Saturday, March 05, 2005
Home at last
We arrived home yesterday at 6pm. The travel was every bit as brutal as we expected, although the flights were all on time and uneventful. The worst part, as we anticipated, was landing in San Francisco after a long overnight flight, yet still having a 3-hour layover and a 4-hour connecting flight ahead of us. We were very glad to see our friend Sue, who also has a daughter from China, waiting for us at O'Hare.
Chloë, in contrast, had a wonderful time. She is a happy flier, and when she wasn't sleeping she was playing with her toys or once again enjoying the turbulence. Unfortunately she is new to the concept of jetlag, so she was restless and fussy during her first night at home until she finally settled down at 5am. This didn't do too much for our night either, as you can imagine.
So today we have all been a little groggy, but we have managed to keep Chloë awake all day with no nap, in the hope of her getting a full night's sleep tonight (and us too). She is sleeping now, and we are soldiering on with unpacking, laundry, and in my case the Australian Grand Prix, Formula 1 being my only sporting vice. Her day has consisted of a series of firsts: first ride in her car seat, first visit to a grocery store (actually two grocery stores, which will surprise no-one who knows our habits), and first meeting with several neighbours. Her initial encounter with Gomer The Dog was traumatic, but she is getting used to his presence and we hope they will be the best of friends in a few days.
Chloë has remarkable resilience and pluck, and it takes a lot to get her upset, even when she's tired. The first 18 months of her life have conditioned her to cope with far more traumatic experiences than a simple series of flights and some sleep disruption. For this we are grateful, and her fighting spirit is an inspiration.
