Camp Christmas Eve at Changi

Camp Christmas Eve (post spit-up, hence the additional
laundry in the background).

While most of you will be snug in your homes around a warm fire and Christmas tree, surrounded by presents and family - the three of us are in fact someplace much cooler - in TRANSIT.  That's right.  We presently find ourselves in the 'Rainforest' Lounge (so called for the green painted trees on the white walls) in Changi (or SIN or if you really don't get around much, Singapore International) airport.

We have had to adapt our 'strictly one bag each' travel motto slightly since adding a new addition, leading to the rather 'IDP-camp looking setup' in the lounge area.  We have learned that when you travel with an infant, trying to stick as closely as possible to a 'normal' schedule is key.  So we pick flights that coincide with nap times (whenever possible) and have become quite skilled at bathing him in airport lounge sinks.  Yes, this also means we will favor one airport (SIN) over another (DPS), for instance.  We've also learned to pick our gear carefully.  For this trip, we opted for the Chicco Capri Stroller in 'Tangerine' and pitched before you is our little man's home away from home, his Peapod travel bed from KidCo.  In preparation for this trip, we have been napping him in here every day to make sure he is comfortable with it.

Today's travel started with a pre-flight trip to the airport where Susan managed to convince the Air Timor staff to check us in hours before the gate opens - securing not only the bulkhead, but also weighing and tagging the luggage - meaning that we got to avoid the line when we showed up 45mins before the flight departed.  The flight coincided with what should have been Luka's nap - but hey - if you're 9.4kg and have to sit in mom or dad's lap, WHO wants to nap when you can JUMP for 3.5 hours.  So Chris and I pretty much played defense for the entire flight (yes I know my father is smiling as he reads this).

At Changi, our stroller was handed to us exactly as we walked past the door on the ramp (again, why we fly through SIN and not DPS), and we headed straight for the lounge with our Priority Pass cards (we are afterall only Silver on Emirates, can't wait to make Gold one day when I grow up).  It was about an hour past Luka's bedtime, so time was of the essence.  Mommy and Luka took a shower (interesting endeavor in a small space let me tell you) while daddy erected Camp Christmas Eve outside.

Tucked in for a nice nap.

Following his shower and bottle, all snug in his PJs, Luka went down for (what we hope) will be at least a four hour nap before we very gently try and transfer him to one of our shoulders and onto the flight.  What an awful time to be flying on Christmas, to arrive at 0140 in Colombo on Christmas morning - but with only three weekly flights between DIL-SIN, so be it.

Anyway, from all three of us, we wish you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE.