Travel Day is Thursday!

(Written during our traveling) Julia and I are in Newark airport waiting to board a plane to Atlanta and another to Milwaukee. David should be at the end of the line and bring us home. Three weeks of vacation is enough for Julia, and for me. She wants her Daddy and her Puppy House. I want David and to sleep in my own bed. And a few minutes of quiet for myself. Parenting Julia for three weeks in hotels, homes, and all over Pittsburgh, Jersey, New York, and Maryland has been exhausting, but so curiously, I have enjoyed almost all of it. I see such growth in her every day. It is astounding to be present for her and with her. She is learning to depend more on me, and on David also, for emotional support. And after almost two years, I feel like I know something about this daughter of mine.

Julia opens her eyes wide when she searches for mine. She meets my eyes easier and she initiates the meetings more often. She has so much more to say – I am repeating myself over and over, but her language continues to change. She is asking questions, and her ‘wanting to talk’ has taken on a more direct and longer scenario.

Julia: Babja.
Babja: (Is not listening.)
Julia: Babja
Babja: Yes, Julia.
Julia: I want talk to you.
Babja: Okay.
Julia: (Quiet now)
Me: Julia what do you want to say to Babja?
Julia: I want . . . I want . . . I want . . . . talk ‘bout pets.

So this is not brilliant conversation yet, but she is closer. Last night, she also interrupted me in the car when I was talking to my mother. She said, "Julia want to talk Mommy." I see in this a recognition that I am doing something that interferes with Julia’s ability to talk to me – there are things going on outside of her. She is seeing that she is not the world in toto.

Today, our late morning plane is cancelled because of some leaking hydraulics, and she tells David on the phone, "We late because plane is broken," capturing the message and relaying it to the person who needs to know. We change our flight, have some lunch (and thank goodness she is willing to eat chicken fingers – not a favorite – and a salad, have a bit of candy – sour and green – , and sit quietly to watch a movie. We were lucky to decide to get off the broken plane at the first mention that the air conditioning was to be turned off and to move to the forming line behind just a few people who were inquiring about connecting flights. We waited pretty patiently, got our later flights, and found somewhere to eat lunch, and then seats to watch a movie on the little DVD player. She gives me time to write, and I write and take breaks to watch some important movie scene with her or to talk about broken planes, mommy and daddy planes, and just where Daddy is right now. She also asks where Cheshire went, where Abby is, and if Michael is going to school.

It is almost 8 pm and Julia and I are now bound for Milwaukee. We are above the clouds and have a view of the sunset that is magical. Julia is watching Spirited Away and I will join her soon. She has been such a good traveler today. She has moved and changed when necessary, she has waited on lines and eaten what was available. She has not complained, whined, or tantrumed. She has been cheery, has talked to strangers (especially one guy who wore a golden dragon and white tiger on his shirt) and followed my direction. She has also yawned a few times in the last few minutes. I am so happy and proud of her behavior.