We didnt start of on a good note with Rishi(my 7 month old) having trouble falling asleep from slight coughing. The drive to Philadelphia International airport was smooth but he cried like he usually doesnt on the shuttle from parking to the terminal.
Security check was fast and smooth although the airport itself was very busy. We carried some hot water in a thermos for making fresh and warm feeds for Rishi and while in queue for security check we emptied it into four feeding bottles of less than 3 oz so that we could transfer it back to the thermos. We were later told we didn't have to do that we could have left it in the thermos...anything for the baby right!
Once inside we tried our best during our hour and half long wait at the gate to help Rishi sleep. He fell asleep only some 15 minutes before boarding and was up as soon as we were seated. We had a tough 2 hours with Rishi crying, howling and being miserable, probably from ear pain from take off.
We had some good stuff too like Rishi enjoyed the window while the flight taxiied towards the runway. He curiously looked at the other vehicles moving around. The flight wasn't full so we got three seats for ourselves. Vivek had a beer. Rishi made friends with the Spanish lady accross the isle and she made him smile and laugh. And approximately 2 hours into the flight he fell asleep much to our relief. Because we have an extra seat he nicely stretched between us on the middle seat.
It is so overwhelming to see our kids grow...only 4 months back on our flight to Orlando, he was so little that he slept on the tray table for a while and now he is overflowing from the seat of an airbus onto Vivek's seat. He slept nicely for an hour and a half and started crying again, still partly asleep as we descended some altitude. It was another 15-20 minutes of crying and squirming until he put his thumb to his mouth and Vivek suggested putting the ear buds of my HTC into his ears.
While he was in my lap I had some of the most amazing views - the orange of the setting sun, white dense cotton like clouds below us and a crescent moon in the pale twilight sky. I don't think the picture I took from my cell phone is going to do it any justice. All I could think of a little later when I could no longer see the moon but a couple of twinkling stars is that I love to fly, travel and see places. And it was a more beautiful feeling because I had my little son now sound asleep in my lap and my husband sitting right next to me. Rishi is now back to the middle seat. Yes I am writing this piece from the flight and its just two shades outside. Dark grey of the clouds and pale bluish grey of the sky.
I forgot to mention one more thing...while Rishi was on my lap and I was enjoying the view there was a few minutes when the clouds were thin and I could see the earth slightly, I could see some orange in the middle of nowhere. My first instinct was wildfire but as the clouds cleared a little more I realized those were cities and towns...again a beautiful view...
We still have 30 minutes to landing, we hope Rishi sleeps through the rest of the flight....thats all for now..I guess this will automatically get published once we land...thanks to blogger for mobile.
Continued...
We landed safe and sound...took some beautiful pictures of the city at night.
