So our first trip back to the US of A with Ava was busier than I think we could have imagined. In 10 days it went a little like this: NYC to Baltimore to Richmond to DC to NYC. I think Ava had the pleasure of sleeping in 5 different pack n' plays and we are so thankful to all of our friends and families for hosting us and welcoming us back home.
The flight over was fairly uneventful. We had booked the bulkhead seats freakishly in advance to make sure we had a bassinet for Ava, as you may guess she spent a total of 5 minutes in this box hanging from the wall and slept in it not at all. However, she was a pleasant baby and preferred to walk the aisles mixed in with a little in seat playtime. She was a great traveler but Momma was quite tired at the end of the nine hour flight! Phase 2 of long distance travel, get a rental car at JFK and drive on to Baltimore. This is where Ben was the star and stayed awake and drove the 4 hours south before we could sleep! Ava was lovely and slept the entire drive. This driving sleep is new to her and we finally understand what new parents say about driving around to help the baby fall asleep, hmmm "maybe we should buy a car in Berlin?" I know I said more than once. We were welcomed by The Aylesworths and treated to a lovely meal before falling fast asleep.
Part 2 - RICHMOND
Our initial reason for making the October trip was to see my little bro get married. Jason and Sam had a lovely outdoor fall wedding on October 17th. The weekend was filled with friends and family and extended family, with almost everyone meeting Ava for the first time. One of my favorite pictures from the trip is Jason's wedding day where Granny is holding Ava outside before the ceremony. The wedding was lots of fun and topped off with a pie bar! We learned to be more flexible with Ava and even stay out past her bedtime! With many family members staying at my parent's house it was a non-stop visit until we departed for DC on Monday afternoon.
Part 3: DC
We were able to spend a night with Aaron, Sam, and Layla when we first got to DC. It was lots of fun for Ava to meet a new friend who is almost exactly a year older than her. We can always exchange stories and get the tips on what is to come. We had a fabulous rib night with Aaron manning the grill, smoker, and other cooking devices required to make our feast. The visit was topped off with a trip for Dim Sum in the morning. We can only hope at 18 months that Ava is as adventurous in her eating as Layla.
The rest of our time in DC was spent with the Aylesworth/Strachan clan. Ava got to meet her cousins Tyler and Chloe and see her Aunts and Uncle. The highlights of the visit were long daytime walks to enjoy the warm fall weather, family cooking at night, and a Gonzaga football game. While it seemed like everything about this trip was too short, it was really nice to fit in so much!
Part 4 - NYC
From the moment we drove through the Lincoln Tunnel it was surreal to show Ava bits of "old life". It may be wishful thinking on my part, but I think she was looking at the construction on 10th avenue with wonder in her eyes! We were graciously hosted by Erin and Joe, who even had a pack and play ready for us given that they are expecting twins in February. That Friday Ava was squired around Manhattan in her Bjorn while we visited all our old spots: the dentist, 505W37, the High Line Park, and Chelsea Market to meet Shep for lunch! I think the receptionist at the dentist and our old doorman Jose were equally excite to meet the lil munchkin. Friday night, thanks to the Rynn babysitting team, Ben and I got to enjoy a grown up dinner with the old crew at Wolfgangs (and what they say is true, you really can't get a good quality American steak abroad). Saturday brought more adventures with a group picnic in Central Park at the Friendship Tree, while it was a little chilly we were excited to visit with so many people. Funny that were never noticed in our past life that lounging, eating, chatting, and drinking wine in the park is a tad more difficult with a baby who forgot to nap! But, we wore Ava out and before we knew it, it was time to cab to JFK for our return flight home.
Ava must have been as tired from the trip as we were, she plopped down in the bassinet soon after take off and slept the entire 7 hour flight! We can wait to see everyone again over the holidays when we are home for 2 weeks in December.
XO, The Aylesworth Trio
