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2005-05-13 - 8.22pm previous entry next entry
Travel pftthththtthth
Well, we're still here! Slightly nightmare day. We missed the flight, oh man!
We had to get up at 5am, but Arthur woke to be nursed around 4.30 so I was awake anyway. He wouldn't go back to sleep once we were up and active, which is hardly surprising as he finds everything so interesting and distracting these days! We were supposed to leave at 6.30 for the airport, but urgh I can't remember what happened but we had a billion things still to do and didn't leave till 6.50am. The roads were okay. A couple of traffic spots on the M25. Then we got to the airport parking place and realised we were running kind of late. Neil got the bags out of the car and I got Arthur out of the carseat, only to discover he had done the world's biggest poo (ever) which had gone right through his nappy, vest, and trousers - ewww! So we had to change him on the back seat of the car, and it took AGES because we didn't have extra clothes to hand and the poo was just evvvverywhere. And we forgot the yucky smelly vile baby wipes that we use when we're travelling (the non-cloth ones). Bleurgh. So out came the cloth wipes and we wet them from a bottle of water that we had in the car. It was all just so disorganised! Arthur seemed extremely cheerful about it all though! Then we missed the first bus to take us to the airport terminal. Once we were on the next one, we realised that there was no way we'd make it before the check-in desk closed (40 mins before the flight). It was 40 minutes before the flight on the bus :(
When we got to the terminal, Neil handled the bags and I hugged Arthur to my front, diagonally across so that his whole body could be in contact with mind, cradled his head under my arm and RAN with him down the length of the terminal (this boy weighs at least 20lbs now!!!) to see if we could just make it to the check in desk. I was pretty proud that I could run like that with my hefty boy clutched to my front! He seemed to enjoy the ride :) Of course I arrived completely breathless to find a closed desk and a lady with a walkie-talkie who talked into it for me and confirmed that there would be no boarding of late passengers for our flight :( We were THREE minutes late. Three. How much does that suck?! But oh well, what could we do. I could have cried, and in fact I nearly did, but I couldn't see Neil anywhere so I had to go and look for him, and that kept me busy.
We then spent over an hour in the airport terminal (oh joy) because first we were sent to the ticket sales desk to see if we could board a flight to somewhere else in France that would be near enough to our destination. But there wasn't another one near enough for my parents to pick us up at the other end. The next flight to where we are going isn't till tomorrow. Then I needed to call my parents to let them know, so they didn't leave for the airport to collect us! I used FIVE POUNDS on the stupid darn grimy un-private payphones. First I realised I didn't have my parents' phone number with me and I have it on speed dial at home so I hadn't memorised it! Aaargh! So the only people I know who have their number are other members of my family, all of whom were making their way to where we were meant to be going, and they wouldn't be home to call. I don't know their mobile numbers. Finally I called directory inquiries to get the number of my dad's company because I knew they would be able to tell me his number in France (they call there on a regular basis, since my parents still run the company from a distance). They were engaged for 30 minutes. Thirty minutes of me dialling repeatedly and getting progressively more and more piddled off at the engaged tone and the general situation. Yeurgh.
FINALLY I figured I could call the international operator and try to get my parents' number in France. It cost soooo much money!! The first time I phoned them, the conversation only got as far as, "Which country please?" - "France." - and then, click, I was cut off because that's how long A POUND lasted on that particular call!!! I was so mad. About �50,000 later I finally had my parents' number, so I called them and Mummy answered, and I said we missed the flight, and she said Daddy had already left to pick us up :( :( I felt so bad. Poor Daddy. It's an hour's drive to the airport for him. And he forgot his mobile so we couldn't let him know.
Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.
Arthur, meanwhile, was the picture of perfection! He was tired and hungry (FIVE hour gap since his last feed because of all the palava, ugh), and being carted round without having any attention, probably fully aware how tense Mummy and Daddy were, but he never made one peep or even squirmed in our arms the whole time. I think he was so interested in all the people everywhere, but even so, he was just sooooo good. I was so proud of him.
In the end we got the bus back to the parking place and I nursed him in the car. He was pleased to have milk! But he didn't nurse well because everything was too interesting. He normally nurses for naps or in a quiet familiar room, because he is too distracted otherwise, so it was hard for him to nurse with any focus for long. Milk went everywhere, because he kept popping off and turning his head this way and that to see what was what!
I was so upset to miss the flight. It's a special weekend and I thought maybe we would not be able to go at all. I didn't think there would be any flights available over the weekend. We considered driving and going on a ferry, or getting the train down to France later today. But urgh, even the thought was just too tiring.
Arthur slept all the way home (90 minutes). We hit some traffic. When we got home, I phoned my parents again. After some researching, the long and short of it is that we have booked a flight to leave tomorrow (yay!) at the same time as today's attempt (early, urgh). This time we will leave PLENTY of time!!! And go to bed in like half an hour from now (it's 8pm). Neil called his work and explained, and asked if he might take Tuesday off as well as Monday, so that we could have time to catch our breath before turning around and flying home again! They were really nice and said yes, so I called the airline and changed our return flight to Tuesday :) Then we let my parents know, and they were really pleased. So it's okay. Phew! We leave tomorrow.
Neil and I have both been totally exhausted this afternoon and have had headaches. Arthur is teething pretty badly today and keeps pressing and rubbing on his ears (which are all red) and crying. It's not like him to even cry at all, so we know he's a poor boy. When I nurse him, his gums are like a hot ring of fire on my breast. Poor baby. We gave him teething powder a lot today, and he smiles just when he SEES the packet, so I'm glad it's helping him. He didn't nap well this afternoon, and Neil was wonderful and took him out for a while so I could sleep, as my headache wouldn't shift. I slept a couple of hours and felt better, if a little groggy, for the nap.
Arthur had a bath with Daddy and then I did the normal change for bed/massage with talc thingy that we do, and he had a gooood feed in bed and then was out for the count! We have never known him to go to sleep so well. I'm glad he had such a great feed too. After all this distracted feeding with huge gaps today, my breasts were like rocks at bedtime! I'm glad he drained them both before sleeping! :)
He is still asleep and dinner will be ready soon (wonderful Neil again), so I will finish this for now. Just wanted to write about the day. I will probably not get the chance to update while we're in France as there will be family family everywhere and I love spending time with EACH of them so I will use all my time for that instead of going on the computer.
I had meant to respond to lots of the advice (thank you all!) left in my guestbook about the solids thing, but no time really. I had basically meant to state what we were doing and not leave it open for discussion (this is a rather blunt way of saying it, sorry!), because I have no qualms about my decision to delay introducing solids to Arthur. Everyone has different experience and stories to tell, and I appreciate that, but I feel strongly that this is the RIGHT thing for Arthur at this time. I also feel that for me it is RIGHT to avoid telling my health visitor about this right now, because her opinion of weaning doesn't appear to be based on recent (totally valid) research, so she *will* think I'm doing the wrong thing. And she won't be right about that. I don't need the pressure of that so I know it is best to avoid that situation by not telling her.
If I had more time I would go into a LOT more detail (be thankful, haha!) about the reasons I am confident about my decision, and why I am not worried about some of the concerns people have raised. But I can leave this link to a page at Kellymom.com about whether a baby is ready for solids - in particular it takes apart (or gives relevant research to disprove, etc) various myths about weaning issues, like if you don't start solids by a certain age it will get harder (not true for healthy babies - Sarah, I guess your baby's illness is what makes him different here?), the baby having reached a magic weight, babies will sleep better if started on solids, etc. Great page. I feel such a sense of relief after reading it. And also this one - from AskDrSears.com - a question that asks if an exclusively breastfed EIGHT month old needs solids.
Anyway so I am happy with it all. Nothing will change that. I don't believe it's necessary to Arthur's wellbeing to give him solid food yet. So that is that :)
And my dinner is ready so I have to go. I hope tomorrow is less eventful! Have a good weekend everyone :)
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