Merry Christmas Everyone!

It's Christmas once again. Decorations are out, and everyone is decked up in their finest. So let's all be glad that we are still here, alive and healthy this joyous season.

Let not our determination to be merry bring sadness or pain to our loved ones.

May Peace and Joy reign supreme this Christmas and New year.

Travails of a travelling baby

It all started with the maid. She informed me one day that she would have to go home because her family was laying a foundation on her father's grave. I couldn't say no.

With her away, I would have to get another maid to help me and take leave the whole time she was gone. I mentioned my problem to my mother, and we mulled over it and the idea of going on a journey was born. This was in October, and we thought Ruatfeli would be big enough to travel by December. So tickets were booked, first only to Kolkata and back, then later to Delhi too because everyone thought there would be nothing to do in Kolkata for 4 days.

It was to be a large group - my parents, my brother and his wife with their two kids, and three of us, 9 in all with infant. As the time drew nearer the doubts grew bigger. How do I cope with the multiple feeding and naps? What if Feli gets sick? What if it was very cold in Delhi? What about Swine and other animal flus? Stupid me for getting nonrefundable tickets. And damn me, for ever conceiving the idea in the first place.

I made a lists of all the things that I could possibly need, and packed for four days:

1. 6 tupperware boxes.
2. 6 spoons
3. A hot flask
4. An electric kettle
5. Diapers
6. Half of Feli's wardrobe
7. Most of her medications
8. Oranges, diced papaya, Cerelac, dexolac, MamMam, marie biscuits
9. Bips and wipes.

Dad spared us his 'travel light' speech because he knew how tense I was. Not much could be done, besides canceling and losing thousands of rupees. So with fear and trepidation, 10th December came, and we left for Lengpui Airport. Feli slept on the way. So far so good. Our flight was delayed for 2 and half hours. Not so good, but somehow we could finally board the plane.

I could read fear in the Airhostesses' eyes. And loathing in the passenger who was seated next to us. In his slightly accented Mizo, he said he didn't mind the baby screaming and kicking in abandon. But it was evident in his mannerisms. We all heaved a sigh of relief when the air hostess led us to empty seats in the executive class. Feli finally breastfed and fell asleep. Now all we had to endure was 3 hours in Kolkata airport and 2 hours on the next flight.

We fed and changed Feli, she napped for several hours, but still she didn't like the next flight either.  We reached Delhi, safe and slightly unsound at 12ish, and poor Feli could finally sleep on a bed.

We had loads of lists, friends and relatives requested us to get this or that for them. Everybody knows about the huge price differences. But shopping with a baby was next to impossible. We did visit my college, met my friends and got my certificates and other things. And doing that much was quite tiring enough for Feli.

                                                    (with Padma and Monisha)

(Dusserah park near Mizoram House, Delhi)

 

                                       (Waiting lounge at Delhi Airport with Marilyn)
Mom offered to babysit for a day, and we managed to get some presents for other people, and several pairs of shoes for Feli, and nothing at all for H and I. But we did visit Nicco park in Kolkata....

An ugly black crow pooped on Feli and me right before the last picture. Was I mad! My kingdom for a gun.

It was wonderful to be back in Aizawl. Feli is resilient, and although she must have had a pretty tough time, she seems to be not much worse for wear, and she has settled back into her routine quite easily. And the one thing I have learnt from this trip is 'Do not travel with an infant'...atleast till they can walk, talk, eat adult food, or do the cha-cha.