a busy Christmas week!
Dec. 31st, 2011 12:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aryanhwyBoy, it was already a week ago that we gathered hauled all our stuff to the train station and took the train to Brussels. Our flight to Chicago left Brussels on Saturday early enough that we couldn't get an early enough train Saturday morning, so we decided to go over Friday morning and spend a day wandering around the city. We got in to our hotel about 1:30, dumped our things and tucked Gwen into the sling and headed out. It was cool and somewhat drizzly, so it wasn't the nicest day for wandering around outside, but it was still relaxing to just walk without having any clear destination. Our hotel was near Brussels Noord, and from there we walked to the center of the city, stopping in a few clothing stores, salivating over the smell of waffles from all the waffle stands, and regretting our decision to pack and eat sandwiches for lunch when we reached a Christmas market with a stand selling the most delectable choucrute. We then went to the area around Notre Dame du Sablon, since Joel had previously had mussels at a place near there, and it's also home to a concentration of chocolatiers, one of which, Pierre Marcolini, Joel had brought me back some chocolates a few years back, some of the best chocolates I've had. We stopped in there and bought ourselves a Christmas present of some chocolate-covered vanilla marshmallows (this is what marshmallows are supposed to be like) and a selection of caramels, which we haven't tried yet but I'm really excited about. We couldn't find the restaurant Joel had had mussels at previously, but decided we'd be able to find something on the way back to the hotel where we could get some. But it was a bit early for supper so we stopped in a cafe for some hot beverages, and also to put Gwen down because even swapping her back and forth in the sling she does get heavy. By and large she did really well -- she cried and fussed some while we were walking around, but only for a little while and otherwise slept. When we were at the cafe I laid her down on the bench next to me, still in her sling, and she slept the whole time.
We got a bit lost headed back to our hotel, but while we were getting back on track we passed a restaurant that just smelled delicious. We decided first to go and get waffles, since we'd been smelling them all day, and we wanted to make sure that we got some before the stands closed. It's always a pleasure when the taste of something lives up to the smell -- they were great! Joel then decided that he didn't really need mussels, we should go back to the restaurant we'd passed, so we did -- and it was also a great choice. He got a delicious choucrute plate, and I satisfied my desire for gobbets of meat in sauce by getting some Flemish-style pork. Gwen woke up soon after we got there, and I fed her while I ate, and she was, again, remarkably good, no fussing.
It wasn't too late when we got back to the hotel, but we were both really tired, both from walking around (that day was the first day since she was a week old when I could really feel that I'd given birth in the recent passed...that was more walking around in one day than I'd done in awhile, even counting all our trips to IKEA, and, yeah, rather sore) and from the whole "parent of young child" thing. We'd brought the mattress from Gwen's basket along and just put that on the floor, and she slept as well on that as she does at home. We were up a few times through the night, as usual, but I was always able to get her bottle made before she fussed too much.
Saturday we wanted to get to leave the hotel around 8:00 to get to the airport around 8:30, but when we got to the station we found that the back entrance was closed, so we had to go around to the front, and we just missed one train so we had to wait another 15 min. for the next one, and eventually we got in around 9:15. Our flight was at 11 so this wasn't a problem, but we then stood in line for awhile and by the time we eventually got to the front they were calling for passengers for Chicago, as boarding was closing soon. Still, we had enough time to check our bags and get through passport control (where we handed over three passports, and the agent didn't bother to confirm that we actually had a baby; she was in her sling and the sling was over my shoulder, and in that position you can't really tell that it isn't just an ordinary bag, until she starts making noises, and then people are always startled!) and to our gate. Because we booked our tickets so late, and since Joel had a different itinerary than me since he's going to DC for a week after I head home, we hadn't actually gotten seats next to each other; luckily, as we boarded the person who was in the seat next to Joel's (he had a center seat, I had an aisle seat two rows back) was just settling in and so I asked her if she minded swapping two rows back so we could sit together and she happily moved.
Gwen was so good on the flight. She was crying when we were getting settled, but it was just because she was hungry and I couldn't get a bottle made fast enough. After she ate, she slept most of the entire flight -- she'd sleep a few hours, wake, I'd change her diaper and feed her, and then she'd sleep again. There were quite a few other babies on the flight, and every time one of them cried Joel and I would look at each other and say "not OUR baby!" Even taking off and landing didn't bother her at all, she slept through that.
I didn't sleep at all on the flight over, which surprised me since I was tired and it would've been a perfect opportunity, but I wasn't actually so exhausted as I normally am when I fly. I watched Crazy, Stupid Love twice; in the genre of predictable romantic comedy, I have to say, it was really good. I laughed out loud a number of times -- and, as noted, had to watch it a second time.
When we landed I was supposed to text Amy to let her know, but we had trouble getting cell service in the airport; luckily, by the time we got through immigration (having a baby gets you bumped up to the front of the line, especially if the baby is fussing...at this point she was getting a bit out of sorts, understandably, but now she's got two stamps in her passport, a real world traveler!) and baggage claim my message eventually went through to her, and it turned out that she and Phil were already waiting at the airport. So we met up with them, got our stuff shoved into their vehicle, including the car seat which took quite a bit more time to figure out how to install than you would've thought, and had a fantastic drive up to Mom and Dad's place (along the way I got just about the best news that I've heard all year. It still makes me squee inside when I think about it). I hadn't seen them in more than a year and a half, and Joel hadn't seen them since we'd move to Amsterdam. I'm so glad it worked to meet up with them this way! So much better to have a few hours in the car to catch up with each other rather than trying to steal an hour or so from family holidays to meet up at some diner for a meal, which is what I thought we might have to do if we wanted to see each other.
We stopped in Milwaukee for some food, and then Mom and Dad had ordered Chinese so we got a second supper when we arrived there. Andrea and Matt and their kids were already there and so there was a huge rush to ooh and aah over Gwen; Leah in particular is very happy about her little girl cousin. :) I don't actually remember much of the day after that -- I think we set up the air mattress for us in the office, and Gwen's little mattress next to it, and soon after that I was asleep.
Christmas Day and the day after deserve a post of their own, so I'll stop here in the catch-up.
We got a bit lost headed back to our hotel, but while we were getting back on track we passed a restaurant that just smelled delicious. We decided first to go and get waffles, since we'd been smelling them all day, and we wanted to make sure that we got some before the stands closed. It's always a pleasure when the taste of something lives up to the smell -- they were great! Joel then decided that he didn't really need mussels, we should go back to the restaurant we'd passed, so we did -- and it was also a great choice. He got a delicious choucrute plate, and I satisfied my desire for gobbets of meat in sauce by getting some Flemish-style pork. Gwen woke up soon after we got there, and I fed her while I ate, and she was, again, remarkably good, no fussing.
It wasn't too late when we got back to the hotel, but we were both really tired, both from walking around (that day was the first day since she was a week old when I could really feel that I'd given birth in the recent passed...that was more walking around in one day than I'd done in awhile, even counting all our trips to IKEA, and, yeah, rather sore) and from the whole "parent of young child" thing. We'd brought the mattress from Gwen's basket along and just put that on the floor, and she slept as well on that as she does at home. We were up a few times through the night, as usual, but I was always able to get her bottle made before she fussed too much.
Saturday we wanted to get to leave the hotel around 8:00 to get to the airport around 8:30, but when we got to the station we found that the back entrance was closed, so we had to go around to the front, and we just missed one train so we had to wait another 15 min. for the next one, and eventually we got in around 9:15. Our flight was at 11 so this wasn't a problem, but we then stood in line for awhile and by the time we eventually got to the front they were calling for passengers for Chicago, as boarding was closing soon. Still, we had enough time to check our bags and get through passport control (where we handed over three passports, and the agent didn't bother to confirm that we actually had a baby; she was in her sling and the sling was over my shoulder, and in that position you can't really tell that it isn't just an ordinary bag, until she starts making noises, and then people are always startled!) and to our gate. Because we booked our tickets so late, and since Joel had a different itinerary than me since he's going to DC for a week after I head home, we hadn't actually gotten seats next to each other; luckily, as we boarded the person who was in the seat next to Joel's (he had a center seat, I had an aisle seat two rows back) was just settling in and so I asked her if she minded swapping two rows back so we could sit together and she happily moved.
Gwen was so good on the flight. She was crying when we were getting settled, but it was just because she was hungry and I couldn't get a bottle made fast enough. After she ate, she slept most of the entire flight -- she'd sleep a few hours, wake, I'd change her diaper and feed her, and then she'd sleep again. There were quite a few other babies on the flight, and every time one of them cried Joel and I would look at each other and say "not OUR baby!" Even taking off and landing didn't bother her at all, she slept through that.
I didn't sleep at all on the flight over, which surprised me since I was tired and it would've been a perfect opportunity, but I wasn't actually so exhausted as I normally am when I fly. I watched Crazy, Stupid Love twice; in the genre of predictable romantic comedy, I have to say, it was really good. I laughed out loud a number of times -- and, as noted, had to watch it a second time.
When we landed I was supposed to text Amy to let her know, but we had trouble getting cell service in the airport; luckily, by the time we got through immigration (having a baby gets you bumped up to the front of the line, especially if the baby is fussing...at this point she was getting a bit out of sorts, understandably, but now she's got two stamps in her passport, a real world traveler!) and baggage claim my message eventually went through to her, and it turned out that she and Phil were already waiting at the airport. So we met up with them, got our stuff shoved into their vehicle, including the car seat which took quite a bit more time to figure out how to install than you would've thought, and had a fantastic drive up to Mom and Dad's place (along the way I got just about the best news that I've heard all year. It still makes me squee inside when I think about it). I hadn't seen them in more than a year and a half, and Joel hadn't seen them since we'd move to Amsterdam. I'm so glad it worked to meet up with them this way! So much better to have a few hours in the car to catch up with each other rather than trying to steal an hour or so from family holidays to meet up at some diner for a meal, which is what I thought we might have to do if we wanted to see each other.
We stopped in Milwaukee for some food, and then Mom and Dad had ordered Chinese so we got a second supper when we arrived there. Andrea and Matt and their kids were already there and so there was a huge rush to ooh and aah over Gwen; Leah in particular is very happy about her little girl cousin. :) I don't actually remember much of the day after that -- I think we set up the air mattress for us in the office, and Gwen's little mattress next to it, and soon after that I was asleep.
Christmas Day and the day after deserve a post of their own, so I'll stop here in the catch-up.
