Boa Voyagem

LS is back safely on US soil. The trip back was definitely better than the way there in terms of LS's mood.

We didn't make it easy for her. To start, she had to get up after 8 hours of sleep instead of her usual 12 hours. Then she was put through a voyage that took about 17 hours door to door, including two plane rides, passport check, customs check, and two trips through security. And she couldn't nap on the plane so well, only getting one nap of about 40 minutes the whole time.

Here she was at the beginning of the first plane ride (which was about 7 and a half hours) from Lisbon to Philadelphia. She was especially happy because she thought maybe she got to keep her own seat. But no, back to the laps.

The lowlight of the trip was 6 diaper changes and 2 wardrobe changes. Mamãe changed her 4 times on the flight to Philadephia, once right at the beginning, once right at the end, and a couple between (once requiring a change of outfit as well).

Mom again practiced her talents of using the bathroom while holding LS and wearing a backpack, but this time in an airplane bathroom. Really, at this point, I think she's showing off. Papai barely feels like he can successfully use the airplane bathroom without all that other stuff.

The need for perhaps the worst diaper change (and wardrobe change) was discovered while in Philadephia in the huge passport check area. Mamãe had to walk what seemed like half the airport to get to the nearest bathroom, and we didn't have another dry outfit in waiting...

We were lucky on three counts though: (1) LS was able to wear just a diaper and her jacket (the brown one in the picture) for a few minutes; (2) although the change took a long time, Papai's wait in the passport line was longer, so no time was lost; and (3) we had to get our luggage to re-check for the flight to Boston, so we were able to dig out another couple outfits before the next flight.

Papai got his chance to change LS on the flight to Boston. I couldn't stand up without hitting my head on the ceiling of the bathroom, but all in all it wasn't too bad. LS decided not to be too wiggly, which helped.

We think LS stole a lot of hearts on the plane rides. She seemed to make a game of it. Casting her eyes about and laughing and smiling, seeing how many she could bring into her circle. She definitely made a new friend of the young man from Mexico who sat next to us on the flight to Philadelphia. She laughed and smiled as she watched him intently as he ate, and the trap was set.

There was another first, of sorts, to finish off the trip. At the end of the plane ride to Philadelphia as we were waiting to get off the plane, LS stood for the first time assisting herself instead of being held. She stood on Papai's lap, with her hands up on the seat back in front of her, happy as could be. This wasn't too unexpected, since she's been found kneeling and holding the crib railing when we've gotten her from her recent naps.

At the end of the trip, it seemed that LS weathered it better than we did. We were wiped out, exhausted, and ready to collapse. LS was bright-eyed, smiling, and talkative. Ahh.. youth.