The trip...

...lasted 24 freaking hours! It was long, there is no denying that one, and had three different stages, but luckily, it was pretty good. We got up at 3:00am on Saturday, showered, got the car loaded and got Amelia ready. Unfortunately, the road crews weren't as on top of it as we were. The roads were AWFUL! We had to drive from Weiden to Nuremberg, which normally takes only an hour...Saturday, it took almost two....causing us to almost miss our first flight. Markus was awesome with driving...it was stressful, but we made it thanks to his awesome driving skills.

So, we're at Nuremberg Airport, and there are about 50 American kids (ok, early twenties) there wanting to check in as well. It was getting pretty close, and there were two nice ladies in front of us whose flights were at noon, so they let us skip ahead...why they were there checking in at 6:30am, I have no idea. We get checked in with only a half an hour before our flight...Phew, that was close! We get to the gate and we only have enough time for each of us to go to the restroom before we have to board.

Stage one -The first flight: This was the flight from Nuremberg to Frankfurt. We get loaded on to the plane, and then we wait...and wait...and wait...ok, it was probably only about 10 minutes at first, but then an announcement was made that we weren't clear for takeoff for another half an hour or so...an hour later, we were in the air. Amelia nursed while we were taxiing to the runway...and then we had to wait in line...Note to self: don't start nursing until we are cleared for takeoff and are gaining speed on the ground. She was done nursing before we took off, so we had to make her suck her pucky to help out with the pressure and her ears. This worked. She slept the whole half hour that the flight took. Wow...no screaming. Awesome! You're such a great kid Amelia!

Then we get to Frankfurt and have to traverse basically the entire city of Frankfurt to get to the right terminal. We were basically running at this point since the delay in our flight from Nuremberg caused us to have only a half hour in Frankfurt...not fun. We get to the gate right as they are making the announcement that "those traveling with small children are able to board at this time..." Sweet....just made it.

Stage two - Frankfurt to Houston: We pass through the gate and are herded into a bus that will take us to our plane. Alrighty, we can do that :). We get into the bus which was roughly heated to the temperature it is in hell...while it was about -12 degrees C outside. Not good. I'm just getting over being sick, I don't need to get sick again! But surely we can't be on the bus too long. We'll get to the plane and get off the bus and right onto the plane...nope. I was wrong. We stayed on this bus roasting until Markus asked the bus driver to turn off the damn heat. At this time, Markus is sweating bullets and is in his t-shirt. I've got Amelia, so I can't strip down and I'm so freaking hot and sweating as well. Amelia is getting pissed since we have her bundled up for the -12 weather, but in the bus it is about 90000 degrees. We get her de-layered. Right after we get her de-layered, they let us off the bus. Great...time to re-layer. We get out of the bus, and then have to wait in a line that is taking for-freaking-ever to board, and we were sent to the stairs that go up the back part of the plane...where everyone sitting in economy is supposed to go up...and the wind is going like no other...and the stairway isn't covered (unlike the stairs at the front at the plane)...Markus and I look at each other (after waiting in the line for the back stairs for about 5 minutes in the -12 weather) and we both agree, "Screw it, we're going to the front."

So, we get boarded and get to our seat. The stewardesses are loving Amelia and her hair. Everyone is amazed by her hair...I'm still amazed by her hair! Anywho, this flight is only about 20 minutes delayed (made up in the air...sweet! On time!). As we are taxiing to takeoff, Amelia decides it is a great time to be super tired and unable to be calmed....so she was SCREAMING like she was roasting on a spit or something! Oh lord...I'm thinking...I hope and pray it isn't like this the entire time! We finally get her calmed after about a good 15 minutes of screaming, and she just passes out cold. Phew...crisis averted. Number of bad looks at this time: 3 (mainly from this Turkish ass that was in the row next to us).

Throughout the rest of the trip, Amelia was AMAZING! She didn't cry, she smiled, she looked at everything and everyone. It was so cute. Number of good looks: Loads. Ok, this is going to be better than I thought.

Oh, and I forgot to say, we had those seats right at the bulkhead where you can attach a bassinet to the wall....If you are traveling with an infant, this is seriously the ONLY way to do it...it was great. And Amelia really liked it too. :)
About half an hour before landing, I'm starting to dread the change in pressure again...and I had every reason to be worried...right after this thought, Amelia started screaming again...yup, starting our descent. She didn't want to nurse...she didn't want her pucky...she wanted to scream...and scream she did for about 10 minutes before she passed out again. Total number of bad looks: 5 (again, mainly from the Turkish ass in the row next to us).

Alrighty, we made it through our flights...we get out of the security area, see my mom and are just completely elated. She gets to see Amelia for the first time since the birth...it was quite funny too, she didn't say hi to Markus or I...she just went straight for Amelia...totally understandable...I would have done the same :).

Stage Three - The drive: This wasn't so bad. We had to stop once so I could change Amelia and feed her, then she was passed out for the rest of the trip. The only bad part was this huge wreck on a little farm road (in which there is no other way to go except for on this one road). This caused about an hour delay. So a drive that should have taken about 3 hours took about 5...Man, I just want to be in my bed, in my room in Wimberley!

We get in at 9:00pm...and then were in bed by 9:20 pm. This was roughly 24 hours of traveling. Amelia was a champ and I'm totally impressed by what an awesome kid she was! I just hope that she's as good on the trip back!

Oh, and so far so good on the jet lag of an infant. She slept last night when we got here...I was the one that was up at 4am...not her. I finally got up at 6am, which in turn caused her to be up as well.

Oh, Texas! How I've missed you! I love being home and I can't wait to see all my family and friends that are coming to Wimberley and those I'll see in Houston! Woohoo!