Canada (we had no idea you had to go through customs just for a short lay over where you didn't even leave the airport.) So there was no way around this problem. But Kailyn was a lap child with me so she and I definitely had to take a direct flight straight to the U.S. somehow. Finally, our guide and Andrew found that there was one seat available on the 9:30 flight out of Guangzhou Friday night. So that is the flight we had to take. At the time, I thought it was a nightmare. I think I was in shock for at least 2 hours. Not that we were traveling alone so much (for some reason things like that don't bother me), but the fact that we were now being split up for so long (now for over 24 hours), and with VERY expensive unplanned plane ticket at that, and Andrew had worked so hard to get us the best prices possible. Our guide was kind enough to rearrange her flight back to her home in Beijjing to later that night as well, so that she could stay all day with us and not leave Kailyn and I alone at the airport in Guangzhou. The original flight had check-in at 11:00 and the flight was at 2:00pm. So having arrived that morning at the airport at 10:00am, Kailyn and I said good-bye to Andrew, the boys, and aunt Sherry that morning and we sat at the airport all day with our guide until 6:00pm, when we were able to check in and go through security and wait until our 9:30 flight! Kailyn and I killed some time after we got to our gate at a little coffee shop that also served sandwiches and ice cream. I treated Kailyn to a banana split which she gobbled, then we went to wait at our gate. there was one family that we had met earlier at our hotel on this plane. We were not where close in seating, but it was a comfort to me to know that they were there. So at least we were able to wait together.
Kailyn actually did very well on the plane. It being so late, I was able to give her a bottle and then she pretty much slept in my lap most of the trip, with occasional stirrings trying to get comfortable, which by the way, is pretty much impossible in economy seating for that many hours. Then, she was awake for the last couple of hours, in which we were served breakfast. then in the last hour, I knew she was done with the flight, and just in time too. One thing that we have dealt with was very evident on the plane is the indiscriminate attachment that institutionalized children sometime display. She was trying to interact with everyone on our row-going out of her way to get there attention. At one time I thought she was going to hurt her little head she was nodding so hard to get the attention of the row over the aisle next to us (she loves to nod and have another person mimic this back) that she was banging her head against my shoulder. She was trying to share cheerios with everyone and she sometimes threw her stacking cups at other people wanting them to play, as well as reached for a couple of passengers sitting next to us. Thank goodness we are home now, where she can learn to rely on us for attention- and I do think she is doing better with that.
Back to the plane story though- the whole day Kailyn and I were separated I had my phone turned off. I didn't have a phone charger and I wanted to make sure I had battery in case of emergency. Plus, with the rest of the family and my flights at separate times, there was just no way to communicate. So Andrew was anxious to know if we had made it ok.
At home now, things are much more relaxed. We are so happy to not be living out of suitcases and backpacks, living on fried rice or noodles or McDonald's chicken nuggets, running through airport securities and trying to sleep on planes (which doesn't work). When we got home, we calculated we had been awake since approx. Thursday evening at 6:00am USA time until Saturday morning at 11:00am when we arrived at Birmingham airport- so about 41 hours without sleep-and that doesn't include all the broken sleep and stomach bugs that deprived us of sleep while we were there. Now the boys have pretty much gotten their sleep schedules down, and we are still working with Kailyn. She is more difficult simply because she has to see one of us in the room when she falls asleep and if she stirs in the night we have to be there and it takes forever to get her back to sleep. In fact, last night was the first night she slept from about 11:00pm to 5:00am and then she went back to sleep until 6:30. The prior two mornings she woke up at 4:00 am and wouldn't go back to sleep. So mommy and daddy are tired. But last night we felt like we had a break through, being able to sit in the rocker by her bed until she fell asleep. This morning the little stinker laid there eating her cheerios with me in the rocker until she went back to sleep.
Yesterday too, I feel like kailyn's eating habits are getting to what a normal toddler's should be. At lunch yesterday, she ate much less than what she usually does, and I thought something was wrong. Then Andrew reminded me what a normal toddler portion is and that maybe she just doesn't feel the need anymore to eat half of her body weight in one sitting at each meal. So that is good. I guess she is learning that she is definitely going to be fed:) She is a good eater thought-with eggs, whole milk, and bananas as her favorites, she is sure to be growing a lot now.
I am needing to go now, but I want to also share what a wonderful experience some friends in our small group made our homecoming to be. They made sure we had everything we needed as far as groceries and supplies, lunch and even a yummy cookie cake treat! They made a trip to pick up our van at the Atlanta airport, kept our dog, and picked us up in Birmingham. We also want to say thank you to everyone-friends, sweet neighbors, and family-who has been praying for us, supporting us, given us baby clothes, gift cards and meals. We are so appreciative and you have made our transition so special and much more smooth! Thank you all for being such a vital and amazing part of our journey!
(yes- my hair dryer burned out in China-hince the hairdryer-thanks Kadee! love it!)
Amy
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