Delirium wins the adoption amazing race!

As we say in Kentucky - we are in the homestretch now! Fatigue is currently in first, Delirium a close second and Lumbar-overloadis has been reaching forward a time or two to try and take the lead.

We are in LA (again). This route may have been the cheapest one and about the only one available to get me to Viet Nam and me and the baby back, but it has really sucked, to spin it positively! My travel agent was uncharacteristically unavailable to assist with the changes (New Year's Eve vacation days). I found a Thai Air office in Hanoi and we walked over there to get our flights changed. Getting out early and changing an itinerary was just something that Thai Airways doesn't like to do.

In Hanoi, I waited an hour for Thai to open for checkin at the airport, then half an hour in line. They sent us to the other side of the airport to pay the change fee. Then we had to get back in line to show proof of payment. Of course, there was a different Thai Air rep at the counter this time who called a supervisor and said I should have not followed the other agent's instructions and paid the $100 to the cashier. I needed to pay them the $100 at the Thai Counter. Ok. So they asked me to go back to the cashier and demand a refund and then come back over to pay and they would give me boarding passes. That was the last straw for me. I didn't care that my bags were being checked again for additional security or that we had a center seat for me and a lap baby, but I was going to actually miss my flight if I kept up the gerbil wheel instructions they were giving me.

So I asked for a manager and stood my ground. He made it "work" (very easily - he seemed confused that they had me running circles). He said, "They not know what they are doing". Pretty much - yep. We were off to the gate. Getting to Bangkok was fine. We got to Bangkok at noon and our flight wasn't until 7:30pm. I love the Bangkok airport. I shopped some, hung out in the Gold Thai Air Room, changed diapers, fed the baby bottles, and "moseyed around". Everyone loves babies! Especially the Asian men.

"Is he Japanese?" they ask."No", I reply. "Thai?" "Nope". "South Vietnamese or North Vietnamese?" "Vietnamese American"."Why pretty girl like you no have husband and no 'own' babies?" Well, you get the picture. I like the response that I am 'Ann-gelina seeking Brad'. All the Asians think that is funny. (If they really understand what I am saying. Maybe they are just being nice!)

Then off to LA. Center seat, bulkhead, lap baby and I have two large men to the right of me and two large men to the left of me. I can see baby Brian looking at me with the immortal words of that song - "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right; here I am. Stuck in the middle with you." When those guys in the row saw me coming, with a baby no less, I could see them cringing! It was too funny. For all the times I traveled as a business traveler and had screaming babies all around, this was my chance to bring balance back to the karma equation of the travel universe.

Then the generosity started - like Joel Olsteen talks about. An older Asian lady from the fourth row back (Economy) came up to switch places with me. She was in an aisle seat and had an empty seat next to her. The flight attendant "coordinated" the love seat offering. For a 14 hour flight it was just a necessity. I forgot that you can't eat, or drink, or fill out Immigation forms etc. with one hand, while in the otther hand have squirming baby who was trying to knock over your drink, take your pen, pull at your papers, etc. The extra seat was great to place him in on occasion so other things could be done. He also slept about 10 or more of the 14 hours flight. He was really a dream traveler baby! I couldn't get much sleep though, el sardinous sleeptus interruptus was a constant presence for me.

We made it to LA, but then American Airlines can said that they had no flight confirmed for us. They told me that I'd have to go over to the other terminal and work with the Thai Air agent. By this time I had heard from Todd the travel agent that I was confirmed for a United flight the next afternoon.

So, as any frequent traveler would do, I cashed in points and got a Hilton room for free.

I couldn't wait to get a full night's sleep! Yeah - right! Brian slept from 9pm-1am, so therefore I slept from 10p-1am. It is now 4:30am in the morning, and my baby is still on Hanoi time! I am not though, so I am in a zombie cicadian purgatory at the moment. At 3am we started strolling around the hotel. I found a Starbucks - yeehaw! However I am certain that the airlines will charge me extra for these bags under my eyes! Even my under-eye baggage has carry-ons.

But all complaining aside (it is cathartic gettin it all said though!) I am an overjoyed, over the top baby Mama. He is so good natured and laid back. He loves to smile this big toothless grin (like Connie Meyers Bibb's dad does - I knew there was a resemblance!) He loves strangers, smiles and flirts with them all, and new games like Peeka-boo and Ride-a little pony are quick to bring squeals of delight and laughter. His crawling is progressing slowly. He is smiling SO much more now. Whenever he wakes up from a nap or a sleep, he looks at me like "Are you still here?" He loves the bottle and laying in my arms looking in my eyes. He doesn't like being laid down to change diapees though. (the way I figure it, he never wore diapers until I arrived, so I think his conditioned response is that when he is laid down, he is getting ready to be left alone). He is progressing with less discomfort in that area too.

His nose is running a bit, and he has a slight cough (no fever). I am scheduling his pediatrician appointment as soon as we get back. I want to make sure I am treating his dry skin correctly too. Plus we get to schedule a circumcision, a baptism, and all the post adoption court and paperwork processes.

Wednesday of his week is Jordan's 4 year old birthday - that will be a big priority! I am so glad I am here for it since I was originally supposed to still be in VN. This Sunday is Jordan's birthday party at Little Gym. I am so excited. It is a Tinkerbell theme. Bonnie and Shaunda have helped get us ready for it due to my quick travel departure. (I know so many angels with skin on!)

Well, time for another bottle for the wee boy, a shower for me, and repacking for the last leg of our Asian journey. The next chapter we'll be Texas Two-Stepping!