Wake up! Shower. Eat. Dress. Pack car. Wake up Rachel. Rachel screams. Feed and change Rachel. Drive to airport.
Rachel’s first flight had caused Mommy some anxiety over the last few days. Check a car seat? Take a stroller? Nurse her or give her pumped breast milk in a bottle? Will her ears hurt and will she scream?
For all my worrying, everything went perfectly. Good things: in 2010 baggage allowances were quite generous for infants, especially considering they don’t pay for a seat domestically. Daddy came to the airport to help check our car seat and two big bags. Then Mommy could go through security with a carry on bag, Rachel, and the front carrier. The hardest part of the travel was getting dressed again after going through security, getting my ID out, and not dropping Rachel. I felt pretty stoked boarding the second plane (Vancouver to Victoria) with Rachel asleep in the carrier on my chest… only to have the flight attendant inform me that I could not take off or land with her in the carrier. I had to pull out ninja moves to remove Rachel from the carrier without waking her up.
Family Visits
First Rachel met her great grandparents Alice and Stan Hunt. “Grandpa Hunt” had just been discharged from the hospital post heart attack, and was at home learning about his oxygen tank and walker. During the week we visited there a few times, and joined in on a few appointments.
Rachel got to see Pops (Meggan’s Dad, Richard) again, and then it was off to Uncle Jeff and Auntie Janelle’s house. Five kids were there, eager to meet Rachel. Teagan had already met Rachel but her two brothers and two other cousins had not. They mauled the baby for a while and took turns holding her and poking her before they satisfied their curiosity.
We rounded off the day with a visit to Uncle Tony and Aunt Adrienne’s house. Rachel met her cousins Ella and Benson. They entertained us with videos of the kids singing and explaining energy management.
We had many more family and friend visits over the next week, including visiting the BC Forest Museum Christmas Lights train with the entire Hunt family, and a fun Christmas dinner with Meggan’s cousins, the Bjornsons.
Babysitting by Nana and Pops
Babysitting by Nana and Pops
On Wed, Dec 22nd, Meggan had a high school reunion night planned. Meggan’s parents “Nana” and “Pops” were due to babysit over bedtime and beyond. After a busy day, things weren’t as organized as Meggan would have liked and she almost called the whole thing off. But then, our little angel went to sleep at 7:25pm and didn’t stir until after 6am!!! A new record sleep and Nana and Pops didn’t have to do anything at all.
Dec 27th Skiing at Mt Washington
Wake up! Shower. Eat. Dress. Pack car. Wake up Rachel. Rachel screams. Feed and change Rachel. Drive 2 hours in rain and then past clouds to ski hill parking lots.
Beautiful snow and sunshine. Pops and Jason take the first turn on the slopes with Mommy and Rachel in the lodge. The weather deteriorates after that and we continue to take turns in the lodge. Meggan and Jason get time to ski together and play ‘follow the leader’ in the trees while Pops takes his turn in the lodge. We return home late to Duncan after a long and wonderful day in the snow.
Dec 30th To the US Consolate in Vancouver
Wake up! Shower. Eat. Dress. Pack car. Wake up Rachel. Rachel screams. Feed and change Rachel. Drive to ferry.
Ferry. Drive through a deserted post-holiday Vancouver in record time and park with time to spare. Intimidating security screening and then a lengthy process of having all our pictures, paperwork, and fees screened before we received the official stamp: Rachel is now a dual citizen. She has her Canadian Passport and her USA Passport is on the way! The clerk explained after our paperwork was complete that Rachel’s would be the last “Consular Report of Birth Abroad” ever printed in Vancouver – in the future they’ll all be printed in the States. Remember this valuable trivia fact, everyone!
Dec 31st New Year’s Eve at the D’Abreos
Although tired, we had a good time with Dana, Robin, Taylor, Rylie, Andi, Giles, Nya, Esme, Christine and Cory. It was hilarious to see the 5 little girls playing and showing off each of their own developmental stages. We stayed up past midnight playing games (translation = laughing at Robin as he continued to mess up).
Jan 1, 2011 Returning Home
After 12 nights away and a fine drive home, we were thrilled to return to our own house!
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