We're Home and Alive!!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was a crazy day. We arrived back in Dallas at 9 am. The whole customs thing with Lucy took all of about 3 minutes. I couldn't believe how easy it was. Now, let me fill you in on our travels.

We left Hanoi at 1 am to fly to Tokyo. We left for the airport at 9 because we had to make some adjustments with our tickets. Lucy fell asleep in the car on the way to the airport, and then only woke up for a few minutes and she was out. She slept for th first 2 hours of the flight and then was up for the last 2. So, that means that she started her night really late and was up at 3 for the day. She took a few cat naps in the Tokyo airport, but nothing for longer than 10 minutes. We had a 5.5 hour layover in Tokyo, so by this point she is exhausted. I am thinking that this is working out perfectly. She should sleep most of the 11 hour flight home.

We board the plane and she falls asleep right as we are taking off. Again, sounds perfect you are probably saying. She slept for about 5 minutes and then she was up. And she was not amused. The first 4 hours of the flight were torture. She was crying and fussing and would fall asleep for a minute and then wake up even madder than before. It really was awful. After 4 hours, she finally gave up her fight and took an hour nap. She woke up a little happier. Then she slept for about 3.5 hours at the end of the flight. She was up for the last hour of the flight, but she was not so grumpy anymore. While all of this is going on, she is now on her 2nd night in Vietnam time of getting only a few hours of sleep. We all know, that this is not something that is going to turn out pretty in the end.

We get to Dallas, my Mom and Dad and sister, Katy are at the airport to pick us up. Lucy did great in the carseat. I was worried she would hate it. She took a short cat nap on the ride home. We come in and she is totally showing off for everyone. Smiling and all happy. She showed the family how much she loves her bath because after all of the travelling, we are all a bit funky smelling. After her bath, she was pretty much done. She was so incredibly exhausted that she didn't know what to do with herself. This girl will fight sleep like nothing you have ever seen. It is really amazing how hard she will fight it. She decided that she was the maddest that she has ever been in her life. She screamed her head off for at least 45 minutes. And I mean screaming. She was furious and exhausted and overwhelmed and freaked out all wrapped into one. She finally gave up the fight and slept for about 45 minutes. Again, no where near long enough. In the back of my mind, I am thinking that despite the misery of this situation for everyone, it is going to help with getting her switched around time wise.

She got up for a bit, screamed, and then finally could fight no more. She went down for a 6 hour nap with a bottle in the middle. During all of the freaking out, she would not eat a drop of formula. I went in during her nap and picked her up and fed her and she never woke up at all but she scarfed down a bottle. I was relieved to finally have something on her tummy. Anyway, she ended up getting up for a while and then going back down until 3 am, at which point my dad got up with her and played. She was in a great mood after some sleep. I got up and fed her at 5:30 and she is back down for the count. Honestly, we are not going to have a hard time getting her time zones switched since she refused to sleep during travel.

As far as Justin and I go, we are doing great with the jet lag. I didn't take a nap all day yesterday and went to bed at about 7. I got up for a bit at about 10 and then started my day at 5 am and I feel really great. By the time I went to bed, I had been up for 50 hours without a minute of sleep. I don't sleep on flights and I especially don't sleep with a screaming baby.

I can already tell that today is going to be a much much better day for Miss Priss. It is going to take a while to get her settle, but she is going to do great. You all were so wonderful the whole time we were in Vietnam. The comments and support always made my days better, so thanks!! I will post pictures of Lucy at home later today. Right now I may try and catch a cat nap myself!! It feels so great to be home!