paudie - international jetsetter

We are back from Ireland and it was a really wonderful trip. For the most part. It got off to a really rough start. Anytime you're on a plane, well over the Atlantic Ocean, and a voice comes on asking for any medical personnel to make themselves known to the crew, chances are a pitstop is in your future. In the case of flight EI 132, the pitstop was in Goose Bay Newfoundland, at 11:30 PM. Paudie was soundly asleep when the plane landed and craziness ensued - the electrical hook-up wasn't working, the door (which we were sitting next to) had to be open for refueling (and it was arctic)... when we took off again at 1:00 AM, Paudie lost it all together. For an hour. Of screaming. Inconsolable screaming. We now refer to it as the ' Goose Bay Breakdown.' I almost lost it myself -but thankfully John got him to sleep with some heavy duty rocking. Our bad luck continued when we learned we couldn't land in Shannon but had to go to Dublin where more ridiculousness ensued (everyone off the plane! everyone back on the plane!). Anyhoo we finally landed 7 hours late and except for the GBB, Paudie was his totally awesome self.

I wish I could count how many relatives Paudie met last week. Countless. Check him and a handful of his cousins out above. His charm was in full effect. He also picked up some fab new party tricks - sticking out his tongue and making a clicky noise with it. He's waaaay more grabby than he was prior to us leaving. It's actually quite annoying, but I get it, he's just exploring his world. Testing out some things. It's just disturbing to see multiple strands of my hair stuck to his sweaty palms. Or to see him stick his index finger in a perfect stranger's mouth (who didn't seem to mind), and then watch it go into his own. God, the germs he was exposed to. I can't believe he stayed healthy the whole week. I guess that in itself is a small victory.

It was hard to come back. Ireland is beautiful, John's family very kind. Plus it was just the best to be able to spend so much time with the little guy. It's like I miss him in ways I didn't before. Cos I feel like I know him so much better than before. Sigh.