Paris Loves les Bébés

Two weeks ago The Bairn and I traveled from Edinburgh to my sister's house in Utah.  Alone.  It's a 19 hour journey and I was very apprehensive about traveling with a 6-week-old without help.  After the first security screening in Edinburgh, I threw away my liquids, deciding it wasn't worth the hassle and was dreading the rest of the trip, as I hadn't quite figured out how to carry my bag, my coat, and my baby at the same time while also managing boarding passes and passports.  Fortunately, a very nice man offered us assistance as we were awkwardly boarding the plane and for the rest of the trip we always had fellow travelers offering to hold the baby or to retrieve my bag from the overhead compartment or to help me get my coat on while I juggled The Bairn. 

I don't have a lot of nice things to say about the Charles De Gaulle Airport, but their staff LOVE babies and were so helpful.  After I went through security there, someone took my belongings to a table so I could put myself back together more easily, and the surly-looking security officer at the table held out his arms and gave me the upward chin nod that means, Hand over that sweet lump of baby.  I gave him The Bairn to hold while I put on my shoes and coat, and he chattered away to him in French until I was ready to go.

The Bairn was an EXCELLENT traveler.  He only had one small screaming fit, which was cut short when a grandmother across the aisle snatched him up, wrapped him in a blanket, stuffed a pacifier in his mouth, and took off down the length of the plane with him.  She brought him back asleep a few minutes later.

Yesterday we flew to Tennessee with my parents.  Salt Lake does not love the babies so well.  Maybe there are too many of them there.  The Bairn traveled very nicely again and woke up full of good cheer this morning in his cradle.  He is the best good baby that ever was.