Greek Introduction: Baby in a Backpack - Day 1

Well, the part I was most anxious about is over...the overseas flight. I was worried because we weren’t sure how Troy would react on the plane. Most babies cry a lot, especially on long flights and especially during takeoff and landing when the air pressure causes pain in their ears. We did our best to feed him during takeoff and give him the pacifier whenever he woke up, so the swallowing would help him clear his ears. We bought him his own seat and took his car seat to ride in, which I think also helped. I’m glad now that we didn’t decide to try to hold him for the entire flight. That would have been a long time cradling 27 lbs in our arms, and we wouldn’t have gotten to relax, and he probably wouldn’t have either. This way, he got to stretch out and be comfortable.

The first flight from Dallas to London was not without issues. First of all, the flight staff at American Airlines “would make no special accommodations for traveling families,” which was their response when we asked to be boarded early to give us time to get the car seat set up. As it was, we were in the next to last group and one of the last to board. Second of all, the size of the plane was ridiculously small for the number of passengers and the length of the flight. People were crammed in every seat like sardines. The aisles of the plane were also so narrow that a person had to walk sideways to get down them! This is a huge problem when you’ve got an oversized car seat that you have to carry to the very back of the plane. Made worse by the fact that you have to carry it over everyone’s head, since the airline would make no special accommodation to let us on before everyone else. I somehow managed to do it while also avoiding the open doors of the overhead compartments in the process. One stupid woman, unaware of what I had in the oversized carryon, and apparently missing the baby strapped to my back, decided to voice her opinion on the matter and tell me to just check my bag. To which I, face red and puffing from holding a 35-pound car seat over my head while also carrying a 27-pound baby on my back, most unkindly told her to shut up and mind her own business. I’m not really sure why she thought this was the right time to have this conversation or why it even mattered to her, since we weren’t in her section nor causing her any undue problems. But as I stated already, she was stupid.

When we finally found our seat and got strapped in, we were pleased to have a very nice English family sitting behind us. The husband even offered to hold the baby while we worked on the car seat. They talked to Troy whenever he looked over the seat back at them, and even gave him a high-five after the flight to tell him what a good job he’d done. Much to the delight of Troy, who loves giving high-fives. And that’s not the only friend he made on the plane either. He also charmed an Indian man while we were all waiting to use the restroom. There’s something about seeing a cute, smiling baby that changes people. It transcends cultures, attitudes, moods, and personalities. Troy has a special gift for bringing people together.